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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 10, 2009

Registration No. 333-                  

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in

its charter)

 

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

 

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

 

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

 

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in

its charter)

 

PartnerRe Capital Trust II         PartnerRe Capital Trust III

(Exact name of registrant as specified in

its charter)

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in

its charter)

   
Bermuda   Not Applicable   Delaware   13-3399661   Delaware    02-0540831   Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)  

(I.R.S. Employer Identification

Number)

  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)  

(I.R.S. Employer Identification

Number)

  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)    (I.R.S. Employer
Identification
Number)
 

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

             41-6551055    To Be Applied For
            

(I.R.S. Employer Identification

Numbers)

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda (441) 292-0888

(Address, including zip code, and

telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, CT 06830-6352

(203) 485-4200

(Address, including zip code, and

telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, CT 06830-6352

(203) 485-4200

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, CT 06830-6352

(203) 485-4200

     

(Address, including zip code, and

telephone number,

including area code, of registrant’s

principal executive offices)

 

 

c/o Theodore C. Walker

PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, CT 06830-6352

(203) 485-4200

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Albert A. Benchimol

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

(441) 292-0888

 

Richard J. Sandler, Esq.

Ethan T. James, Esq.

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10017

(212) 450-4000

 

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public : From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer  x

  Accelerated filer  ¨

Non-accelerated filer (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)  ¨

  Smaller reporting company  ¨

 

 


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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each

class of securities

to be registered

   Amount to be
registered (1)
    Proposed
maximum
offering price
per unit
    Proposed maximum
aggregate offering
price
    Amount of
registration fee
 

Common Shares of PartnerRe (5)

          

Preferred Shares of PartnerRe (6)

          

Depositary Shares of PartnerRe (7)

          

Debt Securities of PartnerRe (8)

          

Warrants to Purchase Common or Preferred Shares of PartnerRe

          

Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities of PartnerRe

          

Share Purchase Contracts of PartnerRe

          

Share Purchase Units of PartnerRe

          

Units (9)

          

Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance A LLC (10)

          

Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance B LLC (10)

   (2 )(3)   (2 )(3)   (2 )(3)   (4 )

Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance C LLC (10)

          

Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance II Inc. (10)

          

Guarantee of Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance A LLC (11)

          

Guarantee of Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance B LLC (11)

          

Guarantee of Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance C LLC (11)

          

Guarantee of Debt Securities of PartnerRe Finance II Inc. (11)

          

Preferred Securities of PartnerRe Capital Trust II

          

Preferred Securities of PartnerRe Capital Trust III

          

Guarantee of Preferred Securities of Capital Trust II and certain backup undertakings (12)

          

Guarantee of Preferred Securities of Capital Trust III and certain backup undertakings (12)

          

 

 

 

(1) These offered securities may be sold separately, together or as units with other offered securities.

 

(2) Such indeterminate number or amount of common shares, preferred shares, depositary shares, debt securities, warrants, share purchase contracts, share purchase units and units of PartnerRe, debt securities of PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC, PartnerRe Finance C LLC or PartnerRe Finance II Inc., and preferred securities of Capital Trust II or Capital Trust III as may from time to time be issued at indeterminate prices, in U.S. Dollars or the equivalent thereof denominated in foreign currencies or units of two or more foreign currencies or composite currencies.

 

(3) Not applicable pursuant to Form S-3 General Instruction II (E).

 

(4) Deferred in reliance upon Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r).

 

(5) Also includes such presently indeterminate number of common shares as may be issued by PartnerRe (a) upon conversion of or exchange for any debt securities or preferred shares that provide for conversion or exchange into common shares, (b) upon exercise of warrants to purchase common shares or (c) pursuant to share purchase contracts.

 

(6) Also includes such presently indeterminate number of preferred shares as may be issued by PartnerRe (a) upon conversion of or exchange for any debt securities that provide for conversion or exchange into preferred shares, (b) upon exercise of warrants to purchase preferred shares or (c) pursuant to share purchase contracts.

 

(7) To be represented by depositary receipts representing an interest in all or a specified portion of a common share or preferred share.

 

(8) Subject to Note (2), such indeterminate principal amount of debt securities (which may be senior or subordinated).

 

(9) There are being registered hereby such indeterminate number of Units as may be issued at indeterminate prices. Units may consist of any combination of the securities being registered hereby.

 

(10) Subject to Note (2), such indeterminate principal amount of debt securities (which may be senior, subordinated or junior subordinated debt securities).

 

(11) No separate consideration will be received for the guarantees of the debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC, PartnerRe Finance C LLC or PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

 

(12) No separate consideration will be received for the guarantees of the preferred securities issued by Capital Trust II or Capital Trust III. The guarantees include the rights of holders of the preferred securities under the guarantees and certain backup undertakings, comprised of obligations of PartnerRe as guarantor of the junior subordinated debt securities under a junior subordinated indenture of a Finance Subsidiary, any supplemental indentures thereto and any related guarantee agreement and under the applicable trust agreement to provide certain indemnities in respect of, and be responsible for certain costs, expenses, debts and liabilities of Capital Trust II and/or Capital Trust III, as described in the Registration Statement. All obligations under the applicable trust agreement, including the indemnity obligation, are included in the back-up undertakings.

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS

LOGO

Common Shares, Preferred Shares, Depositary Shares, Debt Securities, Warrants to

Purchase Common Shares, Warrants to Purchase Preferred Shares, Warrants to

Purchase Debt Securities, Share Purchase Contracts, Share Purchase Units and Units

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

Debt Securities

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed

by PartnerRe Ltd.

PartnerRe Capital Trust II

PartnerRe Capital Trust III

Preferred Securities

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed to the Extent Provided in this Prospectus

by PartnerRe Ltd.

We may offer and sell from time to time:

 

   

common shares;

 

   

preferred shares;

 

   

depositary shares representing preferred shares or common shares;

 

   

warrants to purchase common shares, preferred shares or debt securities;

 

   

senior or subordinated debt securities;

 

   

share purchase contracts, share purchase units and units; and

 

   

guarantees of debt securities and preferred securities issued by our finance subsidiaries.

PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC, PartnerRe Finance C LLC and PartnerRe Finance II Inc. may offer and sell from time to time:

 

   

senior, subordinated or junior subordinated debt securities (which we will guarantee).

PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III may offer and sell from time to time:

 

   

preferred securities (which we will guarantee).


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This prospectus may not be used to confirm sales of any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

These securities may be sold to or through underwriters and also to other purchasers or through agents. The names of any underwriters or agents, the offering prices and any applicable commission or discount will be stated in an accompanying prospectus supplement.

Our common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PRE.”

Investing in our securities involves certain risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 4 and in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed on February 27, 2009.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

The date of this prospectus is April 10, 2009.

YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS, ANY SUPPLEMENT THERETO AND IN ANY FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS RELATING THERETO THAT WE FILE WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERMS OF OFFERED SECURITIES WE OR THE UNDERWRITERS CONVEY TO YOU. NEITHER WE, PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II NOR PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III HAS AUTHORIZED ANYONE ELSE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ADDITIONAL OR DIFFERENT INFORMATION. IF ANYONE PROVIDED YOU WITH ADDITIONAL OR DIFFERENT INFORMATION, YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON IT. WE, PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II AND PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III ARE OFFERING THESE SECURITIES ONLY IN STATES WHERE THE OFFER IS PERMITTED. YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS, ANY SUPPLEMENT THERETO OR ANY FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS RELATING THERETO THAT WE FILE WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE THEREIN IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THEIR RESPECTIVE DATES. OUR BUSINESS, FINANCIAL CONDITION, RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND PROSPECTS MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE THOSE DATES.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

About This Prospectus

   1

PartnerRe Ltd.

   1

The Finance Subsidiaries

   2

The Capital Trusts

   2

Risk Factors

   4

Forward-Looking Statements

   4

Use of Proceeds

   6

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred Share Dividends of PartnerRe

   6

General Description of the Offered Securities

   7

Description of our Capital Shares

   7

Description of the Depositary Shares

   15

Description of the Debt Securities

   18

Certain Provisions of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued to the Capital Trusts

   35

Description of the Debt Securities Guarantees

   40

Description of the Warrants to Purchase Common Shares or Preferred Shares

   41

Description of the Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities

   43

Description of the Trust Preferred Securities

   44

Description of the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees

   54

Description of the Share Purchase Contracts and the Share Purchase Units

   57

Description of Units

   57

Plan of Distribution

   58

Legal Opinions

   61

Experts

   61

Where You Can Find More Information

   61

Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference

   62

Enforcement of Civil Liabilities Under United States Federal Securities Laws

   64

 

 

Securities may be offered or sold in Bermuda only in compliance with the provisions of the Investment Business Act 2003, and Exchange Control Act 1972, and related regulations of Bermuda which regulate the sale of securities in Bermuda. In addition, specific permission is required from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (“BMA”), pursuant to the provisions of the Exchange Change Control Act 1972 and related regulations (the “Exchange Control Act”), for all issuances and transfers of securities of Bermuda companies, other than in cases where the BMA has granted a general permission. The BMA, in its policy dated June 1, 2005, provides that where any equity securities, which would include our common shares, of a Bermuda company are listed on an appointed stock exchange (the New York Stock Exchange is deemed to be an appointed stock exchange under Bermuda law), general permission is hereby given for the issue and subsequent transfer of any securities of a company from and/or to a non-resident, for as long as any equity securities of the company remain so listed.

The BMA has also granted us permission for the issue, sale and transfer of up to 20% of any security as defined in the Exchange Control Act including (without limitation) the grant or creation of options, warrants, coupon, rights and depository receipts (collectively the “Securities”) to and among persons who are resident of Bermuda for exchange control purposes, whether or not the Securities are listed on an appointed stock exchange.

In this prospectus, references to “dollar” and “$” are to United States currency, and the terms “United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America, its states, its territories, its possessions and all areas subject to its jurisdiction.


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we, the Finance Subsidiaries (defined below) and the Capital Trusts (defined below) have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) using a “shelf” registration process, relating to the common shares, preferred shares, depositary shares, debt securities, debt securities guarantees, warrants, share purchase contracts, share purchase units, units, preferred securities and preferred securities guarantees described in this prospectus. This means:

 

   

we, the applicable Finance Subsidiary or Capital Trust, as the case may be, will provide a prospectus supplement each time these securities are offered pursuant to this prospectus; and

 

   

the prospectus supplement will provide specific information about the terms of that offering and also may add to, change or update information contained in this prospectus.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we, a Finance Subsidiary or a Capital Trust may offer. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the Commission. For additional information regarding us, the Finance Subsidiaries, the Capital Trusts and the offered securities, please refer to the registration statement. To the extent that information in any prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in any prospectus supplement is inconsistent with information contained in this prospectus, the information in such prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference into such prospectus supplement shall govern. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

All references to:

 

   

“we,” “us,” “our” or “PartnerRe” refer to PartnerRe Ltd.;

 

   

“PRE Finance A” refer to PartnerRe Finance A LLC;

 

   

“PRE Finance B” refer to Partner Finance B LLC;

 

   

“PRE Finance C” refer to PartnerRe Finance C LLC;

 

   

“PRE Finance II” refer to PartnerRe Finance II Inc.;

 

   

“Finance Subsidiary” refer to PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B, PRE Finance C, PRE Finance II or any other finance subsidiary of PartnerRe so designated in any prospectus supplement (together, the “Finance Subsidiaries”);

 

   

“Capital Trust II” refer to PartnerRe Capital Trust II;

 

   

“Capital Trust III” refer to PartnerRe Capital Trust III; and

 

   

“Capital Trust” refer to Capital Trust II or Capital Trust III (together, the “Capital Trusts”).

PARTNERRE LTD.

Overview

We provide reinsurance on a worldwide basis through our wholly owned subsidiaries, Partner Reinsurance Company Ltd., Partner Reinsurance Europe Limited and Partner Reinsurance Company of the U.S. Risks


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reinsured include, but are not limited to, property, casualty, motor, agriculture, aviation/space, catastrophe, credit/surety, engineering, energy, marine, specialty property, specialty casualty, multiline and other lines and life/annuity and health. We also offer alternative risk products that include weather and credit protection to financial, industrial and service companies on a worldwide basis.

We are a Bermuda company with principal executive offices located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda. Our telephone number is (441) 292-0888.

For further information regarding PartnerRe, including financial information, you should refer to our recent filings with the Commission.

THE FINANCE SUBSIDIARIES

PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C

Each of PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C is a Delaware limited liability company. PRE Finance A was formed on May 6, 2008, PRE Finance B was formed on March 10, 2009 and PRE Finance C was formed on March 30, 2009. Each of PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C is an indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of PartnerRe, and a wholly owned direct subsidiary of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, that was created solely for the purpose of issuing, from time to time, debt securities to finance the operations of the PartnerRe group. The principal executive offices of PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C are c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, Attention: Tom Forsyth, and their telephone number is (203) 485-4200.

PRE Finance II

PRE Finance II is a Delaware corporation, with its principal executive offices located at c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352. PRE Finance II’s telephone number is (203) 485-4200. PRE Finance II is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of PartnerRe, and a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, that was created solely for the purpose of issuing, from time to time, debt securities to finance the operations of the PartnerRe group.

THE CAPITAL TRUSTS

The Capital Trusts are statutory trusts each created under Delaware law pursuant to a trust agreement executed by PRE Finance II, as depositor of each Capital Trust, and the Capital Trustees for such Capital Trust and the filing of a certificate of trust with the Delaware Secretary of State on December 11, 2001. Each trust agreement was amended and restated in March 2009 to evidence certain changes in the persons and entities that serve as the Property Trustee, Delaware Trustee, and Administrative Trustees of the Capital Trusts. Each trust agreement will be further amended and restated in its entirety substantially in the form attached as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Each amended and restated trust agreement will be qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”). It is possible that an amended and restated trust agreement will substitute a different Finance Subsidiary as depositor of a Capital Trust. If this were to occur, it is intended that such Finance Subsidiary will own the common securities of the Capital Trust and such Capital Trust will hold junior subordinated debt securities of such Finance Subsidiary.

Each Capital Trust exists for the exclusive purposes of:

 

   

issuing and selling preferred securities and common securities that represent undivided beneficial interests in the assets of such Capital Trust;

 

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using the proceeds from the sale of its preferred securities and common securities to acquire junior subordinated debt securities issued by a Finance Subsidiary, and guaranteed by, us; and

 

   

engaging in only those other activities necessary or incidental to the issuance and sale of its preferred securities and common securities.

The common securities of each Capital Trust, all of which will be indirectly owned by PartnerRe, will rank equally, and payments will be made on the common securities pro rata, with the preferred securities of such Capital Trust, except that, if an event of default under the applicable amended and restated trust agreement has occurred and is continuing, the rights of the holders of the common securities of such Capital Trust to payment in respect of distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise will be subordinated to the rights of the holders of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust. Each Capital Trust is a legally separate entity and the assets of one are not available to satisfy the obligations of the other.

Unless otherwise disclosed in the related prospectus supplement, each Capital Trust will have a term of approximately 55 years, but may dissolve earlier as provided in the applicable amended and restated trust agreement. Unless otherwise disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement, each Capital Trust’s business and affairs will be conducted by the trustees, which we refer to as the Capital Trustees, appointed by the direct or indirect holder of all of the common securities of such Capital Trust. The holder of the common securities of each Capital Trust will be entitled to appoint, remove or replace any of, or increase or reduce the number of, the Capital Trustees of such Capital Trust. The duties and obligations of the Capital Trustees of each Capital Trust will be governed by the amended and restated trust agreement of such Capital Trust.

Unless otherwise disclosed in the related prospectus supplement, two of the Capital Trustees, which we refer to as the Administrative Trustees, of each Capital Trust will be persons who are employees or officers of or affiliated with PartnerRe. One Capital Trustee of each Capital Trust will be a financial institution, which we refer to as the Property Trustee, that is not affiliated with PartnerRe. Each Property Trustee will have a minimum amount of combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000, and shall act as property trustee and as indenture trustee for the purposes of compliance with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, pursuant to the terms set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, one Capital Trustee of each Capital Trust, which may be the Property Trustee, if it otherwise meets the requirements of applicable law, will have its principal place of business or reside in the State of Delaware, which we refer to as the Delaware Trustee. We or one of our affiliates will pay all fees and expenses related to each Capital Trust and the offering of preferred securities and common securities by such Capital Trust.

The office of the Delaware Trustee for each Capital Trust in the State of Delaware is located at c/o BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, DE 19711. The principal executive offices for each Capital Trust is located at c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352. The telephone number for both Capital Trusts is (203) 485-4200.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Before you invest in securities issued by PartnerRe, the Finance Subsidiaries or the Capital Trusts, you should carefully consider the risks involved. Accordingly, you should carefully consider:

 

   

the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus;

 

   

information contained in or incorporated by reference into any prospectus supplement relating to specific offerings of securities;

 

   

the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the Commission on February 27, 2009, which we incorporate by reference into this prospectus; and

 

   

other risks and other information that may be contained in, or incorporated by reference from, other filings we make with the Commission.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are made based upon our assumptions and expectations concerning the potential effect of future events on our financial performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements could be affected by numerous foreseeable and unforeseeable events and developments. The following review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with other cautionary statements that are included herein or elsewhere:

 

  (1) the occurrence of catastrophic events or other reinsured events with a frequency or severity exceeding our expectations;

 

  (2) a decrease in the level of demand for reinsurance and/or an increase in the supply of reinsurance capacity;

 

  (3) increased competitive pressures, including the consolidation and increased globalization of reinsurance providers;

 

  (4) the continuation of unfavorable economic conditions, which may adversely affect the capital markets, our funding costs and/or the ability to obtain credit;

 

  (5) actual losses and loss expenses exceeding our estimated loss reserves, which are necessarily based on actuarial and statistical projections of ultimate losses;

 

  (6) acts of terrorism, acts of war and other man-made or unanticipated perils;

 

  (7) changes in the cost, availability and performance of retrocessional reinsurance, including the ability to collect reinsurance recoverables;

 

  (8) concentration risk in dealing with a limited number of brokers;

 

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  (9) credit risk relating to our brokers, cedants and other counterparties;

 

  (10) developments in and risks associated with global financial markets that could affect our investment portfolio;

 

  (11) changing rates of interest, inflation and other economic conditions;

 

  (12) availability of borrowings and letters of credit under our credit facilities;

 

  (13) ability to obtain any additional financing on favorable terms;

 

  (14) impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;

 

  (15) actions by rating agencies that might impact our ability to continue to write existing business or write new business;

 

  (16) changes in accounting policies, their application or interpretation;

 

  (17) changes in the legal or regulatory environments in which we operate, including the passage of federal or state legislation subjecting our non-U.S. operations to supervision or regulation, including additional tax regulation, in the United States or other jurisdictions in which we operate;

 

  (18) the passage of legislation in the U.S. that would subject our U.S. shareholders to tax rates on dividends that are disadvantageous or our U.S. reinsurance subsidiary to higher U.S. taxation, and any measures designed to limit harmful tax competition that may affect Bermuda;

 

  (19) defaults by others, including issuers of investment securities that we hold, reinsurers or other counterparties;

 

  (20) potential industry impact of industry investigations into insurance market practices;

 

  (21) legal decisions and rulings and new theories of liability;

 

  (22) amount of dividends received from our subsidiaries;

 

  (23) new mass tort actions or reemergence of old mass torts such as asbestosis;

 

  (24) declines in the equity and credit markets;

 

  (25) changes in social and environmental conditions;

 

  (26) operational risks, including human or system failures; and

 

  (27) limitations on the voting and ownership of our shares or the ability to enforce a judgment against us in the U.S.

The foregoing review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “hope,” “will likely result” or “will continue”, or words of similar import, generally involve forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

The net proceeds from the sale of preferred securities by each Capital Trust will be used to purchase junior subordinated debt securities of the Finance Subsidiaries. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the net proceeds from the sale of securities offered by PartnerRe or the Finance Subsidiaries will be used for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other general corporate purposes of Partner Re and its affiliates.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED SHARE DIVIDENDS OF PARTNERRE

For purposes of computing the following ratios, earnings consist of net income before income tax expense plus fixed charges to the extent that these charges are included in the determination of earnings and exclude undistributed earnings (losses) of equity investments. Fixed charges consist of interest costs plus one-third of minimum rental payments under operating leases (estimated by management to be the interest factor of such rentals).

 

     2008    2007    2006    2005     2004

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

   2.10x    14.51x    12.07x    0.23x (1)   9.62x

Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preference Share Dividends

   1.30x    9.49x    8.27x    0.14x (1)   6.99x

 

(1) Additional earnings of $37.9 million and $72.4 million would be necessary to result in a one-to-one ratio of the Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and the Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preference Share Dividends, respectively.

 

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE OFFERED SECURITIES

We may from time to time offer under this prospectus, separately or together:

 

   

common shares;

 

   

preferred shares;

 

   

depositary shares, each representing a fraction of a common share or of a preferred share;

 

   

unsecured senior or subordinated debt securities;

 

   

warrants to purchase common shares;

 

   

warrants to purchase preferred shares;

 

   

warrants to purchase debt securities;

 

   

share purchase contracts to purchase common shares;

 

   

share purchase units, each representing ownership of a share purchase contract and, as security for the holder’s obligation to purchase common shares under the share purchase contract, any of (1) our debt obligations, (2) debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities, or (3) preferred securities of any of the Capital Trusts; and

 

   

units which may consist of any combination of the securities listed above.

Each Finance Subsidiary may from time to time offer unsecured senior, subordinated or junior subordinated debt securities, which will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by us to the extent described in this prospectus.

Each Capital Trust may offer preferred securities representing undivided beneficial interests in their respective assets, which will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by us to the extent described in this prospectus.

DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL SHARES

The following is a summary of certain provisions of:

 

   

our Memorandum of Association and Bye-Laws, which set forth certain terms of our capital stock,

 

   

the certificate of designation for our 6.75% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Series C Preferred Shares, and

 

   

the certificate of designation for our 6.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, which we refer to in the prospectus as the Series D Preferred Shares.

This summary is not complete. You should read our Memorandum of Association and Bye-Laws and the certificate of designation of each series of our preferred shares for complete information regarding the provisions of these governing documents including the definitions of some of the terms used below. Copies of our Memorandum of Association and Bye-Laws and the certificates of designation are incorporated by reference as

 

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exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of our Memorandum of Association, Bye-Laws or the certificates of designation, those sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and the statement in connection with which such reference is made is qualified in its entirety by such reference.

General

Our total authorized share capital consists of 200,000,000 shares, par value $1.00 per share. More specifically, this share capital consists of 11,600,000 Series C Preferred Shares, 9,200,000 Series D Preferred Shares, 144,000,000 designated shares and 35,200,000 undesignated shares, par value $1.00 per share. As of April 7, 2009 approximately 56,579,095 common shares, net of treasury shares, were issued and outstanding, 11,600,000 Series C Preferred Shares were issued and outstanding and 9,200,000 Series D Preferred Shares were issued and outstanding.

Common Shares

Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PRE.” The common shares currently issued and outstanding are fully paid and nonassessable within the meaning of applicable Bermuda law. There are no provisions of Bermuda law, our Memorandum of Association or our Bye-Laws which impose any limitation on the rights of shareholders to hold or vote common shares by reason of their not being residents of Bermuda.

Under our Bye-Laws, the holders of common shares have no redemption, conversion or sinking fund rights. Subject to the restrictions set forth under “—Transfer of Shares” and “—Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Bye-Law Provisions—Voting Rights Limitations”, below, holders of common shares are entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a vote of holders of common shares and do not have any cumulative voting rights. If we are liquidated, dissolved, or wound-up, the holders of common shares are entitled to share equally and ratably in our assets, if any, remaining after the payment of all of our debts and liabilities and the liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred shares.

Other than as required by Bermuda law or in respect of alteration of class rights and reporting requirements and certain procedural matters, all actions by our shareholders are decided by a simple majority of votes cast.

The holders of common shares will receive such dividends, if any, as may be declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for such purposes.

A description of our common shares is also set forth in our registration statements filed under the Exchange Act on Form 8-A on October 4, 1993 (file No. 000-22530) and October 24, 1996 (file No. 001-14536), including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description.

Series C Preferred Shares

The Series C Preferred Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PRE PrC.” The Series C Preferred Shares currently issued and outstanding are fully paid and nonassessable within the meaning of applicable Bermuda law.

The holders of the Series C Preferred Shares have no preemptive rights with respect to any of our common shares or any of our other securities convertible into or carrying rights or options to purchase any such shares. The Series C Preferred Shares are not subject to any sinking fund or other obligation on our part to redeem or retire the Series C Preferred Shares. Unless we redeem them, the Series C Preferred Shares will have a perpetual term with no maturity. We have not issued shares that are senior to the Series C Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends and distribution of assets in liquidation. Our Series C Preferred Shares rank equally with our Series D Preferred Shares, with respect to dividends and distribution of assets in liquidation.

 

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Dividends . Holders of the Series C Preferred Shares are entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative preferential cash dividends in an amount per share equal to 6.75% of the liquidation preference per annum (equivalent to $1.6875 per share). Such dividends are payable quarterly, when, as and if declared by the board of directors.

If any of the Series C Preferred Shares are outstanding, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series C Preferred Shares have been paid, we generally may not:

 

   

declare or pay any dividends upon any other capital shares ranking pari passu with the Series C Preferred Shares, as to dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of PartnerRe, unless either all dividends are declared upon the Series C Preferred Shares, or all dividends declared upon the Series C Preferred Shares and the shares ranking equally with the Series C Preferred Shares are declared pro rata;

 

   

declare or pay any dividends upon the common shares or any other capital shares ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Shares, as to dividends or the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of PartnerRe; or

 

   

redeem any common shares or other shares ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Shares.

Liquidation . Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Company, the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive from our assets legally available for distribution to shareholders, $25.00 per share, plus all dividends accrued and unpaid to the date fixed for distribution. This distribution must be made before we make any distribution to holders of our common shares and any other shares ranking junior to the Series C Preferred Shares.

Redemption . We, at our option upon not less than 30 nor more than 90 days written notice, may redeem the Series C Preferred Shares, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, thereon to the date fixed for redemption, without interest.

Voting . Generally, the Series C Preferred Shares shall have no voting rights. However, the holders of Series C Preferred Shares, together with the holders of any other shares ranking equally with the Series C Preferred Shares, voting as a single class, shall have the right to elect two directors to our board of directors whenever dividends payable on the Series C Preferred Shares or any other shares ranking equally with the Series C Preferred Shares are in arrears in an amount equivalent to dividends for six full dividend periods.

Whenever we have paid all arrearages in dividends on the Series C Preferred Shares and any shares that rank equal to the Series C Preferred Shares then outstanding and we have paid or declared and set apart for payment, dividends for the current quarterly dividend period, then the right of holders of the Series C Preferred Shares and any shares that rank equal to the Series C Preferred Shares to be represented by directors shall cease. As of April 10, 2009, there were no dividends in arrears on the Series C Preferred Shares.

In addition, without the written consent of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding Series C Preferred Shares, we may not:

 

   

amend or repeal any of the provisions of our Memorandum of Association, Bye-Laws or the certificate of designation relating to the Series C Preferred Shares that would vary the rights, preferences or voting powers of the holders of the Series C Preferred Shares;

 

   

authorize any amalgamation, consolidation, merger or statutory share exchange that affects the Series C Preferred Shares, unless each Series C Preferred Share remains outstanding with no variation in its

 

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rights, preferences or voting powers or is converted into or exchanged for preferred shares of the surviving entity having rights, preferences and voting powers identical to that of a Series C Preferred Share; or

 

   

authorize any creation or increase in the authorized amount of, any shares of any class or series or any security convertible into shares of any class or series ranking prior to the Series C Preferred Shares in payment of dividends or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.

We may create and issue additional classes or series of shares that rank equal or junior to the Series C Preferred Shares without the consent of any holder of the Series C Preferred Shares.

A more detailed description of our Series C Preferred Shares is set forth in our registration statement filed under the Exchange Act on Form 8-A on May 2, 2003 (file No. 001-14536), including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description.

Series D Preferred Shares

The Series D Preferred Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PRE PrD”. The Series D Preferred Shares currently issued and outstanding are fully paid and nonassessable within the meaning of applicable Bermuda law.

The holders of Series D Preferred Shares have no preemptive rights with respect to any of our common shares or any of our other securities convertible into or carrying rights or options to purchase any such shares. The Series D Preferred Shares are not subject to any sinking fund or other obligation on our part to redeem or retire the Series D Preferred Shares. Unless we redeem them, the Series D Preferred Shares will have a perpetual term with no maturity. We have not issued shares that are senior to the Series D Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends and distribution of assets in liquidation. Our Series D Preferred Shares rank equally with our Series C Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends and distribution of assets in liquidation.

Dividends . Holders of Series D Preferred Shares are entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative preferential cash dividends in an amount per share equal to 6.50% of the liquidation preference per annum (equivalent to $1.625 per share). Such dividends are paid quarterly when, as and if declared by the board of directors.

If any of the Series D Preferred Shares are outstanding, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series D Preferred Shares have been paid, we generally may not:

 

   

declare or pay any dividends upon any other capital shares ranking pari passu with the Series D Preferred Shares, as to dividends and the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of PartnerRe, unless either all dividends are declared upon the Series D Preferred Shares, or all dividends declared upon the Series D Preferred Shares and the shares ranking equally with the Series D Preferred Shares are declared pro rata;

 

   

declare or pay any dividends upon the common shares or any other capital shares ranking junior to the Series D Preferred Shares, as to dividends or the distribution of assets upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of PartnerRe; or

 

   

redeem any common shares or other shares ranking junior to the Series D Preferred Shares.

Liquidation . Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, the holders of Series D Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive from our assets legally available for distribution to

 

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shareholders, $25.00 per share, plus all dividends accrued and unpaid to the date fixed for distribution. This distribution must be made before we make any distribution to holders of our common shares and any other shares ranking junior to the Series D Preferred Shares.

Redemption . The Series D Preferred Shares are not redeemable prior to November 15, 2009. On or after such date, we at our option upon not less than 30 nor more than 90 days written notice, may redeem the Series D Preferred Shares, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, thereon to the date fixed for redemption, without interest.

Voting . Generally, the Series D Preferred Shares shall have no voting rights. However, the holders of Series D Preferred Shares, together with the holders of any other shares ranking equally with the Series D Preferred Shares, voting as a single class, shall have the right to elect two directors to our board of directors whenever dividends payable on the Series D Preferred Shares or any other shares ranking equally with the Series D Preferred Shares are in arrears in an amount equivalent to dividends for six full dividend periods.

Whenever we have paid all arrearages in dividends on the Series D Preferred Shares and any shares that rank equal to the Series D Preferred Shares then outstanding and we have paid or declared and set apart for payment, dividends for the current quarterly dividend period, then the right of holders of the Series D Preferred Shares and any shares that rank equal to the Series D Preferred Shares to be represented by directors shall cease. As of April 10, 2009, there were no dividends in arrears on the Series D Preferred Shares.

In addition, without the written consent of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding Series D Preferred Shares, we may not:

 

   

amend or repeal any of the provisions of our Memorandum of Association, Bye-Laws or the certificate of designation relating to the Series D Preferred Shares that would vary the rights, preferences or voting powers of the holders of the Series D Preferred Shares;

 

   

authorize any amalgamation, consolidation, merger or statutory share exchange that affects the Series D Preferred Shares, unless each Series D Preferred Share remains outstanding with no variation in its rights, preferences or voting powers or is converted into or exchanged for preferred shares of the surviving entity having rights, preferences and voting powers identical to that of a Series D Preferred Share; or

 

   

authorize any creation or increase in the authorized amount of, any shares of any class or series or any security convertible into shares of any class or series ranking prior to the Series D Preferred Shares in payment of dividends or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.

We may create and issue additional classes or series of shares that rank equal with or junior to the Series D Preferred Shares without the consent of any holder of the Series D Preferred Shares.

A more detailed description of our Series D Preferred Shares is set forth in our registration statement filed under the Exchange Act on Form 8-A on November 12, 2004 (file No. 001-14536), including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description.

Other Preferred Shares

From time to time, pursuant to the authority granted by our Bye-Laws, our board of directors may create and issue one or more series of preferred shares. The particular rights and preferences of the preferred shares offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent, if any, to which the general provisions described below may apply to the offered preferred shares, will be described in the prospectus supplement.

 

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A prospectus supplement will specify the terms of a particular class or series of preferred shares as follows:

 

   

the number of shares to be issued and sold and any distinctive designation;

 

   

the dividend rights of the preferred shares, whether dividends will be cumulative and, if so, from which date or dates and the relative rights or priority, if any, of payment of dividends on preferred shares and any limitations, restrictions or conditions on the payment of such dividends;

 

   

the voting powers, if any, of the preferred shares, equal to or greater than one vote per share, which may include the right to vote, as a class or with other classes of capital stock, to elect one or more of our directors;

 

   

the terms and conditions (including the price or prices, which may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates), if any, upon which all or any part of the preferred shares may be redeemed, at whose option such a redemption may occur, and any material limitations, restrictions or conditions on such redemption;

 

   

the terms, if any, upon which the preferred shares will be convertible into or exchangeable for our shares of any other class, classes or series;

 

   

the relative amounts, and the relative rights or priority, if any, of payment in respect of preferred shares, which the holders of the preferred shares will be entitled to receive upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up;

 

   

the terms, if any, of any purchase, retirement or sinking fund to be provided for the preferred shares;

 

   

the restrictions, limitations and conditions, if any, upon the issuance of our indebtedness so long as any preferred shares are outstanding; and

 

   

any other relative rights, preferences, limitations and powers not inconsistent with applicable law, the Memorandum of Association or the Bye-Laws.

Undesignated Shares

As of December 31, 2008, we have authorized 35,200,000 shares, par value $1.00 per share, the rights and preferences of which are undesignated. Without further action of our shareholders, our board of directors may fix the relative rights, preferences and limitations of such shares. Such determination may include:

 

   

fixing the dividend rates and payment dates;

 

   

the extent of voting rights, if any,

 

   

the terms and prices of redemption;

 

   

the amount payable on the shares in the event of liquidation;

 

   

sinking fund provisions; and

 

   

the terms and conditions on which shares may be converted if the shares are to be issued with the privilege of conversion.

 

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Transfer of Shares

Our Bye-Laws contain various provisions affecting the transferability of our capital shares. Under the Bye-Laws, our board of directors has absolute discretion to decline to register a transfer of any share which is not fully-paid. In addition, our board of directors may decline to register any transfer of shares unless:

 

   

the appropriate instrument of transfer is submitted along with such evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require showing the right of the transferor to make the transfer;

 

   

where applicable, the consent of the Bermuda Monetary Authority has been obtained; or

 

   

the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares.

Our Board may also decline to register a transfer of shares if it determines that such transfer would result in a person controlling more than 9.9% of all our outstanding shares. This limit may also have the effect of deterring purchases of large blocks of common shares or proposals to acquire us, even if some or a majority of the shareholders might deem these purchases or acquisition proposals to be in their best interests. With respect to this issue, also see the provisions discussed below under “—Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Bye-Laws Provisions.”

If our board of directors refuses to register any transfer of shares, it shall send notice of such refusal to the transferee within three months of the date on which the transfer was lodged with us.

Our Bermuda counsel has advised us that while the precise form of the restrictions on transfers contained in the Bye-Laws is untested, as a matter of general principle, restrictions on transfers are enforceable under Bermuda law and are not uncommon.

Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Bye-Laws Provisions

In addition to those provisions of the Bye-Laws discussed above under “—Transfers of Shares,” our Bye-Laws contain certain provisions that make it more difficult to acquire control of us by means of a tender offer, open market purchase, a proxy fight or otherwise. These provisions are designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate with our board of directors. We believe that, as a general rule, the interests of our shareholders would be best served if any change in control results from negotiations with our board of directors. Our board of directors would negotiate based upon careful consideration of the proposed terms, such as the price to be paid to shareholders, the form of consideration to be paid and the anticipated tax effects of the transaction. However, these provisions could have the effect of discouraging a prospective acquiror from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us. To the extent these provisions discourage takeover attempts, they could deprive shareholders of opportunities to realize takeover premiums for their shares or could depress the market price of the shares.

Board Provisions . Our Bye-laws provide for a classified board, to which approximately one-third of our board of directors is elected each year at our annual general meeting of shareholders. Accordingly, our directors serve three-year terms rather than one-year terms. Each class of directors is required to have a minimum of one director and a maximum of four directors.

The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for shareholders to change the composition of our board of directors. At least two annual meetings of shareholders, instead of one, will generally be required to effect a change in a majority of our board of directors. Such a delay may help ensure that our directors, if confronted by a holder attempting to force a proxy contest, a tender or exchange offer, or an extraordinary corporate transaction, would have sufficient time to review the proposal as well as any available alternatives to the proposal and to act in what they believe to be in our best interests, including the shareholders’

 

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best interests. The classification provisions will apply to every election of directors, however, regardless of whether a change in the composition of our board of directors would be beneficial to PartnerRe and its shareholders and whether or not a majority of our shareholders believe that such a change would be desirable.

The classification provisions could also have the effect of discouraging a third party from initiating a proxy contest, making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of PartnerRe, even though such an attempt might be beneficial to PartnerRe and its shareholders. The classification of our board of directors could thus increase the likelihood that incumbent directors will retain their positions. In addition, because the classification provisions may discourage accumulations of large blocks of our stock by purchasers whose objective is to take control of PartnerRe and remove a majority of our board of directors, the classification of our board of directors could tend to reduce the likelihood of fluctuations in the market price of the shares that might result from accumulations of large blocks for such a purpose. Accordingly, shareholders could be deprived of certain opportunities to sell their shares at a higher market price than might otherwise be the case.

Voting Rights Limitations . Our Bye-Laws provide that the voting rights with respect to shares directly or indirectly beneficially or constructively owned by any person owning more than 9.9% of the voting power of the outstanding shares, including common shares and preferred shares, of PartnerRe will be limited to voting power of 9.9%. The voting rights with respect to all shares held by such person in excess of the 9.9% limitation will be allocated to the other holders of shares pro rata based on the number of shares held by all such other holders of shares, subject only to the further limitation that no shareholder allocated any such voting rights may exceed the 9.9% limitation as a result of such allocation.

Availability of Shares for Future Issuances . We have available for issuance a large number of authorized but unissued common shares. Generally, these shares may be issued by action of our directors without further action by shareholders, except as may be required by applicable stock exchange requirements. The availability of these shares for issue could be viewed as enabling the directors to make more difficult a change in our control. For example, the directors could determine to issue warrants or rights to acquire shares. In addition, we have authorized a sufficient amount of our shares such that we could put in place a shareholder rights plan without further action by shareholders. A shareholder rights plan could serve to dilute or deter stock ownership of persons seeking to obtain control of us.

Our ability to take these actions makes it more difficult for a third party to acquire us without negotiating with our board of directors, even if some or a majority of the shareholders desired to pursue a proposed transaction. Moreover, these powers could discourage or defeat unsolicited stock accumulation programs and acquisition proposals.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE DEPOSITARY SHARES

General

We may elect to offer depositary shares, each representing a fraction of a common share or a particular series of preferred shares as described below. The relevant fraction will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to our common shares or a particular series of preferred shares. If we elect to do so, depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares will be issued to the public.

We will deposit the common shares or a class or series of preferred shares represented by depositary shares under a deposit agreement among us, a depositary selected by us and the holders of the depositary receipts. The depositary will be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a common share or preferred share represented by such depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the common shares or preferred shares, including dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation rights.

The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. We will distribute depositary receipts to those persons purchasing the fractional common shares or related class or series of preferred shares in accordance with the terms of the offering described in the related prospectus supplement. If we issue depositary shares we will file copies of the forms of deposit agreement and depositary receipt as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and the following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits.

The following description of the depositary shares sets forth the material terms and provisions of the depositary shares to which any prospectus supplement may relate. The particular terms of the depositary shares offered by any prospectus supplement, and the extent to which the general provisions described below may apply to the offered securities, will be described in the prospectus supplement.

Dividends and Other Distributions

The depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other distributions received on the related common shares or class or series of preferred shares to the record holders of depositary shares relating to the common shares or class or series of preferred shares in proportion to the number of such depositary shares owned by the holders.

If there is a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary shares that are entitled to receive the distribution, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make such distribution. If this occurs, the depositary may, with our approval, sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to the applicable holders.

Withdrawal of Shares

Upon surrender of the depositary receipts at the corporate trust office of the depositary, unless the related depositary shares have previously been called for redemption, the holder of the depositary shares is entitled to delivery of the number of whole shares of the related common shares or preferred shares and any money or other property represented by the depositary shares. Holders of depositary shares will be entitled to receive whole shares of the related common shares or preferred shares on the basis set forth in the prospectus supplement. However, holders of such whole common shares or preferred shares will not be entitled to exchange them for depositary shares. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole common shares or preferred shares to be withdrawn, the depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing such excess number of depositary shares. We will not deliver fractional common shares or preferred shares upon surrender of depositary receipts to the depositary.

 

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Redemption of Depositary Shares

If we redeem common shares or preferred shares held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of depositary shares representing the common shares or the related preferred shares redeemed. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share payable with respect to such common shares or preferred shares. If we redeem less than all the depositary shares, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as the depositary may determine.

Voting the Common Shares or Preferred Shares

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the common shares or preferred shares are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in such notice of meeting to the record holders of the depositary shares underlying such shares. Each record holder of such depositary shares on the record date will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of the preferred shares or common shares represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The record date for the depositary shares will be the same date as the record date for the applicable common shares or preferred shares. The depositary will try, as far as practicable, to vote the number of the common shares or preferred shares represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions. We will agree to take all action which the depositary deems necessary in order to enable the depositary to do so.

Amendment of the Deposit Agreement

The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between us and the depositary. However, any amendment which materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary receipts will not be effective unless such amendment has been approved by the holders of depositary receipts representing at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding.

Charges of Depositary

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will also pay charges of the depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the related common shares or class or series of preferred shares and any redemption of such common shares or preferred shares. Holders of depositary receipts will pay all other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and such other charges as are expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for their accounts.

Miscellaneous

The depositary will forward all reports and communications from us which are delivered to the depositary and which we are required to furnish to the holders of the common shares or preferred shares.

Neither we nor the depositary will be liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing our obligations under the deposit agreement. Our obligations and the obligations of the depositary under the deposit agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of their duties under the deposit agreement. Neither we nor the depositary will be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding relating to any depositary shares or class or series of preferred shares unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the depositary may rely on written advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by persons presenting preferred shares for deposit, holders of depositary shares or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

 

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Resignation and Removal of Depositary; Termination of the Deposit Agreement

The depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its resignation, and we may at any time remove the depositary. Any resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of the appointment. We will appoint a successor depositary within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal. The deposit agreement may be terminated at our direction or by the depositary if 90 days have expired after the depositary has delivered to us written notice of its resignation and a successor depositary has not been appointed. Upon termination of the deposit agreement, the depositary will discontinue the transfer of depositary receipts, will suspend the distribution of dividends to the holders thereof, and will not give any further notices (other than notice of such termination) or perform any further acts under the deposit agreement. The depositary will continue to deliver common or preferred share certificates, together with such dividends and distributions and the net proceeds of any sales of rights, preferences, privileges or other property in exchange for depositary receipts surrendered. Upon our request, the depositary shall deliver all books, records, certificates evidencing common or preferred shares, depositary receipts and other documents relating to the subject matter of the depositary agreement to us.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE DEBT SECURITIES

We or any of the Finance Subsidiaries may offer debt securities. The following description of debt securities sets forth the material terms and provisions of the debt securities to which any prospectus supplement may relate.

Our senior debt securities would be issued under a senior indenture between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. Our subordinated debt securities would be issued under a subordinated indenture between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. Each of these indentures is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Each Finance Subsidiary’s senior debt securities would be issued under a senior indenture between the relevant Finance Subsidiary, us, as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. Each Finance Subsidiary’s subordinated debt securities would be issued under a subordinated indenture between the relevant Finance Subsidiary, us, as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. Each Finance Subsidiary may also issue junior subordinated debt securities, including to a Capital Trust in connection with the issuance of preferred securities and common securities by that Capital Trust. These junior subordinated debt securities would be issued under a junior subordinated indenture between the relevant Finance Subsidiary, us, as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. Each of these indentures is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

In this prospectus, we refer to our senior indenture, our subordinated indenture, each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ senior indentures, each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures, and each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ junior subordinated indentures collectively as the “indentures” and each individually as an “indenture.” In this prospectus, we refer to our senior indenture and each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ senior indentures collectively as the “senior indentures” and each individually as a “senior indenture.” In this prospectus, we refer to our subordinated indenture and each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures collectively as the “subordinated indentures” and each individually as a “subordinated indenture.” In this prospectus, we refer to each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ junior subordinated indentures collectively as the “junior subordinated indentures” and each individually as a “junior subordinated indenture.” The particular terms of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement, and the extent to which the general provisions described below may apply to the offered debt securities, will be described in the prospectus supplement.

The following summaries of the material terms and provisions of the indentures and the related debt securities are not complete. You should read the indentures and the debt securities for complete information regarding the terms and provisions of the indentures, including the definitions of some of the terms used below, and the debt securities. Wherever we refer to particular articles, sections or defined terms of an indenture, those articles, sections or defined terms are incorporated herein by reference, and the statement in connection with which such reference is made is qualified in its entirety by such reference. Whenever we refer to particular articles, sections or defined terms of an indenture, without specific reference to an indenture, those articles, sections or defined terms are contained in all indentures. The indentures are subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act.

Our senior indenture and our subordinated indenture are substantially identical to one another, except for certain covenants relating to subordination contained in our subordinated indenture. Each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ senior indentures and each respective entity’s subordinated indenture are also substantially identical to one another, except for certain covenants relating to subordination contained in such Finance Subsidiary’s subordinated indenture. Each of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures and each respective entity’s junior subordinated indenture are substantially identical to one another, except for certain rights and covenants and provisions relating to subordination, the possible issuance of securities to the applicable Capital Trust and certain events of default not included in the junior subordinated indentures.

 

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General Information Regarding the Debt Securities

The indentures do not limit the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities which we or any of the Finance Subsidiaries may issue. The indentures provide that we or any of the Finance Subsidiaries may issue the debt securities from time to time in one or more series. (Section 3.01) While the indentures do not limit the amount of other indebtedness or the debt securities which the issuer or its subsidiaries may issue, the supplemental indentures related to offerings by certain Finance Subsidiaries of currently outstanding debt securities have imposed restrictions on the activities of the issuer, including its ability to issue other types of debt securities.

Unless otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement, senior debt securities will be unsecured obligations of the relevant issuer and will rank equally with all of such issuer’s other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured obligations of the relevant issuer, subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all senior indebtedness of such issuer as described below under “—Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by PartnerRe,” “—Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries” and in the applicable prospectus supplement. The junior subordinated debt securities will be unsecured obligations of the relevant issuer, subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of such issuer’s senior and subordinated indebtedness, as described below under “—Subordination of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries.”

Because we are a holding company, our rights and the rights of our creditors (including the holders of our debt securities and the holders of any of the Finance Subsidiaries’ debt securities who are creditors of PartnerRe by virtue of our guarantee of the debt securities issued by the Finance Subsidiaries) and shareholders to participate in any distribution of assets of any of our subsidiaries upon that subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization or otherwise would be subject to the prior claims of that subsidiary’s creditors and policyholders, except to the extent that we may ourselves be a creditor with recognized claims against that subsidiary. The rights of our creditors (including the holders of our debt securities and the holders of any of the Finance Subsidiaries’ debt securities who are creditors of PartnerRe by virtue of our guarantee of the debt securities issued by the Finance Subsidiaries) to participate in the distribution of stock owned by us in certain of our subsidiaries, including our insurance subsidiaries, may also be subject to approval by certain insurance regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over such subsidiaries.

If any of the Finance Subsidiaries issues junior subordinated debt securities to a Capital Trust in connection with the issuance of preferred securities and common securities by such Capital Trust, such junior subordinated debt securities may be distributed pro rata to the holders of such preferred securities and common securities in connection with the dissolution of such Capital Trust upon the occurrence of certain events. These events will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such preferred securities and common securities.

The prospectus supplement relating to the particular debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. The terms will include, among other terms, some or all of the following, as applicable:

 

   

the title and series of such debt securities, which may include medium-term notes;

 

   

the aggregate principal amount of such debt securities and any limit upon such principal amount;

 

   

the date or dates on which the principal of such debt securities will be payable;

 

   

the rate or rates at which such debt securities will bear interest, if any;

 

   

the date or dates from which such interest, if any, will accrue or the method by which such date or dates will be determined;

 

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the date or dates on which interest, if any, on such debt securities will be payable and any regular record dates applicable to the date or dates on which interest will be so payable;

 

   

any right to extend or defer the interest payment period and the duration of the extension;

 

   

the portion of the principal amount of the debt securities that will be payable if the maturity is accelerated, if other than the entire principal amount;

 

   

the place or places where the principal of, any premium or interest on or any additional amounts with respect to such debt securities will be payable;

 

   

any optional or mandatory redemption terms or prepayment, conversion, sinking fund or remarketing provisions;

 

   

if other than denominations of $2,000 or multiples of $1,000, the denominations in which any debt securities to be issued in registered form (as defined below) will be issuable;

 

   

if other than a denomination of $5,000, the denominations in which any debt securities to be issued in bearer form (as defined below) will be issuable;

 

   

any convertibility or exchangeability provisions;

 

   

any index, formula or other method used to determine the amount of payments of principal of, or any premium or interest with respect to such debt securities;

 

   

whether such debt securities will be issued in the form of one or more temporary or permanent global securities and, if so, the identity of the depositary for such global security or securities;

 

   

whether such debt securities are senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and, if subordinated debt securities, the specific subordination provisions applicable thereto;

 

   

in the case of debt securities issued by any of the Finance Subsidiaries, the agreement relating to our guarantee of such debt securities;

 

   

in the case of junior subordinated debt securities issued by any of the Finance Subsidiaries to a Capital Trust, the form of amended and restated trust agreement and the agreement relating to our guarantee of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust;

 

   

United States federal income tax considerations, if any;

 

   

the currency or currencies, if other than the U.S. dollar, in which payments of the principal of and interest on the debt securities will be payable;

 

   

in the case of junior subordinated debt securities issued by any of the Finance Subsidiaries to a Capital Trust, the terms and conditions of any obligation or right of the applicable Finance Subsidiary or such Capital Trust to convert or exchange such junior subordinated debt securities into or for preferred securities of such Capital Trust;

 

   

any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the issuer with respect to such debt securities;

 

   

in the case of subordinated debt securities or junior subordinated debt securities, any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness (defined under “—Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by PartnerRe”, “—Subordination of the

 

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Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries” and “—Subordination of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries”); and

 

   

any other terms of such debt securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to the applicable indenture in respect of such debt securities. (Section 3.01)

The issuer will have the ability under the indentures to “reopen” a previously issued series of the debt securities and issue additional debt securities of that series or establish additional terms of that series. The issuer is also permitted to issue debt securities with the same terms as previously issued debt securities. (Section 3.01)

Unless otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement, principal, premium and interest, if any, with respect to any debt securities will be payable at the office or agency maintained by the issuer for such purposes. The payment office will initially be the corporate trust office of the trustee. In the case of debt securities issued in registered form, interest may be paid by check mailed to the persons entitled to the payment at their addresses appearing on the security register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States. A security issued in “registered form” is a security for which the issuer or the paying agent keeps a record of all the current holders. Interest on debt securities issued in registered form will be payable on any interest payment date to the persons in whose names the debt securities are registered at the close of business on the regular record date with respect to such interest payment date. Interest on such debt securities which have a redemption date after a regular record date, and on or before the following interest payment date, will also be payable to the persons in whose names the debt securities are registered. All paying agents initially designated by the issuer for the debt securities will be named in the related prospectus supplement. The issuer may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, except that the issuer will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place where the principal of or any premium or interest on the debt securities are payable. (Sections 3.07, 10.02 and 11.06)

Unless otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement, the debt securities may be presented for transfer or exchanged for other debt securities of the same series at the office or agency maintained by the issuer for such purposes. This office will initially be the corporate trust office of the trustee. If so required by the issuer or the security registrar, any debt security presented for transfer must be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer. Debt securities received upon exchange will contain identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount. Such transfer or exchange will be made without service charge, but the issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses then payable. The issuer will not be required to:

 

   

issue, register the transfer of, or exchange, the debt securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any such debt securities and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing,

 

   

register the transfer or exchange of any debt security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part, or

 

   

register the transfer of or exchange any debt security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the holder, except the portion, if any, of such debt security not to be so repaid. (Section 3.05)

We and the Finance Subsidiaries have appointed the trustee as security registrar. Any transfer agent (in addition to the security registrar) initially designated by the relevant issuer for any debt securities will be named in the related prospectus supplement. The relevant issuer may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that such issuer will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place where the principal of, any premium or interest on the debt securities are payable. (Section 10.02)

 

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Unless otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000. The debt securities may be represented in whole or in part by one or more global debt securities (as defined below) registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee and, if so represented, interests in such global debt security will be shown on, and transfers thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by the designated depositary and its participants as described below. Where the debt securities of any series are issued in bearer form, the special restrictions and considerations, including special offering restrictions and special United States federal income tax considerations, applicable to such debt securities and to payment on and transfer and exchange of such debt securities will be described in the related prospectus supplement. A security issued in “bearer form” is a security for which the issuer does not keep a record of the holder. The owner is deemed to be the person holding the security.

If the purchase price of any debt securities is payable in one or more foreign currencies or currency units or if any debt securities are denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units or if the principal of, or any premium or interest on any debt securities is payable in one or more foreign currencies or currency units, the restrictions, elections, certain United States federal income tax considerations, specific terms and other information with respect to such debt securities and such foreign currency or currency units will be set forth in the related prospectus supplement.

The issuer will comply with Section 14(e) under the Exchange Act, and any other tender offer rules under the Exchange Act which may then be applicable, in connection with any obligation of the issuer to purchase debt securities at the option of the holders. Any such obligation applicable to a series of debt securities will be described in the related prospectus supplement.

You should refer to the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities for information regarding any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Defaults described below or covenants contained in the indentures, including any addition of a covenant or other provisions providing event risk or similar protection.

Conversion and Exchange

The terms, if any, on which debt securities of any series are convertible into or exchangeable for common shares, preferred shares or other securities, whether or not issued by PartnerRe or any of the Finance Subsidiaries, property or cash, or a combination of any of the foregoing, will be set forth in the related prospectus supplement. Such terms may include provisions for conversion or exchange, either mandatory, at the option of the holder, or at the option of the issuer, in which the securities, property or cash to be received by the holders of the debt securities would be calculated according to the factors and at such time as described in the related prospectus supplement. Any such conversion or exchange will comply with applicable law, including securities laws, and the issuer’s organizational documents.

Global Securities

The debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part under a book entry system in the form of one or more global debt securities. Each global security will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary identified in the prospectus supplement relating to such series.

The depositary will be a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York banking law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. The depositary was created to hold securities of its participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among its participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the participants, thereby eliminating

 

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the need for physical movement of securities certificates. The depositary’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations, some of which (and/or their representatives) own the depositary. Access to the depositary’s book-entry system is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly.

The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to a series of the debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such series. We and the Finance Subsidiaries anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

Upon the issuance of a global security in registered form, the depositary for such global security or its nominee will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of the debt securities represented by such global security to the participants’ accounts. Such accounts will be designated by the underwriters or agents with respect to such debt securities or by the issuer if such debt securities are offered and sold directly by the issuer. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests by participants in the global security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through the participants’ records. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the owner of record of a global security, we and the relevant Finance Subsidiary, as the case may be, consider such depositary or its nominee the sole owner or holder of the debt securities represented by a global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to have the debt securities represented by a global security registered in their names, and will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the debt securities of that series in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the indenture under which these debt securities are issued. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary. Persons who are not participants must rely on the procedures of the participant through which they own their interest. We and the Finance Subsidiaries understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if any owner of a beneficial interest in a global security desires to give or take any action which a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, the depositary would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take such action, and such participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through such participants to give or take such action or would otherwise act upon the instruction of beneficial owners holding through them.

Payments of principal of, any premium and interest on, the debt securities represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be paid to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner. None of the trustee, any paying agent, the security registrar or the issuer will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of the global security for such debt securities or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

We and the Finance Subsidiaries expect that the depositary for a series of the debt securities or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment with respect to such debt securities, will immediately credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interest in the principal amount of the global security for such debt securities as shown on the records of such depositary or its nominee. We and the Finance Subsidiaries also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such global security held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such participants.

 

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The indentures provide that global securities will be exchanged for the debt securities of such series in definitive form of like tenor and of an equal aggregate principal amount, in authorized denominations, if:

 

   

the depositary for a series of the debt securities notifies the issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or if such depositary ceases to be eligible under the applicable indenture and a successor depositary is not appointed by the issuer within 90 days of written notice;

 

   

the issuer determines that the debt securities of a particular series will no longer be represented by global securities and execute and deliver to the trustee a company order to such effect; or

 

   

an Event of Default with respect to a series of the debt securities has occurred and is continuing.

With respect to the second bullet point above, we and the Finance Subsidiaries understand, however, that under current industry practices, the depositary would notify its participants of our request, but will only withdraw beneficial interests from a global security at the request of each participant. We or the relevant Finance Subsidiary, as the case may be, would issue definitive certificates in exchange for any such interests withdrawn. Such definitive debt securities will be registered in such name or names as the depositary shall instruct the trustee. (Section 3.05) We expect that such instructions may be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in global securities.

Consolidation, Amalgamation, Merger and Sale of Assets

Each indenture provides that the issuer may not (1) consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any person or convey, transfer or lease the properties and assets of the issuer as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any person, or (2) permit any person to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the issuer, or convey, transfer or lease such person’s properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the issuer, unless:

 

   

such person is a corporation, limited liability company, incorporated association, company or business trust, as the case may be, organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda or any country which is, on the date of the indenture, a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development;

 

   

such person will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, or any premium and interest on, all of the debt securities issued under the applicable indenture, and the performance of the issuer’s obligations under such indenture and the debt securities issued under the applicable indenture, and provides for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the debt securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into common shares or other securities;

 

   

immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the issuer as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the issuer or such subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, will have happened and be continuing; and

 

   

certain other conditions are met. (Section 8.01)

The senior subordinated and junior subordinated indentures of the Finance Subsidiaries include a like restriction on consolidation, amalgamation and merger involving PartnerRe, as guarantor of each Finance Subsidiary’s obligations under the respective Finance Subsidiary’s senior subordinated and junior subordinated debt securities. (Section 8.03 of the senior, subordinated and junior subordinated indentures of the Finance Subsidiaries)

 

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Events of Default Under Senior and Subordinated Indentures

Unless the issuer provides other or substitute Events of Default in a prospectus supplement, the following events will constitute an Event of Default under the senior and subordinated indentures with respect to any debt securities issued under such indentures:

 

  (1) default in paying interest on any debt security, when it becomes due and payable, and the default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

  (2) default in paying principal or any premium on any debt security, when such principal or premium becomes due and payable;

 

  (3) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty in the applicable indenture for the benefit of such debt securities, and the continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after written notice of default is given under the indenture;

 

  (4) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the issuer for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the issuer) happens and consists of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default is not cured or waived or such acceleration is not rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there has been given written notice as provided in the applicable indenture;

 

  (5) the issuer fails within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; and

 

  (6) certain events relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the issuer.

In the senior and subordinated indentures of each Finance Subsidiary, the Events of Default described in clauses (3) through (6) above also include references to PartnerRe, as guarantor under the applicable indenture.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in (6) of the preceding paragraph) occurs with respect to the debt securities of any series and continues, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series may, by written notice as provided in the applicable indenture, declare the principal amount (or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the debt securities of such series) of all outstanding debt securities of such series to be due and payable immediately. At any time after a declaration of acceleration has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of money has been obtained by the trustee, and subject to applicable law and certain other provisions of the applicable indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of such series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration. An Event of Default described in (6) of the preceding paragraph will cause the principal amount and accrued interest (or such lesser amount as provided for in the debt securities of such series) to become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act by the trustee or any holder. (Section 5.02 of the senior indentures and subordinated indentures)

Each senior and subordinated indenture provides that, within 90 days after the occurrence of any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of any series (a “default”), the trustee will transmit, in the manner set forth in such indenture, notice of such default to the holders of the debt securities of such series unless such default has been cured or waived.

 

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However, except in the case of a default in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any debt security of such series, the trustee may withhold such notice if and so long as the issuer’s board of directors, its executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or responsible officers of the trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the holders of the debt securities of such series. In addition, in the case of any default of the character described in (4) of the second preceding paragraph, no such notice to holders will be given until at least 30 days after the default occurs. (Section 6.02)

If an Event of Default occurs and continues with respect to the debt securities of any series, the trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the holders of the debt securities of such series by all appropriate judicial proceedings. (Section 5.03) Each senior and subordinated indenture provides that, subject to the duty of the trustee during any default to act with the required standard of care, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the debt securities, unless such holders shall have offered to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment. (Section 6.01) Subject to the provisions for the indemnification of the trustee, and applicable law and certain other provisions of the applicable indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to debt securities of such series. (Section 5.12)

Events of Default under Junior Subordinated Indentures

Unless the issuer provides other or substitute Events of Default in a prospectus supplement, the following events will constitute an Event of Default under the junior subordinated indentures with respect to any debt securities issued under such indentures:

 

  (1) default in paying interest on any debt security, when they become due and payable, and the default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

  (2) default in paying principal, any premium on any debt security, when such principal or premium becomes due and payable; and

 

  (3) certain events relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the issuer.

In the junior subordinated indenture of each Finance Subsidiary, the Events of Default described in clause (3) above also include references to PartnerRe, as guarantor under the applicable indenture.

These events of default do not include the failure to comply with or breach of other covenants in the junior subordinated indenture (“other covenant breach”). Accordingly, an other covenant breach will not result in the acceleration of payment of the debt securities issued under the junior subordinated indenture. Although an other covenant breach will not constitute an event of default, it will otherwise constitute a breach of contract under the junior subordinated indenture and could give rise to a claim against the relevant issuer relating to the specific breach; however, the remedy of the holders of any debt securities issued under the junior subordinated indenture may be limited to direct monetary damages (if any). An other covenant breach will only give rise to possible remedies if it continues for 90 days after delivery of specified notice.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in (3) above) occurs with respect to the debt securities of any series and continues, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series may, by written notice as provided in the applicable indenture, declare the principal amount (or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the debt securities of such series) of all outstanding debt securities of such series to be due and payable immediately. At any time after a declaration of acceleration has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of money has been obtained by the

 

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trustee, and subject to applicable law and certain other provisions of the applicable indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of such series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration. An Event of Default described in (3) above will cause the principal amount and accrued interest (or such lesser amount as provided for in the debt securities of such series) to become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act by the trustee or any holder. (Section 5.02 of the junior subordinated indentures)

Each junior subordinated indenture provides that, within 90 days after the occurrence of any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of any series (a “junior subordinated default”), the trustee will transmit, in the manner set forth in such indenture, notice of such junior subordinated default to the holders of the debt securities of such series unless such junior subordinated default has been cured or waived. However, except in the case of a junior subordinated default in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any debt security of such series, the trustee may withhold such notice if and so long as the issuer’s board of directors, its executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or responsible officers of the trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the holders of the debt securities of such series. (Section 6.02)

If an Event of Default occurs and continues with respect to the debt securities of any series, the trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the holders of the debt securities of such series by all appropriate judicial proceedings. (Section 5.03) Each junior subordinated indenture provides that, subject to the duty of the trustee during any junior subordinated default to act with the required standard of care, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the debt securities, unless such holders shall have offered to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment. (Section 6.01) Subject to the provisions for the indemnification of the trustee, and applicable law and certain other provisions of the applicable indenture, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to debt securities of such series. (Section 5.12)

Modification and Waiver

The issuer and the trustee may modify or amend any of the indentures with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modification of amendments. However, each affected holder must consent to certain modifications or amendments, including:

 

   

changes to the stated maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest with respect to, any debt security; or

 

   

reductions of the principal amount of, or the rate (or modify the calculation of such principal amount or rate) of interest with respect to, or any premium payable upon the redemption of, any debt security.

In addition, no supplemental indenture may directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the subordination provisions of the subordinated indentures or junior subordinated indentures in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the subordinated debt securities or junior subordinated debt securities, as the case may be, to Senior Indebtedness (as defined under “—Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by PartnerRe”, “—Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries” or “—Subordination of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries”, as applicable) without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness. (Section 9.07 of the subordinated indentures and junior subordinated indentures)

 

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The relevant issuer and the trustee may modify or amend any of the indentures and debt securities of any series without the consent of any holder in order to, among other things:

 

   

provide for such issuer’s successor pursuant to a consolidation, amalgamation, merger or sale of assets;

 

   

provide for a successor trustee with respect to debt securities of all or any series;

 

   

cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

   

make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under any indenture which will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of debt securities of any series; or

 

   

make any other change that does not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of any debt securities then outstanding under the applicable indenture. (Section 9.01)

The holders of at least a majority in principal amount of debt securities of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive compliance by the issuer with certain restrictive provisions of the applicable indenture. (Section 10.06) The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive any past default and its consequences under the applicable indenture with respect to debt securities of that series, except a default:

 

   

in paying principal, premium or interest with respect to debt securities of that series; or

 

   

in respect of a covenant or provision of the applicable indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each debt security of any series. (Section 5.13)

Under each indenture, the issuer is required to furnish to the trustee annually a statement as to its performance of certain of its obligations under that indenture and as to any default in such performance. The issuer is also required to deliver to the trustee, within five days after its occurrence, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would constitute an Event of Default. (Section 10.07)

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

The issuer may discharge certain obligations to holders of any series of debt securities that have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation and that either have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year (or scheduled for redemption within one year) by depositing with the trustee, in trust, funds in U.S. dollars or in the Foreign Currency (defined below) in which such debt securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness on such debt securities with respect to principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (if such debt securities have become due and payable) or to the maturity thereof, as the case may be. (Section 4.01)

Each indenture provides that, unless the provisions of Section 4.02 thereof are made inapplicable to debt securities of or within any series pursuant to Section 3.01 thereof, the issuer may elect either:

 

   

to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to such debt securities (except for, among other things, obligations to register the transfer or exchange of such debt securities, to replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities, to maintain an office or agency with respect to such debt securities and to hold moneys for payment in trust) (“defeasance”); or

 

   

to be released from its obligations with respect to such debt securities under certain covenants as described in the related prospectus supplement, and any omission to comply with such obligations will

 

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not constitute a default or an Event of Default with respect to such debt securities (“covenant defeasance”).

Defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be, will be conditioned upon the irrevocable deposit by the issuer with the trustee, in trust, of an amount in U.S. dollars or in the Foreign Currency (defined below) in which such debt securities are payable at stated maturity, or Government Obligations (as defined below), or both, applicable to such debt securities which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of, and any premium and interest on, such debt securities on the scheduled due dates. (Section 4.02)

Such a trust may only be established if, among other things:

 

   

the applicable defeasance or covenant defeasance does not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under or any material agreement or instrument to which the issuer is a party or by which it is bound;

 

   

no Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities to be defeased will have occurred and be continuing on the date of establishment of such a trust after giving effect to such establishment and, with respect to defeasance only, no bankruptcy proceeding will have occurred and be continuing at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

 

   

with respect to registered securities and any bearer securities for which the place of payment is within the United States, the issuer has delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel (as specified in each indenture) to the effect that the holders of such debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance or covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred, and such opinion of counsel, in the case of defeasance, must refer to and be based upon a letter ruling of the Internal Revenue Service received by the issuer, a Revenue Ruling published by the Internal Revenue Service or a change in applicable United States federal income tax law occurring after the date of the applicable indenture; and

 

   

with respect to defeasance, the issuer has delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate as to solvency and the absence of intent of preferring holders over other creditors. (Section 4.02)

“Foreign Currency” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments. (Section 1.01)

“Government Obligations” means debt securities which are (1) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the debt securities of a particular series are payable, for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (2) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the debt securities of such series are payable, the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, which, in the case of clauses (1) and (2), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and will also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of

 

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such depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian with respect to the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt. (Section 1.01)

If after the issuer has deposited funds and/or Government Obligations to effect defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to debt securities of any series, (1) the holder of a debt security of that series is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 of the applicable indenture or the terms of such debt security to receive payment in a currency other than that in which such deposit has been made in respect of such debt security, or (2) a Conversion Event (as defined below) occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which such deposit has been made, the indebtedness represented by such debt security will be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, such debt security as such debt security becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting the amount or other properties so deposited in respect of such debt security into the currency in which such debt security becomes payable as a result of such election or such Conversion Event based on (a) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (1) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such currency in effect on the second business day prior to such payment date, or (b) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. (Section 4.02)

“Conversion Event” means the cessation of use of (1) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or countries which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (2) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established. (Section 1.01)

If the issuer effects covenant defeasance with respect to any of its debt securities and such debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default other than an Event of Default with respect to any covenant as to which there has been covenant defeasance, the amount in such Foreign Currency in which such debt securities are payable, and Government Obligations on deposit with the trustee, will be sufficient to pay amounts due on such debt securities at the time of the stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on such debt securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from such Event of Default. However, the relevant issuer (and the guarantor, if applicable) would remain liable to make payment of such amounts due at the time of acceleration.

Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by PartnerRe

Our subordinated debt securities will, to the extent set forth in our subordinated indenture, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (as defined below in this section) of ours, whether outstanding at the date of our subordinated indenture or thereafter incurred. (Section 16.01 of our subordinated indenture) Holders of our Senior Indebtedness will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due on our Senior Indebtedness before the holders of our subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive payment on account of principal, premium, interest on our subordinated debt securities, if certain events occur. These events include:

 

   

any insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative to us or to our creditors, as such, or to our assets; or

 

   

any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of ours, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy; or

 

   

any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets and liabilities of ours.

(Section 16.03 of our subordinated indenture)

 

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If we are liquidated or become insolvent, holders of our Senior Indebtedness and holders of other obligations of ours that are not subordinated to our Senior Indebtedness may recover more, ratably, than the holders of our subordinated debt securities.

Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of ours, the rights of the holders of our subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of our Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of ours applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, and any premium and interest on, our subordinated debt securities have been paid in full. (Section 16.04 of our subordinated indenture)

No payment of principal of or any premium or interest with respect to our subordinated debt securities, or payments to acquire such securities (other than pursuant to their conversion), may be made if:

 

   

any Senior Indebtedness of ours is not paid when due and any applicable grace period with respect to such default has ended and such default has not been cured or waived or ceased to exist, or

 

   

if the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness of ours has been accelerated because of a default.

(Section 16.02 of our subordinated indenture)

Our subordinated indenture does not limit or prohibit us from incurring additional Senior Indebtedness, which may include Indebtedness that is senior to our subordinated debt securities, but subordinate to our other obligations. The senior debt securities issued by us will constitute Senior Indebtedness under our subordinated indenture.

For purposes of this section, the term “Senior Indebtedness” means all Indebtedness of ours outstanding at any time, except:

 

   

our subordinated debt securities;

 

   

Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or ranks equally with our subordinated debt securities or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu with our subordinated debt securities;

 

   

interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar proceeding unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against us in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws;

 

   

trade accounts payable;

 

   

liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing; and

 

   

our guarantees of any junior subordinated debt securities of the Finance Subsidiaries, including those issued to a Capital Trust (or similar financing vehicle of PartnerRe).

Such Senior Indebtedness will continue to be Senior Indebtedness and be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness. (Sections 1.01 and 16.08 of our subordinated indenture)

Our subordinated indenture provides that the foregoing subordination provisions, including the definition of “Senior Indebtedness”, insofar as they relate to any particular issue of our subordinated debt securities, may be changed prior to such issuance. Any such change would be described in the related prospectus supplement.

 

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Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries

The subordinated debt securities issued by the Finance Subsidiaries will, to the extent set forth in the applicable subordinated indenture, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (as defined below in this section) of the relevant issuer, whether outstanding at the date of such subordinated indenture or thereafter incurred. (Section 16.01 of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures) Holders of Senior Indebtedness of any of the Finance Subsidiaries will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all such Senior Indebtedness, or provision will be made for such payment in cash, before the holders of the subordinated debt securities of the relevant issuer are entitled to receive or retain any payment on account of principal, premium or interest with respect to such subordinated debt securities, if certain events occur. These events include:

 

   

any insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative to the relevant issuer or to its creditors, as such, or to its assets; or

 

   

any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the relevant issuer, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy; or

 

   

any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the relevant issuer.

(Section 16.03 of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures)

If any of the Finance Subsidiaries is liquidated or becomes insolvent, holders of Senior Indebtedness of the relevant issuer and holders of other obligations of such issuer that are not subordinated to such Senior Indebtedness may recover more, ratably, than the holders of subordinated debt securities of such issuer.

Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of the relevant Finance Subsidiary, the rights of the holders of subordinated debt securities of such issuer will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the relevant issuer applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on such subordinated debt securities have been paid in full. (Section 16.04 of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures)

No payment of principal of or any premium or interest on the subordinated debt securities of the relevant Finance Subsidiary, or payments to acquire such securities (other than pursuant to their conversion), may be made if:

 

   

any Senior Indebtedness of such issuer is not paid when due and any applicable grace period with respect to such default has ended and such default has not been cured or waived or ceased to exist, or

 

   

if the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness of such issuer has been accelerated because of a default.

(Section 16.02 of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures)

The subordinated indentures of the Finance Subsidiaries do not limit or prohibit the relevant issuer from incurring additional Senior Indebtedness, which may include Indebtedness that is senior to its subordinated debt securities, but subordinate to the relevant issuer’s other obligations. The senior debt securities issued by a Finance Subsidiary will constitute Senior Indebtedness under such Finance Subsidiary’s subordinated indenture.

 

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For purposes of this section, the term “Senior Indebtedness” means all Indebtedness of the relevant Finance Subsidiary outstanding at any time, except:

 

   

the subordinated debt securities issued by such Finance Subsidiary;

 

   

Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or ranks equally with such subordinated debt securities or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu with such subordinated debt securities;

 

   

interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar proceeding unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against such Finance Subsidiary in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws;

 

   

trade accounts payable;

 

   

liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing; and

 

   

any junior subordinated debt securities, including those issued to a Capital Trust (or similar financing vehicle of PartnerRe).

Such Senior Indebtedness will continue to be Senior Indebtedness of the relevant issuer and be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness. (Sections 1.01 and 16.08 of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures)

The Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated indentures provide that the foregoing subordination provisions, including the definition of “Senior Indebtedness”, insofar as they relate to any particular issue of subordinated debt securities by the relevant issuer, may be changed prior to such issuance. Any such change would be described in the related prospectus supplement.

Subordination of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by the Finance Subsidiaries

The junior subordinated debt securities issued by the Finance Subsidiaries will, to the extent set forth in the applicable junior subordinated indenture, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness (as defined below in this section) of the relevant issuer, whether outstanding at the date of the applicable junior subordinated indenture or thereafter incurred. (Section 16.01 of the junior subordinated indenture) Holders of Senior Indebtedness of any of the Finance Subsidiaries will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all such Senior Indebtedness, or provision will be made for such payment in cash, before the holders of the junior subordinated debt securities of the relevant issuer are entitled to receive or retain any payment on account of principal, premium or interest with respect to, junior subordinated debt securities if certain events occur. These events include:

 

   

any insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative to the relevant issuer or to its creditors, as such, or to its assets; or

 

   

any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the relevant issuer, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy; or

 

   

any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the relevant issuer.

(Section 16.03 of the junior subordinated indentures)

 

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If any of the Finance Subsidiaries is liquidated or becomes insolvent, holders of Senior Indebtedness of the relevant issuer and holders of such issuer’s other obligations that are not subordinated to such Senior Indebtedness may recover more, ratably, than the holders of junior subordinated debt securities of such issuer.

Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of the relevant Finance Subsidiary, the rights of the holders of junior subordinated debt securities of such issuer will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the relevant issuer applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, and any premium and interest on, junior subordinated debt securities have been paid in full. (Section 16.04 of the junior subordinated indentures)

No payment of principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of or any premium or interest on the junior subordinated debt securities of a Finance Subsidiary, or payments to acquire such securities (other than pursuant to their conversion), may be made if:

 

   

any Senior Indebtedness of such Finance Subsidiary is not paid when due and any applicable grace period with respect to such default has ended and such default has not been cured or waived or ceased to exist, or

 

   

if the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness of such Finance Subsidiary has been accelerated because of a default.

(Section 16.02 of the junior subordinated indentures)

The junior subordinated indentures of the Finance Subsidiaries generally do not limit or prohibit the relevant issuer from incurring additional Senior Indebtedness, which may include Indebtedness that is senior to the junior subordinated debt securities, but subordinate to the relevant issuer’s other obligations; however, the supplemental indenture, dated as of November 7, 2006, under which PRE Finance II issued 6.440% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Capital Efficient Notes due 2066 (“CENts”), states that for so long as any CENts remain outstanding, PRE Finance II has agreed that its activities will be limited to issuing CENts and lending the proceeds from the sale of CENts to PartnerRe U.S., and any other activities necessary or incidental to these activities.

For purposes of this section, the term “Senior Indebtedness” means all Indebtedness of the relevant Finance Subsidiary outstanding at any time, except:

 

   

the junior subordinated debt securities issued by such Finance Subsidiary;

 

   

Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or ranks equally with the junior subordinated debt securities or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu with the junior subordinated debt securities;

 

   

interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar proceeding unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against such issuer in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws;

 

   

trade accounts payable;

 

   

liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing; and

 

   

any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a Capital Trust (or similar financing vehicle of PartnerRe).

 

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Such Senior Indebtedness will continue to be Senior Indebtedness of the relevant issuer and be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness. (Section 1.01 and 16.08 of the junior subordinated indentures)

The junior subordinated indentures provide that the foregoing subordination provisions, including the definition of “Senior Indebtedness”, insofar as they relate to any particular issue of junior subordinated debt securities, may be changed prior to such issuance. Any such change would be described in the related prospectus supplement.

New York Law to Govern

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in that state. (Section 1.13 of the senior indentures and the subordinated indentures and Section 1.14 of the junior subordinated indentures)

Information Concerning the Trustee

The Finance Subsidiaries may from time to time borrow from, maintain deposit accounts with and conduct other banking transactions with The Bank of New York Mellon and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

Under each indenture, The Bank of New York Mellon is required to transmit annual reports to all holders regarding its eligibility and qualifications as trustee under the applicable indenture and related matters. (Section 7.03)

CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

ISSUED TO THE CAPITAL TRUSTS

Option to Extend Interest Payment Date

Unless provided otherwise in the related prospectus supplement, each Finance Subsidiary will have the right at any time and from time to time during the term of any series of junior subordinated debt securities issued to a Capital Trust to defer payment of interest for such number of consecutive interest payment periods as may be specified in the related prospectus supplement. This right to extend is subject to the terms, conditions and covenants, if any, specified in this prospectus and such prospectus supplement. However, the relevant issuer may not defer such interest payments beyond the stated maturity of the junior subordinated debt securities. (Section 3.11 of the junior subordinated indentures)

Option to Extend Maturity Date

Unless provided otherwise in the related prospectus supplement, each Finance Subsidiary will have the right to change the stated maturity of the principal of the junior subordinated debt securities issued to a Capital Trust upon the liquidation of such Capital Trust and the exchange of the junior subordinated debt securities for the preferred securities of such Capital Trust. The relevant issuer may also extend the stated maturity of the principal of the junior subordinated debt securities, provided that at the time such election to extend the stated maturity is made and at the time such extension commences, the following conditions are satisfied:

 

   

no event of default on the junior subordinated debt securities has occurred and is continuing;

 

   

such Capital Trust is not in arrears on payments of distributions on its preferred securities and no deferred distributions have accumulated;

 

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the junior subordinated debt securities are, and immediately after such extension will be, rated at least investment grade by either Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or another nationally recognized statistical rating organization; and

 

   

the extended stated maturity is no later than the 49th anniversary of the initial issuance of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust.

If any Finance Subsidiary exercises its right to liquidate such Capital Trust and exchange the junior subordinated debt securities for the preferred securities of such Capital Trust as described above, any changed stated maturity of the principal of the junior subordinated debt securities shall be no earlier than the date that is 15 years after the initial issue date of the preferred securities and no later than the date 30 years (plus an extended term of up to an additional 19 years if the conditions described above are satisfied) after the initial issue date of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust. (Section 3.13 of the junior subordinated indentures)

Additional Sums

If any Finance Subsidiary issues junior subordinated debt securities to a Capital Trust, and such Capital Trust is required to pay any taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, other than withholding taxes (including backup withholding taxes), imposed by the United States, or any other taxing authority, then the applicable Finance Subsidiary will be required to pay additional interest (“Additional Sums”) on the junior subordinated debt securities. The amount of any Additional Sums will be an amount sufficient so that the net amounts received and retained by such Capital Trust after paying any such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges will be not less than the amounts that such Capital Trust would have received had no such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges been imposed. This means that the Capital Trust will be in the same position it would have been in if it did not have to pay such taxes, duties, assessments or other charges.

Redemption

Except as otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement, if an Investment Company Event or a Tax Event (each, a “Special Event”) shall occur and be continuing, the relevant Finance Subsidiary may, at its option, redeem such junior subordinated debt securities, in whole but not in part, at any time within 90 days of the occurrence of the Special Event, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such junior subordinated debt securities then outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption. (Section 11.08 of the junior subordinated indentures)

For purposes of the junior subordinated indenture, “Investment Company Event” means, in respect of a Capital Trust, the receipt by such Capital Trust of an opinion of counsel rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a written change in the interpretation or application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court or governmental agency or regulatory authority, there is more than an insubstantial risk that such Capital Trust is or will be considered an investment company, or a company controlled by an investment company, that is required to be registered under the Investment Company Act, which change becomes effective on or after the date of original issuance of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust. (Section 1.01 of the junior subordinated indenture) “Tax Event” means, in respect of a Capital Trust, the receipt by such Capital Trust or the relevant Finance Subsidiary of an opinion of counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulation thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations (including any change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any applicable taxing authority), which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or decision is

 

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announced on or after the date of issuance of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust, there is more than an insubstantial risk that:

 

   

such Capital Trust is or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such opinion of counsel, subject to United States federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued on the corresponding series of junior subordinated debt securities;

 

   

interest payable by the relevant issuer on such junior subordinated debt securities is not or will not be, within 90 days of delivery of such opinion of counsel, deductible by such issuer, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes; or

 

   

such Capital Trust is or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such opinion of counsel, subject to more than a de minimis amount of other taxes, duties or other governmental charges. (Section 1.01 of the junior subordinated indentures)

Certain Covenants

PartnerRe and each Finance Subsidiary will covenant, as to the junior subordinated debt securities issued to a Capital Trust in connection with the issuance of preferred securities and common securities by such Capital Trust, that if:

 

  (1) any event occurs, of which the relevant issuer has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the junior subordinated indenture and (B) in respect of which the issuer shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure;

 

  (2) PartnerRe shall be in default with respect to its payment of obligations under the preferred securities guarantee relating to such preferred securities; or

 

  (3) the relevant issuer shall have given notice of its election to defer interest payments on the junior subordinated debt securities as provided in the junior subordinated indenture and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such election, shall be continuing,

it will not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to:

 

   

declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of PartnerRe’s outstanding capital stock; or

 

   

make any payment of principal, interest, premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of PartnerRe or the relevant issuer, as the case may be, that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the junior subordinated debt securities or the related guarantee, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by PartnerRe or the relevant issuer, as the case may be, of the debt securities of any subsidiary of PartnerRe or the relevant issuer, as the case may be, if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the junior subordinated debt securities or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, except in each case for the transactions described in the immediately following sentence.

Notwithstanding the preceding sentence and regardless of whether any event described in clauses (1)-(3) above shall have occurred or be continuing, PartnerRe shall not be restricted from making or effecting the following dividends, distributions, redemptions, purchases, declarations, payments, exchanges and conversions:

 

   

dividends or distributions in the common shares or options or other rights to acquire the common shares of PartnerRe;

 

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redemptions or purchases of any rights outstanding under a shareholder rights plan of PartnerRe, or the declaration of a dividend of such rights or the issuance of shares under such plan in the future;

 

   

purchases of common shares related to the issuance of common shares under any of PartnerRe’s benefit plans for its directors, officers or employees;

 

   

the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the capital stock of PartnerRe;

 

   

the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the capital stock of PartnerRe (or any of its subsidiary’s) for another class or series of the capital stock of PartnerRe (or any of its subsidiary’s) or of any class or series of its (or any of its subsidiary’s) indebtedness pursuant to the terms of the capital stock or indebtedness as originally issued;

 

   

the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the capital of PartnerRe (or any of its subsidiary’s) stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and

 

   

any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the relevant Finance Subsidiary or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation. (Section 10.09 of the junior subordinated indentures).

If any of the Finance Subsidiaries issues the junior subordinated debt securities to a Capital Trust in connection with the issuance of preferred securities and common securities of such Capital Trust, for so long as such junior subordinated debt securities remain outstanding, the relevant issuer will also covenant:

 

   

to maintain directly or indirectly 100% ownership of the common securities of such Capital Trust; provided, however, that any permitted successor of such issuer under the junior subordinated indenture may succeed to its ownership of such common securities;

 

   

not to voluntarily dissolve, wind-up or liquidate such trust, except in connection with the distribution of its junior subordinated debt securities to the holders of preferred securities and common securities in liquidation of such Capital Trust, the redemption of all of the preferred securities and common securities of such Capital Trust, or certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the amended and restated trust agreement of such Capital Trust; and

 

   

to take reasonable steps as necessary so that such Capital Trust will not fail or cease to qualify as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes.

(Section 10.11 of the junior subordinated indentures)

Direct Action Right Upon Certain Events of Default

If an Event of Default with respect to junior subordinated debt securities of a Finance Subsidiary issued to a Capital Trust has occurred and is continuing and such event is attributable to a default in the payment of interest or principal on the related junior subordinated debt securities on the date such interest or principal is otherwise payable, a holder of preferred securities of such Capital Trust may institute a legal proceeding directly against the relevant issuer and/or against PartnerRe, as guarantor, which is referred to in this prospectus as a “Direct Action,” for enforcement of payment to such holder of the principal of or interest on such related junior subordinated debt securities having a principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the related preferred securities of such holder. The relevant issuer and PartnerRe may not amend the applicable junior subordinated indenture to remove the foregoing right to bring a Direct Action without the prior written consent of the holders of all of the preferred securities of such trust. In addition, so long as PartnerRe is a guarantor of the

 

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obligations of the Finance Subsidiaries and the Capital Trusts and a Direct Action may be brought directly against PartnerRe, the Finance Subsidiaries and the Capital Trusts are not subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. If the right to bring a Direct Action is removed, each Finance Subsidiary and each Capital Trust may become subject to the reporting obligations under the Exchange Act. Each Finance Subsidiary will have the right under the applicable junior subordinated indenture to set-off any payment made to such holder of preferred securities by it, in connection with a Direct Action. (Section 1.12 of the junior subordinated indentures) The holders of preferred securities will not be able to exercise directly any other remedy available to the holders of the related junior subordinated debt securities. For more information on the reporting obligations of PartnerRe, the Finance Subsidiaries and the Capital Trusts, see “Where You Can Find More Information”.

The holders of the preferred securities would not be able to exercise directly any remedies other than those set forth in the preceding paragraph available to the holders of the junior subordinated debt securities unless there shall have been an event of default under the applicable amended and restated trust agreement. See “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities—Events of Default; Notice.” (Section 5.08 of the junior subordinated indentures)

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEES

Concurrently with any issuance by a Finance Subsidiary of its senior debt securities, we will execute and deliver a senior debt securities guarantee for the benefit of the holders from time to time of such senior debt securities. The Bank of New York Mellon will act as indenture trustee under the senior debt securities guarantee for the purposes of compliance with the Trust Indenture Act. The senior debt securities guarantee will be qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. Similarly, concurrently with any issuance by a Finance Subsidiary of its subordinated debt securities, we will execute and deliver a subordinated debt securities guarantee for the benefit of the holders from time to time of such subordinated debt securities. The Bank of New York Mellon will act as indenture trustee under the subordinated debt securities guarantee for the purposes of compliance with the Trust Indenture Act. The subordinated debt securities guarantee will be qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. Concurrently with any issuance by a Finance Subsidiary of its junior subordinated debt securities, we will execute and deliver a junior subordinated debt securities guarantee for the benefit of the holders from time to time of such junior subordinated debt securities. The Bank of New York Mellon will act as indenture trustee under the junior subordinated debt securities guarantees for the purposes of compliance with the Trust Indenture Act. The junior subordinated debt securities guarantees will be qualified as indentures under the Trust Indenture Act.

The following summary sets forth the material terms and provisions of our guarantee of the Finance Subsidiaries’ senior debt securities, subordinated debt securities and junior subordinated debt securities. The following summary of certain provisions of the guarantees is not complete. You should read the forms of guarantee and the Trust Indenture Act for more complete information regarding the provisions of the guarantees, including the definitions of some of the terms used below. The forms of guarantee have been attached as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and are incorporated by reference in this summary. Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of the guarantees, such sections or defined terms are incorporated herein by reference, and the statement in connection with which such reference is made is qualified in its entirety by such reference. The indenture trustee, as guarantee trustee under each guarantee, will hold the applicable guarantee for the benefit of the holders of the related debt securities.

General

We will fully and unconditionally guarantee all obligations of the Finance Subsidiaries under the applicable indenture and the related debt securities. Unless otherwise provided in a prospectus supplement, each guarantee will be an unsecured obligation of PartnerRe, and the guarantees of the Finance Subsidiaries’ subordinated and junior subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness.

Since PartnerRe is a holding company, its rights and the rights of its creditors, including the holders of any of the Finance Subsidiaries’ debt securities who are creditors of PartnerRe by virtue of the guarantees, and shareholders to participate in any distribution of the assets of any of our subsidiaries upon such subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization or otherwise would be subject to prior claims of that subsidiary’s creditors and policyholders, except to the extent that PartnerRe may itself be a creditor with recognized claims against that subsidiary. The right of creditors of PartnerRe, including the holders of any of the Finance Subsidiaries’ debt securities who are creditors of PartnerRe by virtue of the guarantees, to participate in the distribution of the stock owned by PartnerRe in certain of its subsidiaries, including PartnerRe’s insurance subsidiaries, may also be subject to approval by certain insurance regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over such subsidiaries.

Waiver of Events of Default

The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the relevant Finance Subsidiary’s senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities, as the case may be, may, by vote, on behalf of all such holders, waive any past event of default of PartnerRe and its consequences on any of its payment or other obligations under the senior or subordinated debt securities guarantee agreement, as applicable.

 

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The holders of a majority in liquidation preference of the preferred securities issued by a Capital Trust may, by vote, on behalf of all holders, waive any past event of default of PartnerRe and its consequences on any of its payment or other obligations under the junior subordinated debt securities guarantee agreement.

Amendments

The senior debt securities guarantee, the subordinated debt securities guarantee and the junior subordinated debt securities guarantee may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the applicable debt securities. In addition, certain amendments affecting the obligations of PartnerRe may only be made in writing with the prior approval of each holder.

In the event that junior subordinated debt securities are issued to a Capital Trust, the junior subordinated debt securities guarantees may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of the holders of at least a majority in liquidation preference of the then outstanding preferred securities issued by the applicable Capital Trust. In addition, certain amendments affecting the obligations of PartnerRe may only be made in writing with the prior approval of each holder of the then outstanding preferred securities.

No consent of the holders of the Finance Subsidiaries’ senior, subordinated or junior subordinated debt securities, as the case may be, is required to amend the applicable guarantee in a way that does not adversely affect in any material respect the rights of such holders.

DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANTS TO PURCHASE COMMON SHARES

OR PREFERRED SHARES

PartnerRe Ltd. may offer warrants to purchase common shares or preferred shares from time to time. The following statements with respect to the common share warrants and preferred share warrants are summaries of, and subject to, the detailed provisions of a share warrant agreement to be entered into by us and a share warrant agent to be selected at the time of issue. The particular terms of any warrants offered by any prospectus supplement, and the extent to which the general provisions described below may apply to the offered securities, will be described in the prospectus supplement.

General

The share warrants, evidenced by share warrant certificates, may be issued under the share warrant agreement independently or together with any other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from such other offered securities. If share warrants are offered, the related prospectus supplement will describe the designation and terms of the share warrants, including without limitation the following:

 

   

the offering price, if any;

 

   

the designation and terms of the common shares or preferred shares purchasable upon exercise of the share warrants;

 

   

if applicable, the date on and after which the share warrants and the related offered securities will be separately transferable;

 

   

the number of common shares or preferred shares purchasable upon exercise of one share warrant and the initial price at which such shares may be purchased upon exercise;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise the share warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;

 

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a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations;

 

   

the call provisions, if any;

 

   

the currency, currencies or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and exercise price are payable;

 

   

the antidilution provisions of the share warrants; and

 

   

any other material terms of the share warrants.

The common shares or preferred shares issuable upon exercise of the share warrants will, when issued in accordance with the share warrant agreement, be fully paid and nonassessable.

Exercise of Share Warrants

Share warrants may be exercised by surrendering to the share warrant agent the share warrant certificate with the form of election to purchase on the reverse thereof duly completed and signed by the warrantholder, or its duly authorized agent, indicating the warrantholder’s election to exercise all or a portion of the share warrants evidenced by the certificate. The signature to be guaranteed by a bank or trust company, by a broker or dealer which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) or by a member of a national securities exchange. Surrendered share warrant certificates shall be accompanied by payment of the aggregate exercise price of the share warrants to be exercised, as set forth in the related prospectus supplement, in lawful money of the United States, unless otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement. Upon receipt by the share warrant agent, the share warrant agent will requisition from the transfer agent for the common shares or the preferred shares, as the case may be, for issuance and delivery to or upon the written order of the exercising warrantholder, a certificate representing the number of common shares or preferred shares purchased. If less than all of the share warrants evidenced by any share warrant certificate are exercised, the share warrant agent shall deliver to the exercising warrantholder a new share warrant certificate representing the unexercised share warrants.

Antidilution and Other Provisions

The exercise price payable and the number of common shares or preferred shares purchasable upon the exercise of each share warrant and the number of share warrants outstanding may be subject to adjustment in certain events. The adjustment events may include the issuance of a stock dividend to holders of common shares or preferred shares or a combination, subdivision or reclassification of common shares or preferred shares. In lieu of adjusting the number of common shares or preferred shares purchasable upon exercise of each share warrant, we may elect to adjust the number of share warrants. We may, at our option, reduce the exercise price at any time. We may pay the cash value of any fractional shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of any share warrants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case of our consolidation, merger, or sale or conveyance of our property as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, if provided for in the relevant share warrant agreement, the holder of each outstanding share warrant shall have the right to the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property (including cash) receivable by a holder of the number of common shares or preferred shares into which such share warrants were exercisable immediately prior thereto.

No Rights as Shareholders

Holders of share warrants will not be entitled, by virtue of being such holders, to vote, to consent, to receive dividends, to receive notice as shareholders with respect to any meeting of shareholders for the election of our directors or any other matter, or to exercise any rights whatsoever as our shareholders.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANTS TO PURCHASE DEBT SECURITIES

PartnerRe Ltd. may offer warrants to purchase debt securities from time to time. The following statements with respect to the debt warrants are summaries of, and subject to, the detailed provisions of a debt warrant agreement to be entered into by us and a debt warrant agent to be selected at the time of issue. The particular terms of any warrants offered by any prospectus supplement, and the extent to which the general provisions described below may apply to the offered securities, will be described in the prospectus supplement.

General

The debt warrants, evidenced by debt warrant certificates, may be issued under the debt warrant agreement independently or together with any other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from such other offered securities. If debt warrants are offered, the related prospectus supplement will describe the designation and terms of the debt warrants, including without limitation the following:

 

   

the offering price, if any;

 

   

the designation, aggregate principal amount and terms of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the debt warrants;

 

   

if applicable, the date on and after which the debt warrants and the related offered securities will be separately transferable;

 

   

the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one debt warrant and the price at which such principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon exercise;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise the debt warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;

 

   

a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations;

 

   

whether the warrants represented by the debt warrant certificates will be issued in registered or bearer form;

 

   

the currency, currencies or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and exercise price are payable;

 

   

the antidilution provisions of the debt warrants; and

 

   

any other material terms of the debt warrants.

Warrantholders will not have the right to receive the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any additional amounts with respect to, the debt securities. Warrantholders will not have the right to enforce any of the covenants of the debt securities or the applicable indenture except as otherwise provided in the applicable indenture.

Exercise of Debt Warrants

Debt warrants may be exercised by surrendering the debt warrant certificate at the office of the debt warrant agent, with payment in full of the exercise price, as set forth in the related prospectus supplement. Warrantholders must also complete and execute the form of election to purchase on the reverse side of the debt warrant certificate. The signature(s) must be guaranteed by a bank or trust company, by a broker or dealer which is a member of the FINRA or by a member of a national securities exchange. Upon the exercise of debt warrants, we will issue the debt securities in authorized denominations in accordance with the instructions of the exercising warrantholder. If less than all of the debt warrants evidenced by the debt warrant certificate are exercised, we will issue a new debt warrant certificate for the remaining number of debt warrants.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST PREFERRED SECURITIES

References in this section to junior subordinated debt securities shall be to those junior subordinated debt securities that are issued to a Capital Trust. Each Capital Trust will be governed by the terms of the applicable amended and restated trust agreement. Under each such trust agreement, a Capital Trust may issue, from time to time, only one series of preferred securities. The preferred securities will have the terms set forth in the applicable amended and restated trust agreement or made a part of such amended and restated trust agreement by the Trust Indenture Act, and described in the related prospectus supplement. These terms will mirror the terms of the junior subordinated debt securities issued by the relevant Finance Subsidiary and purchased by such Capital Trust using the proceeds from the sale of its preferred securities and its common securities. The junior subordinated debt securities issued by a Finance Subsidiary to any Capital Trust will be guaranteed by PartnerRe on a subordinated basis and are referred to as the “corresponding junior subordinated debt securities” relating to such Capital Trust.

The following summary sets forth the material terms and provisions of the amended and restated trust agreements and the preferred securities to which any prospectus supplement relates. This summary is not complete. You should read the forms of amended and restated trust agreement and the Trust Indenture Act for complete information regarding the terms and provisions of amended and restated trust agreements and of the preferred securities, including the definitions of some of the terms used below. The forms of amended and restated trust agreement are attached as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of an amended and restated trust agreement, such sections or defined terms are incorporated herein by reference, and the statements in connection with which such reference is made is qualified in its entirety by such reference.

Issuance, Status and Guarantee of Preferred Securities

Under the terms of the amended and restated trust agreement for each Capital Trust, the Administrative Trustees will issue the preferred securities on behalf of such Capital Trust. The preferred securities will represent preferred beneficial interests in the Capital Trust. The holders of the preferred securities will be entitled to a preference in certain circumstances to distributions and amounts payable on redemption or liquidation over the common securities of such Capital Trust. Holders of preferred securities will also be entitled to other benefits under the corresponding amended and restated trust agreement. The preferred securities of a Capital Trust will rank equally, and payments will be made on the preferred securities pro rata, with the common securities of such Capital Trust except as described under “—Subordination of Common Securities.” The Property Trustee will hold junior subordinated debt securities in trust for the benefit of the holders of the related preferred securities and common securities. In this prospectus we refer to the common securities and the preferred securities of each Capital Trust as the “trust securities” of such Capital Trust.

PartnerRe will issue a guarantee agreement for the benefit of the holders of each Capital Trust’s preferred securities. Under each preferred securities guarantee, we will guarantee on a subordinated basis payment of distributions on the related preferred securities and amounts payable on redemption or liquidation of such preferred securities. Our guarantee will be only to the extent that the related Capital Trust has funds on hand to make such payments. See “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees.”

Distributions

Unless otherwise specified in the relevant prospectus supplement, distributions on the preferred securities will be cumulative, will accumulate from the original issue date and will be payable on the dates and at the rates specified in the related prospectus supplement. The amount of distributions payable for any period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months unless otherwise specified in the related prospectus supplement. Distributions to which holders of preferred securities are entitled will accumulate additional distributions at the rate per annum if and as specified in the related prospectus supplement. (Section 4.01) References to “distributions” include any such additional distributions unless otherwise stated.

 

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Each Finance Subsidiary has the right under the applicable junior subordinated indenture to defer the payment of interest at any time or from time to time on any series of corresponding junior subordinated debt securities for a period which will be specified in the related prospectus supplement. This right is subject to the terms, conditions and covenants specified in this prospectus and such prospectus supplement. The deferral of interest payments may not extend beyond the stated maturity of the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities. See “Certain Provisions of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued to the Capital Trusts—Option to Extend Interest Payment Date.” If the relevant Finance Subsidiary extends the payment of interest on the junior subordinated debt securities, the Capital Trust which issued such preferred securities would defer distributions on the corresponding preferred securities during any such extension period. Any deferred preferred securities would continue to accumulate additional distributions at the rate per annum set forth in the prospectus supplement. (Section 4.01)

The funds of each Capital Trust available for distribution to holders of its preferred securities will be limited to payments under the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities in which the Capital Trust will invest the proceeds from the issuance and sale of its trust securities. If neither the applicable Finance Subsidiary nor PartnerRe, as guarantor, makes interest payments on those corresponding junior subordinated debt securities, the Property Trustee will not have funds available to pay distributions on the related preferred securities. The payment of distributions is guaranteed by us on a limited basis as set forth herein under “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees.”

A Capital Trust will pay distributions to the holders of the preferred securities as they appear on the register of such Capital Trust on the relevant record dates. Subject to any applicable laws and regulations and the provisions of the applicable amended and restated trust agreement, as long as the preferred securities remain in book-entry form, the record dates will be one day prior to the relevant distribution dates and each distribution payment will be made as described under “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities—Global Preferred Securities.” If any preferred securities are not in book-entry form, the relevant record date for such preferred securities will be the date 15 days prior to the relevant distribution date, as specified in the related prospectus supplement. (Section 4.01)

Redemption or Exchange

Mandatory Redemption . When any Finance Subsidiary repays or redeems any corresponding junior subordinated debt securities, whether at stated maturity or upon earlier redemption, the Property Trustee will apply the proceeds from such repayment or redemption to redeem, on a pro rata basis, preferred securities and common securities having an aggregate stated liquidation amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities so repaid or redeemed. The Property Trustee must apply the proceeds upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice to holders of trust securities. The redemption price per trust security will be equal to the stated liquidation amount plus accumulated and unpaid distributions to the date of redemption, plus the related amount of premium, if any, paid by the relevant Finance Subsidiary or by us upon the concurrent repayment or redemption of the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities. (Section 4.02)

If less than all of any series of corresponding junior subordinated debt securities are to be repaid or redeemed on a redemption date, then the proceeds from such repayment or redemption shall be allocated to the redemption pro rata of the related preferred securities and the common securities. (Section 4.02)

Each Finance Subsidiary will have the right to redeem any series of its corresponding junior subordinated debt securities:

 

   

at any time, in whole but not in part as described under “Certain Provisions of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued to the Capital Trusts—Redemption” above, or

 

   

as may be otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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Special Event Redemption or Distribution of Corresponding Junior Subordinated Debt Securities. If a Special Event relating to the preferred securities and common securities of a Capital Trust shall occur and be continuing, the relevant Finance Subsidiary has the right to redeem the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities, in whole but not in part, and thereby cause a mandatory redemption of such preferred securities and common securities, in whole but not in part, at the redemption price within 90 days following the occurrence of the Special Event. (Section 11.08 of the junior subordinated indentures) At any time, the relevant Finance Subsidiary has the right to dissolve such Capital Trust and after satisfaction of the liabilities of creditors of such Capital Trust as provided by applicable law, cause such corresponding junior subordinated debt securities to be distributed to the holders of such preferred securities and common securities in liquidation of the Capital Trust. If the relevant Finance Subsidiary does not elect to redeem the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities upon the occurrence of a Special Event, the applicable preferred securities will remain outstanding. In this event, Additional Sums may be payable on the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities under the circumstances described above in “Certain Provisions of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued to the Capital Trusts—Additional Sums.”

Except with respect to certain other circumstances, on and after the date on which junior subordinated debt securities are distributed to holders of preferred securities and common securities in connection with the dissolution and liquidation of a Capital Trust as a result of an early termination event:

 

   

the trust securities will no longer be deemed to be outstanding;

 

   

certificates representing a like amount of junior subordinated debt securities will be issued to the holders of trust securities certificates, upon surrender of such certificates to the administrative trustees or their agent for exchange;

 

   

the relevant Finance Subsidiary will use its reasonable efforts to have the junior subordinated debt securities listed or traded on such stock exchange, interdealer quotation system and/or other self-regulatory organization to the extent that the preferred securities are then listed or traded;

 

   

any trust securities certificates not so surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a like amount of junior subordinated debt securities, accruing interest at the rate provided for in the applicable junior subordinated indenture from the last distribution date on which a distribution was made on such trust securities certificates until such certificates are so surrendered (and until such certificates are so surrendered, no payments of interest or principal will be made to holders of trust securities certificates with respect to such junior subordinated debt securities); and

 

   

all rights of securityholders holding trust securities will cease, except the right of such securityholders to receive junior subordinated debt securities upon surrender of trust securities certificates. (Section 9.04(d))

An early termination event, within the meaning of this section, means:

 

   

certain events relating to the dissolution or bankruptcy of the relevant Finance Subsidiary or PartnerRe, as guarantor;

 

   

the written direction of the property trustee to dissolve a Capital Trust and exchange its trust securities for junior subordinated debt securities;

 

   

the redemption of the trust securities in connection with the redemption of all junior subordinated debt securities; or

 

   

a court order to dissolve a Capital Trust.

 

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There can be no assurance as to the market prices for the preferred securities or the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities that may be distributed in exchange for preferred securities if a dissolution and liquidation of a Capital Trust were to occur. Accordingly, the preferred securities that you may purchase, or the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities that you may receive on dissolution and liquidation of a Capital Trust, may trade at a discount to the price that you paid to purchase the preferred securities.

Redemption Procedures

The applicable Capital Trust may redeem preferred securities on each redemption date at the redemption price with the applicable proceeds from the contemporaneous redemption of the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities. The applicable Capital Trust may redeem preferred securities and the redemption price shall be payable on each redemption date only to the extent that the related Capital Trust has funds on hand available for the payment of such redemption price. See also “—Subordination of Common Securities.”

When notice of redemption is given and funds deposited as required, all rights of the holders of such preferred securities so called for redemption will cease and such preferred securities will cease to be outstanding. However, the holders of such preferred securities will continue to have the right to receive the redemption price as well as any cash distributions and any accumulated or additional distributions, if any, that are payable under the applicable amended and restated trust agreement, but without interest. If payment of the redemption price for preferred securities called for redemption is improperly withheld or refused and not paid either by a Capital Trust or by us pursuant to the preferred securities guarantee as described under “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees,” distributions on such preferred securities will continue to accrue. The distributions will accrue at the then applicable rate, from the redemption date originally established by such Capital Trust for such preferred securities to the date such redemption price is actually paid. In this case the actual payment date will be the date fixed for redemption for purposes of calculating the redemption price.

Subject to applicable law (including, without limitation, United States federal securities law), we or our subsidiaries (including the Finance Subsidiaries) may at any time and from time to time purchase outstanding preferred securities by tender, in the open market or by private agreement.

The relevant Capital Trust will pay the redemption price on the preferred securities to the applicable recordholders as they appear on the register for such preferred securities on the relevant record date. Subject to any applicable laws and regulations and the provisions of the applicable amended and restated trust agreement, as long as the preferred securities remain in book-entry form, the record date shall be one day prior to the relevant redemption date. If any preferred securities are not in book-entry form, the record date for such preferred securities shall be the date 15 days prior to the relevant redemption date. If a Capital Trust redeems less than all of the preferred securities and common securities issued by it on a redemption date, then the aggregate liquidation amount of such preferred securities and common securities to be redeemed shall be allocated pro rata to the preferred securities and the common securities based upon the relative liquidation amounts of such classes.

Unless the Capital Trust, the relevant Finance Subsidiary or us each defaults in payment of the redemption price on the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on such subordinated debt securities called for redemption. Distributions will also cease to accrue on the related preferred securities called for redemption. (Section 4.02)

Subordination of Common Securities

Payment of distributions on, and the redemption price of, each Capital Trust’s preferred securities and common securities, as applicable, shall be made pro rata based on the liquidation amount of such preferred securities and common securities. However, if on any distribution date or redemption date an event of default under the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities occurs and continues, no payment of any distribution on, or redemption price of, any of such Capital Trust’s common securities, and no other payment on account of

 

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the redemption, liquidation or other acquisition of such common securities, shall be made unless payment in full in cash of all accumulated and unpaid distributions on all of such Capital Trust’s outstanding preferred securities for all distribution periods terminating on or prior to the liquidation date, or in the case of payment of the redemption price the full amount of such redemption price on all of such Capital Trust’s outstanding preferred securities then called for redemption, shall have been made or provided for, and all funds immediately available to the Property Trustee shall first be applied to the payment in full in cash of all distributions on, or redemption price of, such Capital Trust’s preferred securities then due and payable.

If any Event of Default under an amended and restated trust agreement resulting from an event of default under the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities occurs, the holder of the applicable Capital Trust’s common securities will be deemed to have waived any right to act with respect to any such Event of Default under the applicable amended and restated trust agreement until the effect of all such Events of Default with respect to such preferred securities have been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated. Until any such Events of Default under the applicable amended and restated trust agreement with respect to the preferred securities have been so cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, the Property Trustee shall act solely on behalf of the holders of such preferred securities and not on behalf of the holder of the Capital Trust’s common securities, and only the holders of such preferred securities will have the right to direct the Property Trustee to act on their behalf. (Section 4.03)

Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution of a Capital Trust

Each amended and restated trust agreement states that each Capital Trust shall automatically dissolve upon expiration of its term and shall dissolve automatically on the first to occur of:

 

   

the bankruptcy, dissolution or liquidation of PartnerRe or the applicable Finance Subsidiary;

 

   

the depositor of the Capital Trust gives written direction to the Property Trustee to dissolve such Capital Trust and distribute to the holders of its trust securities corresponding junior subordinated debt securities having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate stated liquidation amount of the trust securities;

 

   

the redemption of all of the Capital Trust’s trust securities in connection with the redemption of all the junior subordinated debt securities; or

 

   

the entry of an order for the dissolution of the Capital Trust by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(Section 9.02)

If an early dissolution occurs as described in first, second and fourth clauses above or upon the date designated for automatic dissolution of a Capital Trust, the Capital Trustees of the Capital Trust shall liquidate the Capital Trust by distributing to the holders of such trust securities corresponding junior subordinated debt securities having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate stated liquidation amount of the trust securities. This distribution will be made after satisfaction of claims and obligations to creditors of such Capital Trust as provided by applicable law. However, if the Property Trustee determines that such distribution is impractical, such holders will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Capital Trust available for distribution to holders, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of such Capital Trust as provided by applicable law, an amount equal to, in the case of holders of preferred securities, the aggregate of the liquidation amount plus accumulated and unpaid distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount being the “Liquidation Distribution”). If such Liquidation Distribution can be paid only in part because such Capital Trust has insufficient assets available to pay in full the aggregate Liquidation Distribution, then, subject to the next succeeding sentence, the amounts payable directly by such Capital Trust on its preferred securities shall be paid on a pro rata basis. Holders of such Capital Trust’s common securities will be entitled to receive distributions

 

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upon any such liquidation pro rata with the holders of its preferred securities, except that if an event of default relating to the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities has occurred and is continuing, the preferred securities shall have a priority over the common securities. (Section 9.04)

Events of Default; Notice

The occurrence of an event of default relating to the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities (described under “Description of the Debt Securities—Events of Default under Junior Subordinated Indentures” above), shall constitute a “Debenture Event of Default” under each amended and restated trust agreement with respect to the applicable preferred securities. (Section 1.01)

Within five business days after the occurrence of any Debenture Event of Default actually known to the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee shall transmit notice of such Debenture Event of Default to the holders of the applicable Capital Trust’s preferred securities, the Administrative Trustees and to the depositor, unless such Debenture Event of Default shall have been cured or waived. (Section 8.02) The depositor and the Administrative Trustees are required to file annually with the Property Trustee a certificate as to whether or not they are in compliance with all the conditions and covenants applicable to them under each amended and restated trust agreement. (Sections 8.15 and 8.16)

If a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the preferred securities shall have a preference over the common securities upon dissolution of such Capital Trust as described above under “—Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution of a Capital Trust.” The existence of a Debenture Event of Default under the amended and restated trust agreements does not entitle the holders of preferred securities to accelerate the maturity of the preferred securities.

Removal of Capital Trustees

Unless a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee of either Capital Trust may be removed at any time by the holder of the common securities of such Capital Trust. If a Debenture Event of Default under the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may be removed at such time by the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the outstanding preferred securities. The holders of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust will not have the right to vote to appoint, remove or replace the Administrative Trustees. The voting rights to appoint, remove or replace the Administrative Trustees are vested exclusively in the holder of the common securities. No resignation or removal of a Capital Trustee and no appointment of a successor trustee shall be effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee in accordance with the provisions of the applicable amended and restated trust agreement. (Section 8.10)

Co-Trustees and Separate Property Trustee

Unless a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, at any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of the Trust Indenture Act or of any jurisdiction in which any part of the property of either Capital Trust may at the time be located, the holder of the common securities of such Capital Trust and the Administrative Trustees shall have power to appoint one or more persons approved by the Property Trustee either to act as a co-trustee, jointly with the Property Trustee, of all or any part of the property of such Capital Trust, or, to the extent required by law, to act as separate trustee of any such property, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such person or persons in such capacity any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the provisions of the applicable amended and restated trust agreement. In case a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee alone shall have power to make such appointment. (Section 8.09)

 

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Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Capital Trusts

A Capital Trust may not merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any corporation or other entity, except as described below or as described in “—Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution of a Capital Trust.” A Capital Trust may, at the request of the depositor of the Capital Trust, with the consent of only the Administrative Trustees of such Capital Trust and without the consent of the holders of its preferred securities, merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to a trust organized as such under the laws of any state, provided, that:

 

   

such successor entity either expressly assumes all of the obligations of such Capital Trust with respect to the preferred securities or substitutes for the preferred securities other securities having substantially the same terms as the preferred securities so long as such successor securities rank the same as the preferred securities rank in priority with respect to distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise;

 

   

the depositor of the Capital Trust expressly appoints a trustee of such successor entity possessing the same powers and duties as the Property Trustee as the holder of the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities;

 

   

the successor securities are listed or traded, or any successor securities will be listed upon notification of issuance, on any national securities exchange or other organization on which the preferred securities are then listed or traded, if any;

 

   

such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not cause the preferred securities (including any successor securities) to be downgraded by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization;

 

   

such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the preferred securities (including any successor securities) in any material respect;

 

   

such successor entity has a purpose substantially identical to that of the Capital Trust;

 

   

prior to such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the depositor of the Capital Trust has received an opinion from independent counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that (a) such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the preferred securities (including any successor securities) in any material respect, and (b) following such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, neither the Capital Trust nor any successor entity will be required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act; and

 

   

the depositor of the Capital Trust (or any permitted successor or assignee) owns all of the common securities of such successor entity and PartnerRe guarantees the obligations of such successor entity under the successor securities at least to the extent provided by the preferred securities guarantee.

However, a Capital Trust may not, except with the consent of holders of 100% in liquidation amount of its preferred securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, convert into or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any other entity or permit any other entity

 

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to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or replace it if it would cause such Capital Trust or the successor entity to be classified as other than a grantor trust for federal income tax purposes or cause any other material adverse tax consequences to the holders of the preferred securities. (Section 9.05)

Voting and Preemptive Rights

Except as provided below and under “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees—Amendments and Assignment” and as otherwise required by law and the applicable amended and restated trust agreement, the holders of the preferred securities will have no voting rights. Holders of the preferred securities have no preemptive or similar rights. (Section 6.01)

Amendment of Amended and Restated Trust Agreements

Each amended and restated trust agreement may be amended from time to time by the depositor of the Capital Trust and the Capital Trustees, without the consent of the holders of the trust securities to:

 

   

cure any ambiguity;

 

   

correct or supplement any provisions in such amended and restated trust agreement that may be inconsistent with any other provision;

 

   

make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under such amended and restated trust agreement, which shall not be inconsistent with the other provisions of such amended and restated trust agreement; or

 

   

modify, eliminate or add to any provisions of such amended and restated trust agreement to such extent as shall be necessary to ensure that the Capital Trust will be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust at all times that any trust securities are outstanding or to ensure that the Capital Trust will not be required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act.

However, in the case of the first three clauses above such action shall not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any holder of trust securities. Any amendments of an amended and restated trust agreement shall become effective when notice of the amendment is given to the holders of trust securities of the applicable Capital Trust. (Section 10.02)

Each amended and restated trust agreement may be amended by the depositor of the Capital Trust and the Capital Trustees with the consent of holders representing not less than a majority (based upon liquidation amounts) of the outstanding trust securities, and receipt by the Capital Trustees of an opinion of counsel to the effect that such amendment or the exercise of any power granted to the Capital Trustees in accordance with such amendment will not affect the Capital Trust’s status as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes or the Capital Trust’s exemption from status of an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act. However, without the consent of each holder of trust securities of such Capital Trust, such amended and restated trust agreement may not be amended to:

 

   

change the amount or timing of any distribution on the trust securities or otherwise adversely affect the amount of any distribution required to be made in respect of the trust securities as of a specified date; or

 

   

restrict the right of a holder of trust securities to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such date. (Section 10.02)

 

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So long as any corresponding junior subordinated debt securities are held by the Property Trustee, the Capital Trustees shall not:

 

   

direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the indenture trustee, or executing any trust or power conferred on the Property Trustee with respect to such corresponding junior subordinated debt securities;

 

   

waive any past default that is waivable under Section 5.13 of the applicable junior subordinated indenture (as described in “Description of the Debt Securities—Modification and Waiver”);

 

   

exercise any right to rescind or annul a declaration that the principal of all the junior subordinated debt securities shall be due and payable; or

 

   

consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the junior subordinated indenture or such corresponding junior subordinated debt securities, where consent shall be required,

without, in each case, obtaining the prior approval of the holders of a majority in aggregate liquidation amount of all outstanding preferred securities. (Section 6.01)

Global Preferred Securities

The preferred securities of a Capital Trust may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global preferred securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the depositary identified in the prospectus supplement.

The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to the preferred securities of a Capital Trust will be described in the related prospectus supplement.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the amended and restated trust agreement of each Capital Trust will provide that the global preferred securities will be exchanged for preferred securities in definitive form in accordance with the instructions of the depositary, if:

 

   

the depositor of the Capital Trust advises the Capital Trustees in writing that the depositary is no longer willing or able to act as depositary and the depositor of the Capital Trust fails to appoint a qualified successor within 90 days;

 

   

the depositor of the Capital Trust at its option advises the Capital Trustees in writing that it elects to terminate the book-entry system through the depositary; or

 

   

after the occurrence of a Debenture Event of Default under the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities, owners of preferred securities representing at least a majority of liquidation amount of such preferred securities advise the Property Trustee in writing that the continuation of a book-entry system through the depositary is no longer in their best interests. (Section 5.13)

With respect to the second bullet point above, the depositor of the Capital Trust understands, however, that under current industry practices, the depositary would notify its participants of the depositor’s request, but will only withdraw beneficial interests from a global preferred security at the request of each participant. The depositor of the Capital Trust would issue preferred securities in definitive form in exchange for any such interests withdrawn.

 

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Payment and Paying Agency

Payments on the preferred securities will be made to the depositary, which will credit the relevant accounts at the depositary on the applicable distribution dates. If any Capital Trust’s preferred securities are not held by the depositary, payments will be made by check mailed to the address of the holder entitled to such payments as such address shall appear on the register of such Capital Trust. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the paying agent shall initially be the Property Trustee. The paying agent shall be permitted to resign as paying agent upon 30 days’ written notice to the depositor of the Capital Trust, the Administrative Trustees and the Property Trustee. If the Property Trustee shall no longer be the paying agent, the Administrative Trustees shall appoint a successor to act as paying agent. Any successor shall be a bank or trust company acceptable to the Property Trustee and the depositor of the Capital Trust. (Section 5.09)

Registrar and Transfer Agent

The initial registrar and transfer agent for the preferred securities will be designated by the depositor of the Capital Trust and specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The depositor of the Capital Trust has the right to change the registrar and transfer agent for the preferred securities at any time in its sole discretion.

Registration of transfers of preferred securities will be effected without charge by or on behalf of each Capital Trust, but upon payment of any tax or other governmental charges that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange. The Capital Trusts will not be required to register or cause to be registered the transfer of their preferred securities after such preferred securities have been called for redemption. (Section 5.04)

Administrative Trustees

The Administrative Trustees are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs of and to operate the respective Capital Trusts in such a way that such Capital Trust will not be deemed to be an “investment company” required to be registered under the Investment Company Act or fail or cease to qualify as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes and so that the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities will be treated as the applicable Finance Subsidiary’s indebtedness for United States federal income tax purposes. In this connection, the depositor of the Capital Trust and the Administrative Trustees are authorized to take any action, not inconsistent with applicable law, the certificate of trust of each Capital Trust or each amended and restated trust agreement, that the depositor and the Administrative Trustees determine in their discretion to be necessary or desirable for such purposes, as long as such action does not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the related preferred securities.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEES

Capital Trust Securities Guarantees

Concurrently with any issuance by a Capital Trust of its preferred securities, we will execute and deliver a preferred securities guarantee for the benefit of the holders from time to time of such preferred securities. The Bank of New York Mellon will act as indenture trustee under the preferred securities guarantees for the purposes of compliance with the Trust Indenture Act. The preferred securities guarantees will be qualified as indentures under the Trust Indenture Act.

The following summary sets forth the material terms and provisions of the preferred securities guarantees. The following summary of certain provisions of the preferred securities guarantees is not complete. You should read the preferred securities guarantees and the Trust Indenture Act for more complete information regarding the provisions of the preferred securities guarantees, including the definitions of some of the terms used below. The preferred securities guarantees have been attached as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of a preferred securities guarantee, such sections or defined terms are incorporated herein by reference, and the statement in connection with which such reference is made is qualified in its entirety by such reference. Reference in this summary to preferred securities means such Capital Trust’s preferred securities to which a preferred securities guarantee relates. The Guarantee Trustee will hold each preferred securities guarantee for the benefit of the holders of the related Capital Trust’s preferred securities.

General

We will irrevocably and unconditionally agree to pay in full on a subordinated basis, to the extent described in this prospectus, to the holders of the preferred securities of such Capital Trust, the Guarantee Payments (as defined below) (without duplication of amounts paid by or on behalf of the applicable Capital Trust) regardless of any defense, right of setoff or counterclaim that such Capital Trust may have or assert other than the defense of payment. The following payments with respect to preferred securities, to the extent not paid by or on behalf of the applicable Capital Trust (the “Guarantee Payments”), will be subject to the related preferred securities guarantee:

 

   

any accrued and unpaid distributions required to be paid on such preferred securities, to the extent that such Capital Trust has funds on hand available for payment at such time;

 

   

the redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid distributions to the redemption date, with respect to any preferred securities called for redemption, to the extent that such Capital Trust has funds on hand available for payment at such time; and

 

   

upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding up or liquidation of such Capital Trust (unless the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities are distributed to holders of such preferred securities), the lesser of (a) the Liquidation Distribution, to the extent such Capital Trust has funds available for payment at such time and (b) the amount of assets of such Capital Trust remaining available for distribution to holders of preferred securities.

Our obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by us to the holders of the applicable preferred securities or by causing the related Capital Trust to pay such amounts to such holders. (Section 5.01)

Each preferred securities guarantee will be an irrevocable and unconditional guarantee on a subordinated basis of the applicable Capital Trust’s payment obligations under its preferred securities, but will apply only to the extent that such Capital Trust has funds sufficient to make such payments. (Sections 1.01, 5.01) Each preferred securities guarantee is, to that extent, a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection. (Section 5.05)

 

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If the relevant Finance Subsidiary does not make interest payments on the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities held by a Capital Trust, and if we do not make such payments under the junior subordinated debt securities guarantee, the Capital Trust will not be able to pay distributions on the preferred securities and will not have funds legally available for payment. Each preferred securities guarantee will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness of ours (including all debt securities). See “—Status of the Preferred Securities Guarantees.”

Because we are a holding company, our rights and the rights of our creditors (including the holders of preferred securities who are creditors of ours by virtue of the preferred securities guarantee) and shareholders to participate in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon such subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization or otherwise would be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors and policyholders, except to the extent that we may ourselves be a creditor with recognized claims against the subsidiary. The right of creditors of ours (including the holders of preferred securities who are creditors of ours by virtue of the preferred securities guarantee) to participate in the distribution of stock owned by us in certain of our subsidiaries may also be subject to approval by certain insurance regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over such subsidiaries. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the preferred securities guarantees do not limit our ability to incur or issue other secured or unsecured debt, whether under an indenture or otherwise.

Our obligations described herein and in any accompanying prospectus supplement, through the applicable preferred securities guarantee, the applicable amended and restated trust agreement, the applicable junior subordinated indenture and any supplemental indentures thereto and the applicable junior subordinated debt securities guarantee agreement, taken together, constitute a full, irrevocable and unconditional guarantee by us of payments due on the preferred securities. No single document standing alone or operating in conjunction with fewer than all of the other documents constitutes such guarantee. It is only the combined operation of these documents that has the effect of providing a full, irrevocable and unconditional guarantee of the applicable Capital Trust’s obligations under its preferred securities. See “The Capital Trusts,” “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities,” and “Description of the Debt Securities.”

Status of the Preferred Securities Guarantees

Each preferred securities guarantee will constitute an unsecured obligation of ours and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our Senior Indebtedness (as defined above in “Description of Debt Securities—Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities Issued by PartnerRe”). (Section 6.02)

Each preferred securities guarantee will rank equally with all other similar preferred securities guarantees issued by us on behalf of holders of preferred securities of any trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with us which is a financing vehicle of ours. Each preferred securities guarantee will constitute a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This means that the guaranteed party may institute a legal proceeding directly against us to enforce its rights under the preferred securities guarantee without first instituting a legal proceeding against any other person or entity. Each preferred securities guarantee will not be discharged except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full to the extent not paid by the applicable Capital Trust or upon distribution to the holders of the preferred securities of the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities. None of the preferred securities guarantees places a limitation on the amount of additional Indebtedness that may be incurred by us. We expect from time to time to incur additional Indebtedness that will rank senior to the preferred securities guarantees.

Amendments and Assignment

Except with respect to any changes that do not materially adversely affect the rights of holders of the related preferred securities (in which case no vote will be required), and any changes to the terms of our guarantee under each preferred securities guarantee and certain of our covenants described under “Certain Provisions of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issued to the Capital Trusts—Certain Covenants” (which may only be

 

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amended in writing with the prior approval of each holder of such preferred securities then outstanding), no preferred securities guarantee may be amended without the prior approval of the holders of not less than a majority in liquidation preference of all such then outstanding preferred securities. (Section 8.02) All guarantees and agreements contained in each preferred securities guarantee shall bind our successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives and shall inure to the benefit of the holders of the related preferred securities then outstanding.

Events of Default

An event of default under a preferred securities guarantee will occur upon our failure to perform any of our payment obligations under the preferred securities guarantee. The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate liquidation amount of the related preferred securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the indenture trustee in respect of such preferred securities guarantee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the indenture trustee under such preferred securities guarantee. (Section 5.04)

If the indenture trustee fails to enforce a preferred securities guarantee, any holder of the related preferred securities may institute a legal proceeding directly against us to enforce its rights under such preferred securities guarantee without first instituting a legal proceeding against the applicable Capital Trust, the indenture trustee or any other person or entity. (Section 5.04)

We, as guarantor, are required to file annually with the indenture trustee a certificate as to whether or not we are in compliance with all the conditions and covenants applicable to us under the applicable preferred securities guarantee. (Section 2.04)

Termination of the Preferred Securities Guarantees

Each preferred securities guarantee will terminate and be of no further force and effect upon:

 

   

full payment of the redemption price of all the related preferred securities,

 

   

the distribution of the corresponding junior subordinated debt securities to the holders of such preferred securities or

 

   

upon full payment of the amounts payable upon liquidation of the related Capital Trust. Each preferred securities guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any holder of the related preferred securities must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to such preferred securities or such preferred securities guarantee. (Section 7.01)

New York Law to Govern

Each preferred securities guarantee will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and performed in that state. (Section 8.06)

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE SHARE PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND THE SHARE PURCHASE UNITS

We may issue share purchase contracts, representing contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and obligating us to sell to the holders, a specified number of common shares at a future date or dates. We may fix the price per share and the number of common shares at the time we issue the share purchase contracts or we may also fix the price per share and the number of common shares by reference to a specific formula set forth in the share purchase contracts. We may issue the share purchase contracts separately or as a part of share purchase units. If issued as a part of share purchase units, such share purchase contract may be combined with, as security for the holder’s obligations to purchase the shares under the share purchase contracts, either:

 

   

senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities of ours;

 

   

senior debt securities, subordinated debt securities or junior debt securities of any of the Finance Subsidiaries;

 

   

preferred shares;

 

   

debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities; or

 

   

preferred securities of a Capital Trust.

The share purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the share purchase units or vice versa, and such payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The share purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations in a specified manner and in certain circumstances we may deliver newly issued share purchase contracts upon release to a holder of any collateral securing such holder’s obligations under the original share purchase contract.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any share purchase contracts or share purchase units. The description in the prospectus supplement will not purport to be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to:

 

   

the share purchase contracts; and

 

   

the collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements, if applicable, relating to such share purchase contracts or share purchase units.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more purchase contracts, purchase units, warrants, debt securities, preferred shares, common shares, preferred securities, depositary shares or any combination of such securities, including guarantees of any of such securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe:

 

   

the terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be traded separately;

 

   

a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; and

 

   

a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We, each Finance Subsidiary and/or each Capital Trust may sell offered securities in any one or more of the following ways from time to time:

 

   

through agents;

 

   

through underwriters or dealers; or;

 

   

directly to a limited number of purchasers or a single purchaser, including our affiliates.

The prospectus supplement with respect to the offered securities will set forth the terms of the offering of the offered securities, including:

 

   

the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents and the respective amount of the offered securities underwritten or purchased by each of them;

 

   

the purchase price of the offered securities and the proceeds to us, any of the Finance Subsidiaries and/or a Capital Trust from such sale;

 

   

any underwriting discounts and commissions or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation;

 

   

any delayed delivery arrangements;

 

   

any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

   

any securities exchange on which such offered securities may be listed.

Any initial public offering price, discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

The distribution of the offered securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

Offered securities may be sold directly by us or through agents designated by us from time to time. Any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by us, any of the Finance Subsidiaries and/or a Capital Trust to such agent will be set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in such prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a reasonable best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any such agent may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, of the offered securities so offered and sold.

If offered securities are sold by means of an underwritten offering, we, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust will execute an underwriting agreement with an underwriter or underwriters, and the names of the specific managing underwriter or underwriters, as well as any other underwriters, and the terms of the transaction, including commissions, discounts and any other compensation of the underwriters and dealers, if any, will be set forth in the prospectus supplement which will be used by the underwriters in connection with sales of the offered securities. The offered securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at fixed public offering prices or at varying prices determined by the underwriters at the time of sale.

 

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Our offered securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or directly by the managing underwriters. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the underwriting agreement will provide that the obligations of the underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the offered securities of a series if they purchase any of such offered securities.

We, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust may grant to the underwriters options to purchase additional offered securities, to cover over-allotments, if any, at the public offering price (with additional underwriting discounts or commissions), as may be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. If we, a Finance Subsidiaries and/or a Capital Trust grants any over-allotment option, the terms of such over-allotment option will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such offered securities.

In connection with an offering, the underwriters or other agents may purchase and sell securities in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by an agent of a greater number of securities than they are required to purchase in an offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities while an offering is in progress.

The agents may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular agent repays to the agents a portion of the discount received by it because the agents have repurchased securities sold by or for the account of that agent in stabilizing or short-covering transactions.

These activities by the agents may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities. As a result, the price of the securities may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued by the agents at any time. These transactions may be effected on an exchange or automated quotation system, if the securities are listed on that exchange or admitted for trading on that automated quotation system, or in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

If a dealer is utilized in the sales of offered securities, we, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust will sell such offered securities to the dealer as principal. The dealer may then resell such offered securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale. Any such dealer may be deemed to be an underwriter as such term is defined in the Securities Act, of the offered securities so offered and sold. The name of the dealer and the terms of the transaction will be set forth in the related prospectus supplement.

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) in such sale transactions will be underwriters and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).

We may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus.

Offered securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more firms (“remarketing firms”), acting as principals for their own accounts

 

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or as agents for us, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters, as such term is defined in the Securities Act, in connection with the offered securities remarketed thereby.

Agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms may be entitled under relevant agreements entered into with us, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust to indemnification by us, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act that may arise from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in this prospectus, any supplement or amendment hereto, or in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, or to contribution with respect to payments which the agents, underwriters or dealers may be required to make.

We, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust may authorize underwriters or other persons acting as agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase offered securities from us, a Finance Subsidiary and/or such Capital Trust, pursuant to contracts providing for payments and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be approved by us, a Finance Subsidiary and/or such Capital Trust. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the offered securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.

Disclosure in the prospectus supplement of the use by us, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust of delayed delivery contracts will include the commission that underwriters and agents soliciting purchases of the securities under delayed contracts will be entitled to receive in addition to the date when we will demand payment and delivery of the securities under the delayed delivery contracts. These delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to the conditions that are described in the prospectus supplement.

Each series of offered securities will be a new issue and, other than the common shares, the Series C Preferred Shares and the Series D Preferred Shares, each of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, will have no established trading market. We, a Finance Subsidiary and/or a Capital Trust may elect to list any series of offered securities on an exchange, and in the case of the common shares, on any additional exchange, but, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, neither we, such Finance Subsidiary and/or such Capital Trust shall be obligated to do so. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the offered securities.

Underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing firms may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us and our subsidiaries (including the Finance Subsidiaries) in the ordinary course of business.

 

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LEGAL OPINIONS

Certain legal matters with respect to United States and New York law with respect to the validity of certain of the offered securities will be passed upon for us by Davis Polk & Wardwell, New York, New York. Certain legal matters with respect to Delaware law with respect to the validity of certain of the offered securities will be passed upon for us by Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware. Certain legal matters with respect to Bermuda law will be passed upon for us by corporate counsel for PartnerRe. Additional legal matters may be passed on for PartnerRe, any underwriters, dealers or agents by counsel which we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements, the related financial statement schedules, incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the effectiveness of PartnerRe Ltd.’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

General

We have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Commission, a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the common shares, preferred shares, debt securities, debt securities guarantees, depositary shares, warrants, share purchase contracts, share purchase units, trust preferred securities and preferred securities guarantees described in this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement, but the registration statement also contains additional information and exhibits.

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Accordingly, we file annual, quarterly and special reports and other information with the Commission. You may read and copy any document that we file at the Commission’s public reference rooms at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms. Our filings with the Commission subsequent to June 2001 are also available to you free of charge at the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Additionally, our common shares, our 6.75% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares and our 6.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares are each listed on the New York Stock Exchange, so our reports can also be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange located at 20 Broad Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10005.

The Finance Subsidiaries

There are no separate financial statements of the Finance Subsidiaries in this prospectus. We do not believe the financial statements would be helpful to the holders of the debt securities of the Finance Subsidiaries because:

 

   

we, a reporting company under the Exchange Act, own indirectly all of the outstanding capital stock of each Finance Subsidiary;

 

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the Finance Subsidiaries have no independent operations or proposals to engage in any activity other than issuing debt securities and applying the proceeds as described in “Use of Proceeds”; and

 

   

the obligations of the Finance Subsidiaries under the senior, subordinated or junior subordinated debt securities issued by them will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by us. See “Description of the Debt Securities Guarantees.”

The Finance Subsidiaries are not currently subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and will not become subject to the requirements upon the effectiveness of the registration statement that contains this prospectus.

The Capital Trusts

There are no separate financial statements of the Capital Trusts in this prospectus. We do not believe the financial statements would be helpful to the holders of the preferred securities of either of the Capital Trusts because:

 

   

we, a reporting company under the Exchange Act, will directly or indirectly own all of the voting securities of each Capital Trust;

 

   

each Capital Trust has no independent operations or proposals to engage in any activity other than issuing securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of such Capital Trust and investing the proceeds in junior subordinated debt securities issued by a Finance Subsidiary which will be guaranteed by us; and

 

   

the obligations of each Capital Trust under the preferred securities issued by it will be guaranteed by us. See “Description of the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees.”

Neither Capital Trust is currently subject to the information reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and neither of them will become subject to the requirements upon the effectiveness of the registration statement that contains this prospectus.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

We file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission. The Commission allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Any statement contained in a document which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus is automatically updated and superseded if information contained in this prospectus, or information that we later file with the Commission, modifies or replaces this information. All documents we subsequently file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the termination of an offering (including any documents filed after the date of this prospectus and prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement) shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the following previously filed documents:

 

  (1) our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the Commission on February 27, 2009 (file no. 001-14536);

 

  (2) the description of our common shares set forth in our registration statements filed under the Exchange Act on Form 8-A on October 4, 1993 (file no. 000-22530) and October 24, 1996 (file no. 001-14536), including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description;

 

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  (3) our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on March 2, 2009 and March 16, 2009 (file no. 001-14536);

 

  (4) the description of our 6.75% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares set forth in our registration statement filed under the Exchange Act on Form 8-A on May 2, 2003 (file no. 001-14536), including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

  (5) the description of our 6.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares set forth in our registration statement filed under the Exchange Act on Form 8-A on November 12, 2004 (file no. 001-14536), including any amendment or report for the purpose of updating such description.

You may request free copies of these filings (other than the exhibits) by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Legal and Corporate Compliance

Telephone: (441) 292-0888

Fax: (441) 292-6080

 

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ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES UNDER UNITED STATES FEDERAL SECURITIES LAWS

We are a Bermuda company. In addition, certain of our directors and officers as well as certain of the experts named in this prospectus, reside outside the United States, and all or a substantial portion of our assets and their assets are located outside the United States. Therefore, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon those persons or to recover against us or those persons on judgments of courts in the United States, including judgments based on civil liabilities provisions of the United States federal securities laws.

The United States and Bermuda do not currently have a treaty providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. Also, there is doubt as to whether the courts of Bermuda would enforce (1) judgments of United States courts based on the civil liability provisions of the United States federal securities laws obtained in actions against us or our directors and officers, and (2) original actions brought in Bermuda against us or our officers and directors based solely upon the United States federal securities laws. A Bermuda court may, however, impose civil liability on us or our directors or officers in a suit brought in the Supreme Court of Bermuda provided that the facts alleged constitute or give rise to a cause of action under Bermuda law. Certain remedies available under the laws of U.S. jurisdictions, including certain remedies under the U.S. federal securities laws, would not be allowed in Bermuda courts to the extent that they are contrary to public policy.

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.

The following table sets forth the estimated expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities registered hereby, other than underwriting discounts and commissions:

 

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee

   $ 0 *

Listing fees

   $ 50,000  

Trustee’s fees and expenses

   $ 15,000  

Printing and engraving expenses

   $ 75,000  

Accounting fees and expenses

   $ 100,000  

Legal fees and expenses

   $ 100,000  

Blue Sky fees and expenses

   $ 5,000  

Total

   $ 345,000  

 

* Deferred in accordance with Rule 456(b) and 457(r).

 

ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.

PartnerRe

Section 98 of the Companies Act of 1981 of Bermuda (the “Act”) provides generally that a Bermuda company may indemnify its directors, officers and auditors against any liability that by virtue of Bermuda law otherwise would be imposed on them, except in cases where such liability arises from the fraud or dishonesty of which such director, officer or auditor may be guilty in relation to the company. Section 98 further provides that a Bermudian company may indemnify its directors, officers and auditors against any liability incurred by them in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal (including those involving fraud or dishonesty), in which judgment is awarded in their favor or in which they are acquitted or granted relief by the Supreme Court of Bermuda in certain proceedings arising under Section 281 of the Act.

In addition, Section 98 was recently amended to provide that a Bermudian company may advance moneys to its directors, officers and auditors for the costs, charges and expenses incurred by them in defending any civil or criminal proceedings against them, on condition that the director, officer or auditor repay the advance if any allegation of fraud or dishonesty is proved against them.

Our Bye-Laws provide that we may indemnify our officers and directors, except in cases where such liability arises from fraud or dishonesty, and may indemnify our officers and directors against any liability incurred by them in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal (including those involving fraud or dishonesty), in which judgment is awarded in their favor or in which they are acquitted or granted relief.

We have entered into employment agreements with certain of our executive officers and indemnification agreements with our directors which each contain provisions pursuant to which we have agreed to indemnify, and advance expenses on behalf of, certain of our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted under Bermuda law.

We have purchased insurance on behalf of our directors and officers for liabilities arising out of their capacities as such.

 

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PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C

PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C are Delaware limited liability companies. Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that a limited liability company may indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever, subject to any standards and restrictions that may be set forth in its limited liability company agreement. The limited liability company agreements of PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C provide that the member of the company shall not be obligated personally for the debt, obligations or liabilities of the company solely by reason of being a member.

The limited liability company agreements of PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C further provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware and except in the case of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct, no member or officer shall be liable to the company or any other member for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such member or officer in good faith on behalf of the company and in a manner reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such member or officer. Except in the case of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct, each person (and the heirs, executors or administrators of such person) who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a member or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the company to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware for directors and officers of corporations organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. Any such indemnity provided shall be provided out of and to the extent of company assets only, and no member shall have personal liability on account thereof.

PRE Finance II

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”), as amended, provides that under certain circumstances a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or is or was serving at its request in such capacity in another corporation or business association, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. Section 145 of the DGCL empowers a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers and to purchase insurance with respect to liability arising out of their capacity or status as directors and officers, provided that this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director: (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) arising under Section 174 of the DGCL; or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Section 145 of the DGCL provides further that the indemnification permitted thereunder shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the directors and officers may be entitled under the corporation’s bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or otherwise.

The certificate of incorporation of PRE Finance II provides for indemnification of its directors against, and absolution of, liability to PRE Finance II and its stockholders to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. PartnerRe has purchased insurance on behalf of the directors and officers of PRE Finance II arising out of their capacities as such.

 

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The Capital Trusts

Each amended and restated trust agreement provides that the depositor of the Capital Trust will indemnify each of the Trustees and their agents, officers, directors and employees or any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, damage, claims, liability, penalty or expense incurred without bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of such amended and restated trust agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties thereunder.

For a statement of PartnerRe’s, the depositor’s and the Capital Trust’s undertaking with respect to indemnification of directors, officers and trustees see Item 17 below.

 

ITEM 16. EXHIBITS.

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number   

Description

1.1(1)    Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to common shares, preferred shares, depositary shares, debt securities and warrants of PartnerRe
1.2(1)    Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to debt securities issued by a Finance Subsidiary
1.3(1)    Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to preferred securities issued by a Capital Trust
1.4(1)    Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to share purchase contracts
1.5(1)    Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to share purchase units
1.6(1)    Form of Underwriting Agreement relating to units
4.1(2)    Amended Memorandum of Association of PartnerRe
4.2(7)    Amended and Restated Bye-Laws of PartnerRe
4.3(3)    Specimen Common Share Certificate
4.4(4)    Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of 6.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares
4.5(4)    Specimen Share for the 6.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares
4.6(5)    Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of 6.75% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares
4.7(5)    Specimen Share Certificate for the 6.75% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares
4.15(6)    Certificate of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust II, dated as of December 11, 2001 and filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on December 11, 2001
4.16(6)    Certificate of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust III, dated as of December 11, 2001 and filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on December 11, 2001
4.17(6)    Trust Agreement of PartnerRe Capital Trust II, dated as of December 11, 2001
4.18(6)    Trust Agreement of PartnerRe Capital Trust III, dated as of December 11, 2001
4.19*    Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust II, dated as of March 27, 2009
4.20*    Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust III, dated as of March 27, 2009
4.21*    Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 of PartnerRe Capital Trust II, dated as of March 27, 2009
4.22*    Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 of PartnerRe Capital Trust III, dated as of March 27, 2009
4.23*    Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of PartnerRe Capital Trust II
4.24*    Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of PartnerRe Capital Trust III
4.28(6)    Certificate of Incorporation of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
4.29(6)    By-Laws of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

 

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Exhibit Number   

Description

4.30*    Form of Senior Indenture between PartnerRe and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.31*    Form of Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.32*    Form of Senior Indenture between PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.33*    Form of Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.34*    Form of Junior Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.35*    Form of Senior Indenture between PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.36*    Form of Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.37*    Form of Junior Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.38*    Form of Senior Indenture between PartnerRe Finance B LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.39*    Form of Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance B LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.40*    Form of Junior Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance B LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.41*    Form of Senior Indenture between PartnerRe Finance C LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.42*    Form of Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance C LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.43*    Form of Junior Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe Finance C LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon
4.44*    Form of Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the preferred securities issued by Capital Trust II
4.45*    Form of Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the preferred securities issued by Capital Trust III
4.46*    Form of Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the senior debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
4.47*    Form of Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
4.48*    Form of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the junior subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
4.49*    Form of Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the senior debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC
4.50*    Form of Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC
4.51*    Form of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the junior subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC
4.52*    Form of Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the senior debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance B LLC
4.53*    Form of Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance B LLC
4.54*    Form of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the junior subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance B LLC
4.55*    Form of Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the senior debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance C LLC

 

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Exhibit Number   

Description

4.56*    Form of Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance C LLC
4.57*    Form of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the junior subordinated debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance C LLC
4.58(1)    Form of Depositary Agreement
4.59(1)    Form of Standard Share Purchase Contract Provisions
4.60*    Senior Indenture, dated May 27, 2008, between PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York
4.61*    Senior Debt Securities Guarantee, dated May 27, 2008, between PartnerRe as guarantor and The Bank of New York
5.1*    Opinion of Mr. Marc Wetherhill, corporate counsel of PartnerRe, as to the legality of the common shares, preferred shares, certain units and debt securities of PartnerRe, the debt securities guarantees and the preferred securities guarantees
5.2*    Opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell as to the legality of the senior, subordinated and junior subordinated debt securities, share warrants, debt warrants, depositary shares, preferred securities guarantees, share purchase contracts, share purchase units and certain units
5.3*    Opinion of Richards, Layton & Finger as to the legality of the trust preferred securities
12.1*    Statement Re: Computation of Ratios
23.1*    Consent of Mr Marc Wetherhill, corporate counsel of PartnerRe (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2*    Consent of Davis Polk & Wardwell (included in Exhibit 5.2)
23.3*    Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger (included in Exhibit 5.3)
23.4*    Consent of Deloitte & Touche
24.1*    Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement)
25.1*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Senior Indenture of PartnerRe
25.2*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe
25.3*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Senior Indenture of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
25.4*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
25.5*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Junior Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
25.6*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Senior Indenture of PartnerRe Finance A LLC
25.7*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance A LLC
25.8*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Junior Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance A LLC
25.9*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Senior Indenture of PartnerRe Finance B LLC
25.10*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance B LLC
25.11*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Junior Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance B LLC
25.12*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Senior Indenture of PartnerRe Finance C LLC
25.13*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance C LLC
25.14*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Junior Subordinated Indenture of PartnerRe Finance C LLC

 

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Exhibit Number   

Description

25.15*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Property Trustee for the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of PartnerRe Capital Trust II
25.16*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Property Trustee for the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of PartnerRe Capital Trust III
25.17*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Preferred Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe for the benefit of the holders of Preferred Securities of PartnerRe Capital Trust II
25.18*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Preferred Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe for the benefit of the holders of Preferred Securities of PartnerRe Capital Trust III
25.19*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of senior debt securities of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
25.20*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
25.21*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of junior subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance II Inc.
25.22*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of senior debt securities of PartnerRe Finance A LLC
25.23*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance A LLC
25.24*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of junior subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance A LLC
25.25*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of senior debt securities of PartnerRe Finance B LLC
25.26*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance B LLC
25.27*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of junior subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance B LLC
25.28*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of senior debt securities of PartnerRe Finance C LLC
25.29*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance C LLC

 

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Exhibit Number   

Description

25.30*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee under the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of the holders of junior subordinated debt securities of PartnerRe Finance C LLC
25.31*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as trustee for the Senior Indenture, dated May 27, 2008, between PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York
25.32*    Statement of Eligibility of The Bank of New York Mellon on Form T-1, as Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Trustee, dated May 27, 2008, under the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement of PartnerRe, for the benefit of holders of senior debt securities of PartnerRe Finance A LLC

 

* Filed herewith.

 

(1) To be filed, if necessary, subsequent to the effectiveness of this registration statement by an amendment to this registration statement or incorporated by reference pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K in connection with an offering of securities.

 

(2) Incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement on Form F-3 of PartnerRe (Registration No. 333-7094) as filed with the Commission on June 20, 1997.

 

(3) Incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 (file No. 000-22530), as filed with the Commission on March 26, 1997.

 

(4) Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the Commission on November 12, 2004 (file No. 001-14536).

 

(5) Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the Commission on May 2, 2003 (file No. 001-14536).

 

(6) Incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of PartnerRe, PRE Finance II, PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III (Registration No. 333-75196) as filed with the Commission on December 14, 2001.

 

(7) Previously filed with our Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2007, as filed with the Commission on August 9, 2007 (file No. 001-14536).

 

ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.

 

(a) The undersigned registrants hereby undertake:

 

  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

  (ii)

To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any

 

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deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

 

  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement,

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed or furnished to the Commission by the registrants pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  (4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

  (A) Each prospectus filed by the Registrants pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

  (B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however , that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

  (5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrants under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

 

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The undersigned Registrants undertake that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrants pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrants will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrants relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

  (ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrants or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrants;

 

  (iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrants or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrants; and

 

  (iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrants to the purchaser.

 

(b) The undersigned Registrants hereby undertake that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of our annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrants pursuant to the provisions set forth or described in Item 15 of this registration statement, or otherwise, the Registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by a registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of such registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrants will, unless in the opinion of their counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by them is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, PartnerRe Ltd. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Pembroke, Bermuda, on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.

By:

 

/s/    Albert A. Benchimol        

 

Name:

  Albert A. Benchimol
 

Title:

  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Each of the undersigned directors and/or officers of PartnerRe Ltd., a company organized under the laws of Bermuda, hereby constitutes and appoints Albert A. Benchimol and Amanda Sodergren, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign, execute and deliver this registration statement on Form S-3 and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) hereto, and to sign any registration statement for any offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/    Patrick A. Thiele        

Patrick A. Thiele

  

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

  April 10, 2009

/s/    Albert A. Benchimol        

Albert A. Benchimol

  

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

  April 10, 2009

/s/    William Babcock        

William Babcock

   Group Finance Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Laurie Desmet        

Laurie Desmet

  

Chief Accounting Officer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

  April 10, 2009

/s/    John A. Rollwagen        

John A. Rollwagen

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Vito H. Baumgartner        

Vito H. Baumgartner

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Robert M. Baylis        

Robert M. Baylis

   Director   April 10, 2009


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Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/    Judith Hanratty        

Judith Hanratty

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Jan H. Holsboer        

Jan H. Holsboer

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Jean-Paul Montupet        

Jean-Paul Montupet

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Rémy Sautter        

Rémy Sautter

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Lucio Stanca        

Lucio Stanca

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Kevin M. Twomey        

Kevin M. Twomey

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Jürgen Zech        

Jürgen Zech

   Director   April 10, 2009

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

By: Theodore C. Walker

President and Chief Executive Officer

   Authorized Representative in the United States   April 10, 2009


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, PartnerRe Finance A LLC certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC
By:  

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

  Name:   Theodore C. Walker
  Title:   Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer

Each of the undersigned officers of PartnerRe Finance A LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of Delaware, hereby constitutes and appoints Theodore C. Walker, John N. Adimari and Thomas L. Forsyth and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign, execute and deliver this registration statement on Form S-3 and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) hereto, and to sign any registration statement for any offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

Signature

  

Title

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

Theodore C. Walker

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/    John N. Adimari        

John N. Adimari

   Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/    Thomas L. Forsyth        

Thomas L. Forsyth

   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, PartnerRe Finance B LLC certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC
By:  

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

  Name:   Theodore C. Walker
  Title:   Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer

Each of the undersigned officers of PartnerRe Finance B LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of Delaware, hereby constitutes and appoints Theodore C. Walker, John N. Adimari and Thomas L. Forsyth, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign, execute and deliver this registration statement on Form S-3 and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) hereto, and to sign any registration statement for any offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

Signature

  

Title

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

Theodore C. Walker

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/    John N. Adimari        

John N. Adimari

   Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/    Thomas L. Forsyth         

Thomas L. Forsyth

   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, PartnerRe Finance C LLC certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC
By:  

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

  Name:   Theodore C. Walker
  Title:   Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer

Each of the undersigned officers of PartnerRe Finance C LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of Delaware, hereby constitutes and appoints Theodore C. Walker, John N. Adimari and Thomas L. Forsyth, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign, execute and deliver this registration statement on Form S-3 and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) hereto, and to sign any registration statement for any offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

Signature

  

Title

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

Theodore C. Walker

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/    John N. Adimari        

John N. Adimari

   Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/    Thomas L. Forsyth        

Thomas L. Forsyth

   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, PartnerRe Finance II Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC.
By:  

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

  Name:   Theodore C. Walker
  Title:   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Each of the undersigned directors and/or officers of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware, hereby constitutes and appoints Theodore C. Walker, John N. Adimari and Thomas L. Forsyth, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign, execute and deliver this registration statement on Form S-3 and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) hereto, and to sign any registration statement for any offering covered by this registration statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all post-effective amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

Signature

  

Title

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

Theodore C. Walker

   Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer
and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

/s/    John N. Adimari        

John N. Adimari

  

Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer
and Director

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/    Thomas L. Forsyth        

Thomas L. Forsyth

   Executive Vice President, General Counsel,
Corporate Secretary and Director


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, PartnerRe Capital Trust II certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II
By:   PartnerRe Finance II Inc., as Depositor
By:  

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

  Name:   Theodore C. Walker
  Title:   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer


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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, PartnerRe Capital Trust III certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Greenwich, Connecticut, on the 10 th day of April, 2009.

 

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III
By:   PartnerRe Finance II Inc., as Depositor
By:  

/s/    Theodore C. Walker        

  Name:   Theodore C. Walker
  Title:   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 4.19

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO

CERTIFICATE OF TRUST

OF

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II

This Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust II (the “Trust”), is being duly executed and filed by the undersigned trustees to amend the Certificate of Trust of a statutory trust formed under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (the “Act”).

1. Name . The name of the Trust is PartnerRe Capital Trust II.

2. Amendment . Article 2 of the Certificate of Trust of the Trust is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:

2. Delaware Trustee . The name and business address of the trustee of the Trust with its principal place of business in the State of Delaware are BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, Delaware 19711.

3. Effective Date . This Certificate of Amendment shall be effective upon filing.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being all the trustees of the Trust, have executed this Certificate of Amendment in accordance with Section 3811(a)(2) of the Act.

 

BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE,

not in its individual capacity but solely as Delaware

Trustee

By:  

/s/ Kristine K. Gullo

Name:   Kristine K. Gullo
Title:   Vice President

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

not in its individual capacity but solely as Property

Trustee

By:  

/s/ Cheryl L. Clarke

Name:   Cheryl L. Clarke
Title:   Vice President
ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEE

/s/ Thomas L. Forsyth

Thomas L. Forsyth, not in his individual capacity

but solely as trustee of the Trust

ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEE

/s/ Theodore C. Walker

Theodore C. Walker, not in his individual capacity

but solely as trustee of the Trust

Exhibit 4.20

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO

CERTIFICATE OF TRUST

OF

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III

This Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust III (the “Trust”), is being duly executed and filed by the undersigned trustees to amend the Certificate of Trust of a statutory trust formed under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (the “Act”).

1. Name . The name of the Trust is PartnerRe Capital Trust III.

2. Amendment . Article 2 of the Certificate of Trust of the Trust is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows:

2. Delaware Trustee . The name and business address of the trustee of the Trust with its principal place of business in the State of Delaware are BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, Delaware 19711.

3. Effective Date . This Certificate of Amendment shall be effective upon filing.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being all the trustees of the Trust, have executed this Certificate of Amendment in accordance with Section 3811(a)(2) of the Act.

 

BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE,
not in its individual capacity but solely as Delaware Trustee
By:  

/s/ Kristine K. Gullo

Name:   Kristine K. Gullo
Title:   Vice President

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

not in its individual capacity but solely as Property

Trustee

By:  

/s/ Cheryl L. Clarke

Name:   Cheryl L. Clarke
Title:   Vice President
ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEE

/s/ Thomas L. Forsyth

Thomas L. Forsyth, not in his individual capacity

but solely as trustee of the Trust

ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEE

/s/ Theodore C. Walker

Theodore C. Walker, not in his individual capacity

but solely as trustee of the Trust

Exhibit 4.21

AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT NO. 1

OF

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT NO. 1 is made as of March 27, 2009 (this “Trust Agreement”), by and among PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a Delaware corporation, as Depositor (the “Depositor”), The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as property trustee (the “Property Trustee”), BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as trustee (the “Delaware Trustee”), Thomas L. Forsyth, an individual, as trustee, and Theodore C. Walker, an individual, as trustee (together with Thomas L. Forsyth, the “Administrative Trustees”) (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Trustees”).

WHEREAS, the Depositor, JPMorgan Chase Bank, as property trustee (the “Original Property Trustee”), Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association, as trustee (the “Original Delaware Trustee”), Albert Benchimol, an individual, as trustee, and Christine Patton, an individual, as trustee (together with Albert Benchimol, the “Original Administrative Trustees”) entered into a Trust Agreement of the Trust (as defined below), dated as of December 11, 2001 (the “Original Trust Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Property Trustee is the successor in interest to the Original Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee is the successor in interest to the Original Delaware Trustee;

WHEREAS, the Original Administrative Trustees are no longer trustees of the Trust and the Administrative Trustees now constitute all of the Administrative Trustees of the Trust; and

WHEREAS, the Depositor, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees wish to amend and restate the Original Trust Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Depositor, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Property Trustee hereby agree that the Original Trust Agreement shall be amended and restated as follows:

1. The trust created hereby shall be known as “PartnerRe Capital Trust II” (the “Trust”), in which name the Trustees or the Depositor, to the extent provided herein, may conduct the business of the Trust, make and execute contracts, and sue and be sued.

2. The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to the Trust the sum of $10. Such amount shall constitute the initial trust estate. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust created hereby constitute a statutory trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. Sections 3801, et seq. (the “Statutory Trust Act”), and that this document constitute the governing instrument of the Trust. The Trustees are hereby authorized


and directed to execute and file an amendment to the certificate of trust in the form of exhibit A attached hereto with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the Statutory Trust Act.

3. The Depositor and the Trustees expect to enter into an amended and restated Trust Agreement satisfactory to each such party to provide for the contemplated operation of the Trust created hereby and the issuance of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities referred to therein. Prior to the execution and delivery of such amended and restated Trust Agreement, the Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation hereunder or with respect of the trust estate, except as otherwise required by applicable law or as may be necessary to obtain prior to such execution and delivery any licenses, consents or approvals required by applicable law or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustees may take all actions deemed proper as are necessary to effect the transactions contemplated herein.

4. The Depositor, as depositor of the Trust, is hereby authorized, in its discretion, (i) to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and to execute, in the case of the 1933 Act Registration Statement and 1934 Act Registration Statement (each as herein defined), on behalf of the Trust, (a) a Registration Statement (the “1933 Act Registration Statement”), including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments thereto, relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), of the Preferred Securities of the Trust, (b) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus or supplement thereto relating to the Preferred Securities of the Trust required to be filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, and (c) a Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other appropriate form (the “1934 Act Registration Statement”), including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments thereto, relating to the registration of the Preferred Securities of the Trust under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; (ii) if and at such time as determined by the Depositor, to file with the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange, or the National Association of Securities Dealers (“NASD”), and execute on behalf of the Trust a listing application and all other applications, statements, certificates, agreements and other instruments as shall be necessary or desirable to cause the Preferred Securities of the Trust to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the NASD’s Nasdaq National Market or such other exchange; (iii) to file and execute on behalf of the Trust, such applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents, appointments of attorney for service of process and other papers and documents that shall be necessary or desirable to register the Preferred Securities of the Trust under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of such jurisdictions as the Depositor, on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; (iv) to execute and deliver letters or documents to, or instruments for filing with, a depository relating to the Preferred Securities of the Trust; (v) to execute, deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust an underwriting agreement with one or more underwriters relating to the offering of the Preferred Securities of the Trust; (vi) to execute on behalf of the Trust such purchase agreements with one or more purchasers or agents relating to an offering of securities of the Trust as the Depositor, in its sole discretion on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; and (vii) to execute any other applications, certificates or other documents relating to the foregoing as the Depositor, in its sole discretion on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable.

In the event that any filing referred to in this Section 4 is required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange, NASD, or state securities or “Blue Sky” laws to be executed on behalf of the Trust by the Trustees, the

 

2


Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, are hereby authorized to join in any such filing and to execute on behalf of the Trust any and all of the foregoing, it being understood that the Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, shall not be required to join in any such filing or execute on behalf of the Trust any such document unless required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange, NASD, or state securities or “Blue Sky” laws.

5. This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.

6. The number of trustees of the Trust initially shall be four and thereafter the number of trustees of the Trust shall be such number as shall be fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed by the Depositor which may increase or decrease the number of trustees of the Trust; provided, however, that to the extent required by the Statutory Trust Act, one trustee of the Trust shall either be a natural person who is a resident of the State of Delaware or, if not a natural person, an entity which has its principal place of business in the State of Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable Delaware law. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor is entitled to appoint or remove without cause any trustee of the Trust at any time. Any trustee of the Trust may resign upon thirty days’ prior notice to the Depositor.

7. BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, in its capacity as Delaware Trustee, shall not have the powers or duties of the Trustees set forth herein (except as may be required under the Statutory Trust Act) and shall be a trustee hereunder for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Statutory Trust Act.

8. The Trust may be dissolved and terminated before the issuance of the Preferred Securities at the election of the Depositor.

9. (a) The Trustees and their officers, directors, agents and servants (collectively, the “Fiduciary Indemnified Persons”) shall not be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Trust, the Depositor, the Trustees or any holder of the Preferred Securities (the Trust, the Depositor, the Trustees and any holder of the Trust Securities being a “Covered Person”) for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons in good faith on behalf of the Trust and in a manner the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by this Trust Agreement or by law, except that the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of the Fiduciary Indemnified Person’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.

(b) Fiduciary Indemnified Persons shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Trust and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Trust by any person as to matters the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Trust, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which distributions to holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.

 

3


(c) The Depositor agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, (i) to indemnify and hold harmless each Fiduciary Indemnified Person, or any of its respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, representatives or agents, from and against any loss, damage, liability, tax, penalty, expense or claim of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by reason of the creation, operation or termination of the Trust in a manner the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by this Trust Agreement, except that no Fiduciary Indemnified Persons shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by reason of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions, and (ii) to advance expenses (including reasonable legal fees) incurred by a Fiduciary Indemnified Person in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding, upon receipt by the Trust of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Fiduciary Indemnified Persons to repay such amount if it shall be determined that such Fiduciary Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in the preceding subsection.

(d) The provisions of Section 9 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement or the earlier resignation or removal of the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons.

10. This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of laws principles).

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., as Depositor
By:  

/s/ Thomas L. Forsyth

Name:   Thomas L. Forsyth
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Property Trustee
By:  

/s/ Cheryl L. Clarke

Name:   Cheryl L. Clarke
Title:   Vice President
BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE, as Delaware Trustee
By:  

/s/ Kristine K. Gullo

Name:   Kristine K. Gullo
Title:   Vice President
Administrative Trustee

/s/ Thomas L. Forsyth

Thomas L. Forsyth, not in his individual capacity but solely as trustee of the Trust
Administrative Trustee

/s/ Theodore C. Walker

Theodore C. Walker, not in his individual capacity but solely as trustee of the Trust

 

5

Exhibit 4.22

AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT NO. 1

OF

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT NO. 1 is made as of March 27, 2009 (this “Trust Agreement”), by and among PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a Delaware corporation, as Depositor (the “Depositor”), The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as property trustee (the “Property Trustee”), BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as trustee (the “Delaware Trustee”), Thomas L. Forsyth, an individual, as trustee, and Theodore C. Walker, an individual, as trustee (together with Thomas L. Forsyth, the “Administrative Trustees”) (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Trustees”).

WHEREAS, the Depositor, JPMorgan Chase Bank, as property trustee (the “Original Property Trustee”), Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association, as trustee (the “Original Delaware Trustee”), Albert Benchimol, an individual, as trustee, and Christine Patton, an individual, as trustee (together with Albert Benchimol, the “Original Administrative Trustees”) entered into a Trust Agreement of the Trust (as defined below), dated as of December 11, 2001 (the “Original Trust Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Property Trustee is the successor in interest to the Original Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee is the successor in interest to the Original Delaware Trustee;

WHEREAS, the Original Administrative Trustees are no longer trustees of the Trust and the Administrative Trustees now constitute all of the Administrative Trustees of the Trust; and

WHEREAS, the Depositor, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees wish to amend and restate the Original Trust Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Depositor, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Property Trustee hereby agree that the Original Trust Agreement shall be amended and restated as follows:

1. The trust created hereby shall be known as “PartnerRe Capital Trust III” (the “Trust”), in which name the Trustees or the Depositor, to the extent provided herein, may conduct the business of the Trust, make and execute contracts, and sue and be sued.

2. The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to the Trust the sum of $10. Such amount shall constitute the initial trust estate. It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust created hereby constitute a statutory trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. Sections 3801, et seq. (the “Statutory Trust Act”), and that this document constitute the governing instrument of the Trust. The Trustees are hereby authorized


and directed to execute and file an amendment to the certificate of trust in the form of exhibit A attached hereto with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the provisions of the Statutory Trust Act.

3. The Depositor and the Trustees expect to enter into an amended and restated Trust Agreement satisfactory to each such party to provide for the contemplated operation of the Trust created hereby and the issuance of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities referred to therein. Prior to the execution and delivery of such amended and restated Trust Agreement, the Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation hereunder or with respect of the trust estate, except as otherwise required by applicable law or as may be necessary to obtain prior to such execution and delivery any licenses, consents or approvals required by applicable law or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustees may take all actions deemed proper as are necessary to effect the transactions contemplated herein.

4. The Depositor, as depositor of the Trust, is hereby authorized, in its discretion, (i) to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and to execute, in the case of the 1933 Act Registration Statement and 1934 Act Registration Statement (each as herein defined), on behalf of the Trust, (a) a Registration Statement (the “1933 Act Registration Statement”), including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments thereto, relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), of the Preferred Securities of the Trust, (b) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus or supplement thereto relating to the Preferred Securities of the Trust required to be filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, and (c) a Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other appropriate form (the “1934 Act Registration Statement”), including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments thereto, relating to the registration of the Preferred Securities of the Trust under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; (ii) if and at such time as determined by the Depositor, to file with the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange, or the National Association of Securities Dealers (“NASD”), and execute on behalf of the Trust a listing application and all other applications, statements, certificates, agreements and other instruments as shall be necessary or desirable to cause the Preferred Securities of the Trust to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the NASD’s Nasdaq National Market or such other exchange; (iii) to file and execute on behalf of the Trust, such applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents, appointments of attorney for service of process and other papers and documents that shall be necessary or desirable to register the Preferred Securities of the Trust under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of such jurisdictions as the Depositor, on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; (iv) to execute and deliver letters or documents to, or instruments for filing with, a depository relating to the Preferred Securities of the Trust; (v) to execute, deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust an underwriting agreement with one or more underwriters relating to the offering of the Preferred Securities of the Trust; (vi) to execute on behalf of the Trust such purchase agreements with one or more purchasers or agents relating to an offering of securities of the Trust as the Depositor, in its sole discretion on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; and (vii) to execute any other applications, certificates or other documents relating to the foregoing as the Depositor, in its sole discretion on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable.

In the event that any filing referred to in this Section 4 is required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange, NASD, or state securities or “Blue Sky” laws to be executed on behalf of the Trust by the Trustees, the

 

2


Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, are hereby authorized to join in any such filing and to execute on behalf of the Trust any and all of the foregoing, it being understood that the Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, shall not be required to join in any such filing or execute on behalf of the Trust any such document unless required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange, NASD, or state securities or “Blue Sky” laws.

5. This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.

6. The number of trustees of the Trust initially shall be four and thereafter the number of trustees of the Trust shall be such number as shall be fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed by the Depositor which may increase or decrease the number of trustees of the Trust; provided, however, that to the extent required by the Statutory Trust Act, one trustee of the Trust shall either be a natural person who is a resident of the State of Delaware or, if not a natural person, an entity which has its principal place of business in the State of Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable Delaware law. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor is entitled to appoint or remove without cause any trustee of the Trust at any time. Any trustee of the Trust may resign upon thirty days’ prior notice to the Depositor.

7. BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, in its capacity as Delaware Trustee, shall not have the powers or duties of the Trustees set forth herein (except as may be required under the Statutory Trust Act) and shall be a trustee hereunder for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Statutory Trust Act.

8. The Trust may be dissolved and terminated before the issuance of the Preferred Securities at the election of the Depositor.

9. (a) The Trustees and their officers, directors, agents and servants (collectively, the “Fiduciary Indemnified Persons”) shall not be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Trust, the Depositor, the Trustees or any holder of the Preferred Securities (the Trust, the Depositor, the Trustees and any holder of the Trust Securities being a “Covered Person”) for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons in good faith on behalf of the Trust and in a manner the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by this Trust Agreement or by law, except that the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of the Fiduciary Indemnified Person’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.

(b) Fiduciary Indemnified Persons shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Trust and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Trust by any person as to matters the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Trust, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which distributions to holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.

 

3


(c) The Depositor agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, (i) to indemnify and hold harmless each Fiduciary Indemnified Person, or any of its respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, representatives or agents, from and against any loss, damage, liability, tax, penalty, expense or claim of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by reason of the creation, operation or termination of the Trust in a manner the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by this Trust Agreement, except that no Fiduciary Indemnified Persons shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by reason of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions, and (ii) to advance expenses (including reasonable legal fees) incurred by a Fiduciary Indemnified Person in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding, upon receipt by the Trust of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Fiduciary Indemnified Persons to repay such amount if it shall be determined that such Fiduciary Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in the preceding subsection.

(d) The provisions of Section 9 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement or the earlier resignation or removal of the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons.

10. This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of laws principles).

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., as Depositor
By:  

/s/ Thomas L. Forsyth

Name:   Thomas L. Forsyth
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Property Trustee
By:  

/s/ Cheryl L. Clarke

Name:   Cheryl L. Clarke
Title:   Vice President
BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE, as Delaware Trustee
By:  

/s/ Kristine K. Gullo

Name:   Kristine K. Gullo
Title:   Vice President
Administrative Trustee

/s/ Thomas L. Forsyth

Thomas L. Forsyth, not in his individual capacity but solely as trustee of the Trust
Administrative Trustee

/s/ Theodore C. Walker

Theodore C. Walker, not in his individual capacity but solely as trustee of the Trust

 

5

Exhibit 4.23

FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED

TRUST AGREEMENT

AMONG

[A FINANCE SUBSIDIARY OF PARTNERRE LTD.], AS DEPOSITOR

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

AS PROPERTY TRUSTEE

BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE,

AS DELAWARE TRUSTEE,

AND

THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEES NAMED HEREIN

DATED AS OF                  , 20    

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINED T ERMS

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    2
ARTICLE 2
E STABLISHMENT OF THE T RUST

Section 2.01.

   Name    11

Section 2.02.

   Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal Place of Business    11

Section 2.03.

   Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational Expenses    11

Section 2.04.

   Issuance of the Preferred Securities    12

Section 2.05.

   Issuance of the Common Securities; Subscription and Purchase of Debentures    12

Section 2.06.

   Declaration of Trust    12

Section 2.07.

   Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions    13

Section 2.08.

   Assets of Trust    17

Section 2.09.

   Title to Trust Property    17

Section 2.10.

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    17
ARTICLE 3
P AYMENT A CCOUNT

Section 3.01.

   Payment Account    17
ARTICLE 4
C ERTAIN T ERMS OF THE T RUST S ECURITIES

Section 4.01.

   Distributions    18

Section 4.02.

   Redemption    20

Section 4.03.

   Subordination of Common Securities    22

Section 4.04.

   Payment Procedures    23

Section 4.05.

   Tax Returns And Reports    23

Section 4.06.

   Payment of Taxes, Duties, etc. of the Trust    24

Section 4.07.

   Payments Under Indenture    24

Section 4.08.

   CUSIP Numbers    24

Section 4.09.

   Exchanges    24

 

i


ARTICLE 5
T RUST S ECURITIES C ERTIFICATES

Section 5.01.

   Ownership    25

Section 5.02.

   The Trust Securities Certificates    25

Section 5.03.

   Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities Certificates    25

Section 5.04.

   Registration of Transfer and Exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates    26

Section 5.05.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities Certificates    27

Section 5.06.

   Persons Deemed Securityholders    27

Section 5.07.

   Access to List of Securityholders’ Names and Addresses    27

Section 5.08.

   Maintenance of Office or Agency    28

Section 5.09.

   Appointment of Paying Agent    28

Section 5.10.

   Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor    29

Section 5.11.

   Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates; Common Securities Certificate    29

Section 5.12.

   Notices to Clearing Agency    30

Section 5.13.

   Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates    30

Section 5.14.

   Rights of Securityholders    31

Section 5.15.

   Rights and Immunities of the Registrar    34

Section 5.16.

   Rights and Immunities of the Paying Agent    34

Section 5.17.

   No Obligation for Clearing Agency    34
ARTICLE 6
A CTS OF S ECURITYHOLDERS ; M EETINGS ; V OTING

Section 6.01.

   Limitations on Voting Rights    34

Section 6.02.

   Notice of Meetings    36

Section 6.03.

   Meetings of Preferred Securityholders    36

Section 6.04.

   Voting Rights    36

Section 6.05.

   Proxies, etc    36

Section 6.06.

   Securityholder Action by Written Consent    37

Section 6.07.

   Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes    37

Section 6.08.

   Acts of Securityholders    37

Section 6.09.

   Inspection of Records    38
ARTICLE 7
R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES

Section 7.01.

   Representations and Warranties of the Property Trustee    38

Section 7.02.

   Representations and Warranties of the Delaware Trustee    39

Section 7.03.

   Representations and Warranties of Depositor    40

 

ii


ARTICLE 8
T HE T RUSTEES

Section 8.01.

   Certain Duties and Responsibilities    42

Section 8.02.

   Certain Notices    44

Section 8.03.

   Certain Rights of Property Trustee    44

Section 8.04.

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    47

Section 8.05.

   May Hold Securities    47

Section 8.06.

   Compensation; Indemnity; Fees    48

Section 8.07.

   Corporate Property Trustee Required; Eligibility of Trustees    48

Section 8.08.

   Conflicting Interests    49

Section 8.09.

   Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee    49

Section 8.10.

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    51

Section 8.11.

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    52

Section 8.12.

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    53

Section 8.13.

   Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor, Debenture Issuer or Trust    54

Section 8.14.

   Reports by Property Trustee    54

Section 8.15.

   Reports to the Property Trustee    54

Section 8.16.

   Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    55

Section 8.17.

   Number of Trustees    55

Section 8.18.

   Delegation of Power    55
ARTICLE 9
D ISSOLUTION , L IQUIDATION , T ERMINATION AND M ERGER

Section 9.01.

   Dissolution Upon Expiration Date    56

Section 9.02.

   Early Dissolution    56

Section 9.03.

   Termination    56

Section 9.04.

   Liquidation    57

Section 9.05.

   Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Trust    58
ARTICLE 10
M ISCELLANEOUS P ROVISIONS

Section 10.01.

   Limitation of Rights of Securityholders    60

Section 10.02.

   Amendment    60

Section 10.03.

   Separability    61

Section 10.04.

   Governing Law    61

Section 10.05.

   Payments Due on Non-Business Day    61

Section 10.06.

   Successors    62

Section 10.07.

   Headings    62

Section 10.08.

   Reports, Notices and Demands    62

Section 10.09.

   Agreement Not to Petition    63

 

iii


Section 10.10.

   Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    63

Section 10.11.

   Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement, Guarantee and Indenture    63

Section 10.12.

   Waiver Of Jury Trial    64

Section 10.13.

   Force Majeure    64

Exhibit A

   CERTIFICATE EVIDENCING COMMON SECURITIES OF PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II   

Exhibit B

   CERTIFICATE EVIDENCING PREFERRED SECURITIES OF PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II   

 

iv


PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II

CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT RELATING TO

SECTIONS 310 THROUGH 318 OF THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939:

 

TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION

   TRUST
AGREEMENT
SECTION

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   8.07

(a) (2)

   8.07

(a) (3)

   8.09

(a) (4)

   2.07(a)(ii)

(b)

   8.08

(§)(§)311(a)

   8.13

(b)

   8.13

(§)(§)312(a)

   5.07

(b)

   5.07

(c)

   5.07

(§)(§)313(a)

   8.14(a)

(a)(4)

   8.14(b)

(b)

   8.14(b)

(c)

   10.08

(d)

   8.14(c)

(§)(§)314(a)

   8.15

(b)

   Not Applicable

(c)(1)

   8.16

(c)(2)

   8.16

(c) (3)

   Not Applicable

(d)

   Not Applicable

(e)

   1.01, 8.16

(§)(§)315(a)

   8.01(a), 8.03(a)

(b)

   8.02, 10.08

(c)

   8.01(a)

(d)

   8.01, 8.03

(e)

   Not Applicable

(§)(§)316(a)

   Not Applicable

(a)(1)(A)

   Not Applicable

(a)(1)(B)

   Not Applicable

(a) (2)

   Not Applicable

(b)

   Not Applicable

(c)

   6.07

(§)(§)317(a) (1)

   Not Applicable

 

v


TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION

   TRUST
AGREEMENT
SECTION

(a) (2)

   Not Applicable

(b)

   5.09

(§)318(a)

   10.10

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie sheet shall not, for any purpose be deemed to be a part of the Trust Agreement.

 

vi


AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of                  , 20    , among (i) [A FINANCE SUBSIDIARY OF PARTNERRE LTD.], a Delaware [entity] (including any successors or assigns, the “ Depositor ”), (ii) THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation, as property trustee (the “ Property Trustee ”), (iii) BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware trustee (in such capacity, the “ Delaware Trustee ”), (iv) Thomas L. Forsyth, an individual, as an administrative trustee, and Theodore C. Walker, an individual, as an administrative trustee, each of whose address is c/o PartnerRe Ltd., 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the administrative trustees as herein after defined are referred to collectively as the “ Trustees ”) and (v) the several Holders, as hereinafter defined.

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, PartnerRe Finance II Inc., as original sponsor (the “ Original Depositor ”) of the Trust and certain of the Trustees (the “ Original Trustees ”) have heretofore duly declared and established a business trust pursuant to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act by the entering into of that certain Trust Agreement, dated as of December 11, 2001 (the “ Original Trust Agreement ”), and by the execution by the Original Trustees and filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of the Certificate of Trust, filed on December 11, 2001 (the “ Certificate of Trust ”);

WHEREAS, the Original Depositor and the Trustees have hereto amended the Certificate of Trust to amend Article 2 thereof to evidence the change of the Delaware trustee from Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association to BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware and filed such amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “ Amended Certificate of Trust ”);

WHEREAS, the Original Depositor and the Trustees have heretofore amended and restated the Original Trust Agreement to evidence certain changes to the persons and entities that serve as the property trustee, Delaware trustee and administrative trustees of the Trust (as defined herein) (the “ Amended and Restated Trust Agreement ” and together with the Original Trust Agreement, the “ Original Amended Trust Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Depositor and the Trustees desire to further amend and restate the Original Amended Trust Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein to provide for, among other things, (i) the issuance of the Common Securities by the Trust to the Depositor, (ii) the issuance and sale of the Preferred Securities by the Trust pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (iii) the acquisition by the Trust from the Debenture Issuer (as hereinafter defined) of all of the right, title and interest in the Debentures and (iv) the appointment of additional Administrative Trustees; 1

 

1 [Note that, if the Original Depositor is no longer the Depositor under this Trust Agreement, the Original Amended Trust Agreement will need to be amended and restated to replace the Original Depositor, or, the Original Depositor will be made a party hereto for the limited purpose of changing the Depositor.]


NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, each party, for the benefit of the other parties and for the benefit of the Securityholders, hereby amends and restates the Original Amended Trust Agreement in its entirety and agrees as follows:

ARTICLE 1

D EFINED T ERMS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. For all purposes of this Trust Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

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

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

(c) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “ Article ” or a “ Section ” refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Trust Agreement; and

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

Act ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.08.

Additional Amounts ” means, with respect to Trust Securities of a given Liquidation Amount, for a given period, the amount of any Additional Interest and any Additional Amounts (as defined in the Indenture) paid by the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor on a Like Amount of Debentures for such period.

 

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Additional Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.01 of the Indenture.

Additional Sums ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08 of the Indenture.

Administrative Trustee ” means each of Thomas L. Forsyth and Theodore C. Walker, solely in such Person’s capacity as Administrative Trustee of the Trust and not in such Person’s individual capacity, or such Administrative Trustee’s successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor trustee appointed as herein provided.

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

Amended Certificate of Trust ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Amended and Restated Trust Agreement ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Depositor, the Chairman [only include if Depositor is a corporation: “of the Board of Directors”], a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Depositor.

Bankruptcy Event ” means, with respect to any Person (a) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of (i) a decree or order for relief in respect of such Person in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or (ii) a decree or order adjudging such Person to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of such Person and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or (iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of such Person or of any

 

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substantial part of the property of such Person, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of such Person; or (b) the commencement by such Person of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by such Person to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by such Person of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of such Person or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by such Person to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of such Person or any substantial part of the property of such Person or the making by such Person of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by such Person in furtherance of any such action.

Bankruptcy Laws ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.09.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Depositor [insert if Depositor is a limited liability company: “(or its sole member)”] to have been duly adopted by the [sole member of the] Depositor’s Board of Directors, or such committee of the [sole member of the Depositor’s] Board of Directors or officers of the [sole member of the] Depositor to which authority to act on behalf of its Board of Directors has been delegated, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the appropriate Trustee or Trustees.

Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates ” means a beneficial interest in the Preferred Securities Certificates, ownership and transfers of which shall be made through book entries by a Clearing Agency as described in Section 5.11.

Business Day ” means a day other than (a) a Saturday or Sunday or (b) a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed.

Certificate of Trust ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Clearing Agency ” means an organization registered as a “ clearing agency ” pursuant to Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. DTC will be the initial Clearing Agency.

 

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Clearing Agency Participant ” means a broker, dealer, bank, other financial institution or other Person for whom from time to time a Clearing Agency effects book-entry transfers and pledges of securities deposited with the Clearing Agency.

Closing Date ” has the meaning specified in the Underwriting Agreement, which date is also the date of execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Security ” means an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $             and having the rights provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided herein.

Common Securities Certificate ” means a certificate evidencing ownership of Common Securities, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal office of the Property Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the date of execution of this Agreement is located The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration, or at any other such address as the Property Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto.

Debenture Event of Default ” means an “ Event of Default ” as defined in the Indenture.

Debenture Guarantor ” means PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company, in its capacity as guarantor under the Indenture, and its successors.

Debenture Issuer ” means [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe Ltd.], a Delaware [entity], in its capacity as the issuer of the Debentures under the Indenture, and its successors.

Debenture Redemption Date ” means, with respect to any Debentures to be redeemed under the Indenture, the date fixed for redemption under the Indenture.

 

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Debenture Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, solely in its capacity as trustee and not in its individual capacity under the Indenture, or any successor trustee appointed as therein provided.

Debentures ” means the aggregate principal amount of the Debenture Issuer’s         % Junior Subordinated Debt Securities due                  ,          issued pursuant to the Indenture and guaranteed by the Debenture Guarantor.

Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates ” means either or both (as the context requires) of (a) Preferred Securities Certificates issued as Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates as provided in Section 5.11(a) and Section 5.11(b) and (b) Preferred Securities Certificates issued in certificated, fully registered form as provided in Section 5.13.

Delaware Statutory Trust Act ” means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. Section 3801, et seq. , as it may be amended from time to time.

Delaware Trustee ” means the banking association identified as the “Delaware Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Trust Agreement solely in its capacity as Delaware Trustee of the Trust and not in its individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor trustee appointed as herein provided.

Depositor ” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Trust Agreement.

Depositor Affiliated Holder ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.09(a).

Distribution Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(a).

Distributions ” means amounts payable in respect of the Trust Securities as provided in Section 4.01.

DTC ” means The Depository Trust Company.

Early Termination Event ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.02.

Exchange ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.09(a).

Expiration Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.

Extension Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(a).

 

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Guarantee ” means the Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement executed and delivered by the Preferred Securities Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement, for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, as amended from time to time.

Indenture ” means the Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of             , among the Debenture Issuer, the Debenture Guarantor and the Debenture Trustee, as trustee, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

Investment Company Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Issuer ” means the Trust, as issuer of the Trust Securities.

Lien ” means any lien, pledge, charge, encumbrance, mortgage, deed of trust, adverse ownership interest, hypothecation, assignment, security interest or preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever.

Like Amount ” means (a) with respect to a redemption of Trust Securities, Trust Securities having a Liquidation Amount equal to the principal amount of Debentures to be contemporaneously redeemed in accordance with the Indenture the proceeds of which will be used to pay the Redemption Price of such Trust Securities, and (b) with respect to a distribution of Debentures to Holders of Trust Securities in connection with a dissolution or liquidation of the Trust or pursuant to an Exchange, Debentures having a principal amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities of the Holder to whom such Debentures are distributed.

Liquidation Amount ” means the stated amount of $             per Trust Security.

Liquidation Date ” means the date on which Debentures are to be distributed to Holders of Trust Securities in connection with a dissolution and liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.04(a).

Liquidation Distribution ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(e).

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the appropriate Trustee or Trustees.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Trust or the Depositor, as the case may be, or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

7


Original Amended Trust Agreement ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Original Trust Agreement ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Original Trustees ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Outstanding, ” when used with respect to Preferred Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Preferred Securities theretofore executed and delivered under this Trust Agreement, except:

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

(b) Preferred Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Property Trustee or any Paying Agent for the Holders of such Preferred Securities; provided that , if such Preferred Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and

(c) Preferred Securities which have been paid or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Preferred Securities have been executed and delivered pursuant to Section 5.04, Section 5.05, Section 5.11, Section 5.13, unless there shall have been presented to the Property Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Preferred Security is held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hand such Preferred Security is a valid obligation of the Trust; provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Securityholders for quorum purposes, Preferred Securities owned by the Depositor, any Trustee or any Affiliate of the Depositor or any Trustee, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that (i) in determining whether any Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Preferred Securities that such Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded and (ii) the foregoing shall not apply at any time when all of the outstanding Preferred Securities are owned by the Depositor, one or more of the Administrative Trustees and/or any of their Affiliates. Preferred Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Administrative Trustees the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Preferred Securities and that the pledgee is not the Depositor or any Affiliate of the Depositor.

 

8


Owner ” means each Person who beneficially owns a Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificate as reflected in the records of the Clearing Agency or, if a Clearing Agency Participant is not the Owner, then as reflected in the records of a Person maintaining an account with such Clearing Agency (directly or indirectly, in accordance with the rules of such Clearing Agency).

Paying Agent ” means any paying agent or co-paying agent appointed pursuant to Section 5.09 and shall initially be the Property Trustee.

Payment Account ” means a segregated non-interest-bearing corporate trust account maintained by the Property Trustee with the Paying Agent in its trust department for the benefit of the Securityholders in which all amounts paid in respect of the Debentures will be held and from which the Property Trustee shall make payments to the Securityholders in accordance with Section 4.01 and Section 4.02.

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

Preferred Security ” means an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $             and having the rights provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided herein.

Preferred Securities Certificate ” means a certificate evidencing ownership of Preferred Securities, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B.

Preferred Securities Guarantor ” means PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company, in its capacity as guarantor under the Guarantee, and its successors.

Property Trustee ” means the commercial bank or trust company identified as the “ Property Trustee ” in the preamble to this Trust Agreement solely in its capacity as Property Trustee of the Trust and not in its individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor property trustee appointed as herein provided.

Redemption Date ” means, with respect to any Trust Security to be redeemed, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Trust Agreement; provided, that each Debenture Redemption Date and the stated maturity of the Debentures shall be a Redemption Date for a Like Amount of Trust Securities.

 

9


Redemption Price ” means, with respect to any Trust Security, the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions to the Redemption Date, plus the related amount of the premium, if any, and any Additional Amounts paid by the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor upon the concurrent redemption of a Like Amount of Debentures, allocated on a pro rata basis (based on Liquidation Amounts) among the Trust Securities.

Relevant Trustee ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8.10.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Property Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Property Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Property Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Trust Agreement.

Securities Register ” and “ Securities Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 5.04.

Securityholder ” or “ Holder ” means a Person in whose name a Trust Security or Securities is registered in the Securities Register, any such Person being a beneficial owner within the meaning of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act; provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite amount of Preferred Securities have voted on any matter provided for in this Trust Agreement, then for purposes of any such determination, so long as Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates have not been issued, the term Securityholders or Holders as used herein shall refer to the Owners.

Trust ” means the Delaware statutory trust created by the Original Trust Agreement and the Certificate of Trust, as each has since been amended, and continued hereby and identified on the cover page to this Trust Agreement.

Trust Agreement ” means this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, as the same may be modified, amended or supplemented in accordance with the applicable provisions hereof, including all exhibits hereto, including, for all purposes of this Trust Agreement and any such modification, amendment or supplement, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this Trust Agreement and any such modification, amendment or supplement, respectively.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however , that in

 

10


the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “ Trust Indenture Act ” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

Trust Property ” means (a) the Debentures, (b) any cash on deposit in, or owing to, the Payment Account and (c) all proceeds and rights in respect of the foregoing.

Trust Security ” means any one of the Common Securities or the Preferred Securities.

Trust Securities Certificate ” means any one of the Common Securities Certificates or the Preferred Securities Certificates.

Trustees ” means, collectively, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees.

Underwriting Agreement ” means the Underwriting Agreement, dated as of             ,     , 20    , among the Trust, the Depositor, the Debenture Guarantor and the Underwriters named therein.

ARTICLE 2

E STABLISHMENT OF THE T RUST

Section 2.01 . Name. The Trust continued hereby shall be known as “ PartnerRe Capital Trust II ”, as such name may be modified from time to time by the Administrative Trustees following written notice to the Holders of Trust Securities and the other Trustees, in which name the Trustees may conduct the business of the Trust, make and execute contracts and other instruments on behalf of the Trust and sue and be sued.

Section 2.02 . Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal Place of Business. The address of the initial Delaware Trustee in the State of Delaware is BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, Delaware 19711, or such other address in the State of Delaware as the Delaware Trustee may designate by written notice to the Depositor. The principal executive office of the Trust is c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich CT 06830-6352.

Section 2.03 . Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational Expenses. The Trustees acknowledge receipt in trust from the Original Depositor in connection with the Original Trust Agreement of the sum of $10, which constituted the initial Trust Property. The Depositor shall pay organizational expenses of the Trust as they arise or shall, upon request of any Trustee, promptly

 

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reimburse such Trustee for any such expenses paid by such Trustee. The Depositor shall make no claim upon the Trust Property for the payment of such expenses.

Section 2.04 . Issuance of the Preferred Securities. [The Depositor, both on its own behalf and on behalf of the Trust] [insert if Original Depositor remains Depositor: The Depositor, both on its own behalf and on behalf of the Trust and as Trust sponsor under the Original Trust Agreement,], has executed and delivered the Underwriting Agreement. On the Closing Date, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate, in accordance with Section 5.03 and such Administrative Trustee shall deliver to the Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement Preferred Securities Certificates, registered in the name of the nominee of the initial Clearing Agency, in an aggregate amount of              Preferred Securities having an aggregate Liquidation Amount of $            , against receipt of an aggregate purchase price of such Preferred Securities of $            , which amount such Administrative Trustee shall promptly deliver to the Property Trustee.

Section 2.05 . Issuance of the Common Securities; Subscription and Purchase of Debentures. (a) On the Closing Date, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall execute in accordance with Section 5.02 and deliver to the Depositor Common Securities Certificates, registered in the name of the Depositor, in an aggregate amount of              Common Securities having an aggregate Liquidation Amount of $            , against payment by the Depositor of such amount, which amount such Administrative Trustee shall promptly deliver to the Property Trustee. Contemporaneously therewith, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall subscribe to and purchase from the Debenture Issuer Debentures, registered in the name of the Trust and in an aggregate principal amount of $             and, in satisfaction of the purchase price for such Debentures, the Property Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall deliver to the Debenture Issuer the sum of $            .

(b) On the Closing Date, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall subscribe to and purchase from the Debenture Issuer Debentures, registered in the name of the Property Trustee and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities issued and sold on such date, and, in satisfaction of the purchase price for such Debentures, the Property Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall deliver to the Debenture Issuer the amount received on such date from one of the Administrative Trustees pursuant to the last sentences of Section 2.04 and Section 2.05(a), respectively.

Section 2.06 . Declaration of Trust. The exclusive purposes and functions of the Trust are (a) to issue and sell Trust Securities and use the proceeds from

 

12


such sale to acquire the Debentures, and (b) to engage in those activities necessary, convenient or incidental thereto. The Depositor hereby appoints the Trustees as trustees of the Trust, to have all the rights, powers and duties to the extent set forth herein, and the Trustees hereby accept such appointment, subject to the terms and conditions hereof. The Property Trustee hereby declares that it will hold the Trust Property upon and subject to the conditions set forth herein for the benefit of the Securityholders. The Administrative Trustees shall have all rights, powers and duties set forth herein and in accordance with applicable law with respect to accomplishing the purposes of the Trust. The Delaware Trustee shall be one of the Trustees of the Trust for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.

Section 2.07 . Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions. (a) The Trustees shall conduct the affairs of the Trust in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement. Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (b) of this Section and Article 8, and in accordance with the following provisions (i) and (ii), the Administrative Trustees shall have the authority to enter into all transactions and agreements determined by the Administrative Trustee to be appropriate in exercising the authority, express or implied, otherwise granted to the Trustees under this Trust Agreement, and to perform all acts in furtherance thereof, including without limitation, the following:

(i) As among the Trustees, each of the Administrative Trustees, acting singly or together, shall have the power and authority to act on behalf of the Trust with respect to the following matters:

(A) comply with the Underwriting Agreement regarding the issuance and sale of the Trust Securities;

(B) to cause the Trust to enter into, and to execute, deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust any agreement among the Trust, the Depositor and the Clearing Agency relating to the Trust Securities Certificates and any other agreements as may be necessary or desirable in connection with the purposes and function of the Trust;

(C) to assist in the registration of the Preferred Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under state securities or blue sky laws, and the qualification of this Trust Agreement as a trust indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

(D) to assist in the listing of the Preferred Securities upon such securities exchange or exchanges as shall be determined by the Depositor and the registration of the Preferred

 

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Securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the preparation and filing of all periodic and other reports and other documents pursuant to the foregoing;

(E) the sending of notices (other than notices of default) and other information regarding the Trust Securities and the Debentures to the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement;

(F) the appointment of a Paying Agent, authenticating agent and Securities Registrar in accordance with this Trust Agreement;

(G) the establishment of a record date for any of the purposes contemplated by Section 6.07 hereof;

(H) to the extent provided in this Trust Agreement, the winding up of the affairs of and liquidation of the Trust and the preparation, execution and filing of the certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

(I) unless otherwise determined by the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees, or as otherwise required by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to execute on behalf of the Trust (either acting alone or together with any or all of the Administrative Trustees) any documents that the Administrative Trustees have the power to execute pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and

(J) the taking of any action incidental to the foregoing as the Trustees may from time to time determine is necessary or advisable to give effect to the terms of this Trust Agreement for the benefit of the Securityholders (without consideration of the effect of any such action on any particular Securityholder).

(ii) As among the Trustees, the Property Trustee shall have the power, duty and authority to act on behalf of the Trust with respect to the following matters:

(A) the establishment of the Payment Account;

(B) the receipt of the Debentures;

(C) the collection of interest, principal and any other payments made in respect of the Debentures in the Payment Account;

 

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(D) the distribution of amounts owed to the Securityholders in respect of the Trust Securities provided that the Property Trustee and the Paying Agent are the same Person;

(E) the exercise of all of the rights, powers and privileges of a holder of the Debentures;

(F) the sending of notices of default and other information regarding the Trust Securities and the Debentures to the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement;

(G) the distribution of the Trust Property in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement;

(H) to the extent provided in this Trust Agreement, to facilitate the Administrative Trustee’s winding up of the affairs of and liquidation of the Trust and the preparation, execution and filing of the certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, upon receipt of any such documents or instructions from the Administrative Trustee in furtherance of these actions;

(I) after a Debenture Event of Default, the taking of any action incidental to the foregoing as the Property Trustee may from time to time determine is necessary or advisable to give effect to the terms of this Trust Agreement and to protect and conserve the Trust Property for the benefit of the Securityholders (without consideration of the effect of any such action on any particular Securityholder); and

(J) engaging in such ministerial activities as shall be necessary, appropriate, convenient or incidental to effect the repayment of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities to the extent the Debentures mature or are redeemed.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section 2.07(a)(ii), the Property Trustee shall have none of the duties, liabilities, powers or the authority of the Administrative Trustees set forth in Section 2.07(a)(i).

(b) So long as this Trust Agreement remains in effect, the Trust (or the Trustees acting on behalf of the Trust) shall not undertake any business, activities or transaction except as expressly provided herein or contemplated hereby. In particular, the Trustees shall not cause the Trust to (i) acquire any investments or engage in any activities not authorized by this Trust Agreement, (ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange, mortgage, pledge, set-off or otherwise dispose of any of the

 

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Trust Property or interests therein, including to Securityholders, except as expressly provided herein, (iii) take any action or fail to take any action that would cause the Trust to fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes, (iv) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any other debt or (v) take or consent to any action that would result in the placement of a Lien on any of the Trust Property. The Administrative Trustees shall defend all claims and demands of all Persons at any time claiming any Lien on any of the Trust Property adverse to the interest of the Trust or the Securityholders in their capacity as Securityholders.

(c) In connection with the issue and sale of the Preferred Securities, the Depositor shall have the right and responsibility to assist the Trust with respect to, or effect on behalf of the Trust, the following (and any actions taken by the Depositor in furtherance of the following prior to the date of this Trust Agreement are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects):

(i) the preparation and filing by the Trust with the Commission and the execution on behalf of the Trust of a registration statement on the appropriate form in relation to the Preferred Securities, including any amendments thereto;

(ii) the determination of the states in which to take appropriate action to qualify or register for sale all or part of the Preferred Securities and the determination of any and all such acts, other than actions which must be taken by or on behalf of the Trust, and the advice to the Trustees of actions they must take on behalf of the Trust, and the preparation for execution and filing of any documents to be executed and filed by the Trust or on behalf of the Trust, as the Depositor deems necessary or advisable in order to comply with the applicable laws of any such States;

(iii) the preparation for filing by the Trust and execution on behalf of the Trust of an application to the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or any other national stock exchange for listing upon notice of issuance of any Preferred Securities;

(iv) the preparation for filing by the Trust with the Commission and the execution on behalf of the Trust of a registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the registration of the Preferred Securities under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments thereto;

(v) the negotiation of the terms of, and the execution and delivery of, the Underwriting Agreement providing for the sale of the Preferred Securities; and

 

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(vi) the taking of any other actions deemed by the Depositor to be necessary or desirable to carry out any of the foregoing activities.

(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Trustees are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs of the Trust and to operate the Trust so that the Trust will not (i) be deemed to be an “investment company” required to be registered under the Investment Company Act or (ii) fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes for United States Federal income tax purposes and so that the Debentures will be treated as indebtedness of the Debenture Issuer for United States Federal income tax purposes. In this connection, the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees are authorized to take any action, not inconsistent with applicable law, the Amended Certificate of Trust or this Trust Agreement, that each of the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees determines in their discretion to be necessary or desirable for such purposes, as long as such action does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.

Section 2.08 . Assets of Trust. The assets of the Trust shall consist of the Trust Property.

Section 2.09 . Title to Trust Property. Legal title to all Trust Property shall be vested at all times in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) and shall be held and administered by the Property Trustee for the benefit of the Trust and the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement.

Section 2.10 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained in this Trust Agreement and the Securities shall be taken as the statements of the Depositor, and the Trustees do not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustees do not make any representations as to the value or condition of the property of the Trust or any part thereof. The Trustees do not make any representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Declaration or the Securities.

ARTICLE 3

P AYMENT A CCOUNT

Section 3.01 . Payment Account. (a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Property Trustee shall establish the Payment Account. The Property Trustee and any agent of the Property Trustee shall have exclusive control and sole right of withdrawal with respect to the Payment Account for the purpose of making deposits in and withdrawals from the Payment Account in accordance with this Trust Agreement. All monies and other property deposited or held from time to time in the Payment Account shall be held by the Property Trustee in the Payment

 

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Account for the exclusive benefit of the Securityholders and for distribution as herein provided, including (and subject to) any priority of payments provided for herein.

(b) The Property Trustee shall deposit in the Payment Account, promptly upon receipt, all payments of principal of or interest on, and any other payments or proceeds with respect to, the Debentures. Amounts held in the Payment Account shall not be invested by the Property Trustee pending distribution thereof.

ARTICLE 4

C ERTAIN T ERMS OF THE T RUST S ECURITIES

Section 4.01 . Distributions. (a) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be cumulative, and will accumulate whether or not there are funds of the Trust available for the payment of Distributions. Distributions shall accrue from                  , 20    , and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on                  ,                 ,                  and                   of each year, commencing on                  , 20     except as otherwise described below. The Debenture Issuer has the right under the Indenture, at any time and from time to time, to defer payments of interest for such period or periods as may be specified with respect to the Debentures (each, an “ Extension Period ”), on the terms and conditions specified in the Indenture. As a consequence of such deferral, Distributions will also be deferred. Despite such deferral, quarterly Distributions will continue to accumulate at the rate set forth in paragraph Section 4.01, together with additional distributions thereon (to the extent permitted by applicable law) at the rate at which Additional Interest is then accruing on the Debentures, compounded quarterly during any such Extension Period. If any date on which a Distribution is otherwise payable on the Trust Securities is not a Business Day, then the payment of such Distribution shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any additional distributions or other payment in respect of any such delay), in each case with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment was originally payable (each date on which distributions are payable in accordance with this Section 4.01(a), a “ Distribution Date ”); provided however , if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, the payment of such Distribution shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day.

(b) The Trust Securities represent undivided beneficial interests in the Trust Property, and, as a practical matter, the Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be payable at a rate of         % per annum of the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities. The term “Distributions” as used herein includes such cash distributions and any accumulated or additional distributions that are payable hereunder unless otherwise stated. The amount of Distributions payable for any

 

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full or partial period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of Distributions payable for any period shall include any Additional Amounts, if applicable pursuant to the terms of such Trust Security.

(c) The Property Trustee shall, and is directed to, make Distributions on the Trust Securities payable to the Holders thereof on each Distribution Date, but only to the extent that the Trust has funds then on hand and available in the Payment Account for the payment of such Distributions.

(d) Distributions on the Trust Securities with respect to a Distribution Date shall be payable to the Holders thereof as they appear on the Securities Register at the close of business on the relevant record date, which, as long as the Preferred Securities remain in book-entry only form, shall be the day immediately preceding such Distribution Date. The relevant record dates for the Common Securities shall be the same record dates as for the Preferred Securities. If the Preferred Securities shall not continue to remain in book-entry only form or are not in book-entry only form at issuance, the relevant record dates for the Preferred Securities shall be the dates 15 calendar days prior to the relevant Distribution Dates, which Distribution Dates shall correspond to the interest payment dates on the Debentures. Distributions payable on any Trust Securities that are not punctually paid on any Distribution Date, as a result of the Debenture Issuer (or the Debenture Guarantor on its behalf) having failed to make an interest payment under the Debentures, will cease to be payable to the Person in whose name such Trust Securities are registered on the relevant record date, and such defaulted Distribution will instead be payable to the Person in whose name such Trust Securities are registered on the special record date or other specified date for determining Debenture holders entitled to such defaulted interest established in accordance with the Indenture.

(e) In the event that there is any money or other property held by or for the Trust that is not accounted for hereunder, such property shall be distributed pro rata among the Holders of the Trust Securities. A reference herein to any payment, distribution or treatment as being “ pro rata ” shall mean pro rata to each Holder of Trust Securities according to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities held by the relevant Holder in relation to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all Trust Securities outstanding unless, in relation to a payment, a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, in which case any funds available to make such payment shall be paid first to each Holder of the Preferred Securities pro rata according to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities held by the relevant Holder relative to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all Preferred Securities outstanding, and only after satisfaction of all amounts owed to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, to each Holder of Common Securities pro rata according to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Common Securities held by the relevant Holder relative to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all Common Securities outstanding.

 

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Section 4.02 . Redemption. (a) On each Debenture Redemption Date and on the stated maturity of the Debentures, the Trust will be required to redeem a Like Amount of Trust Securities at a price per Trust Security equal to the Redemption Price.

(b) Notice of redemption shall be given by the Property Trustee at the expense of the Depositor by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Trust Securities to be redeemed, at such Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register; provided that the Property Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice should be satisfactory to the Property Trustee). All notices of redemption shall state:

(i) the Redemption Date;

(ii) the Redemption Price;

(iii) the CUSIP number;

(iv) if less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities are to be redeemed, the identification and the total Liquidation Amount of the particular Trust Securities to be redeemed; and

(v) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Trust Security to be redeemed and that distributions thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date.

(c) The Trust Securities redeemed on each Redemption Date shall be redeemed at the Redemption Price with the proceeds from the contemporaneous redemption of Debentures. Redemptions of the Trust Securities shall be made, and the Redemption Price shall be payable, on each Redemption Date only to the extent that the Trust has funds then on hand and available in the Payment Account for the payment of such Redemption Price.

(d) If the Property Trustee gives a notice of redemption (which notice shall be irrevocable) in respect of any Preferred Securities, then, by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Redemption Date, subject to Section 4.02(c), the Property Trustee will, so long as the Preferred Securities are in book-entry-only form, irrevocably deposit with the Clearing Agency for the Preferred Securities funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Price and will give such Clearing Agency irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Price to the relevant Persons’ accounts at such Clearing Agency on the applicable

 

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Redemption Date. If the Preferred Securities are no longer in book-entry-only form, and in the case of the Common Securities, the Property Trustee, subject to Section 4.02(c), will irrevocably deposit with the Paying Agent funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Price and will give the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Price to the Holders thereof upon surrender of their Trust Securities Certificates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Distributions payable on or prior to the Redemption Date for any Trust Securities called for redemption shall be payable to the Holders of such Trust Securities as they appear on the Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record dates for the related Distribution Dates. If notice of redemption shall have been given and funds deposited as required, then immediately prior to the close of business on the date of such deposit, all rights of Securityholders holding Trust Securities so called for redemption will cease, except the right of such Securityholders to receive the Redemption Price and any Distributions payable on or prior to the Redemption Date, but without interest, and such Securities will cease to be outstanding. In the event that any date on which any Redemption Price is payable is not a Business Day, then payment of the Redemption Price payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay); provided that , if the Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, payment will be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the event that payment of the Redemption Price in respect of any Trust Securities called for redemption is improperly withheld or refused and not paid either by the Trust or by the Preferred Securities Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee, Distributions on such Trust Securities will continue to accrue, at the then applicable rate, from the Redemption Date originally established by the Trust for such Trust Securities to the date such Redemption Price is actually paid, in which case the actual payment date will be the date fixed for redemption for purposes of calculating the Redemption Price. The notice if mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to the Holder of Trust Securities to be redeemed as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Trust Security.

(e) Payment of the Redemption Price on the Trust Securities shall be made to the recordholders thereof as they appear on the Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record date, which shall be one day prior to the relevant Redemption Date; provided, however , that in the event that the Preferred Securities do not remain in book-entry-only form, the relevant record date shall be the date fifteen days prior to the relevant Redemption Date.

(f) Subject to Section 4.03(a), if less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities are to be redeemed on a Redemption Date, then the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Trust Securities to be redeemed shall be allocated on a pro

 

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rata basis (based on Liquidation Amounts) among the Common Securities and the Preferred Securities. The particular Preferred Securities to be redeemed shall be selected on a pro rata basis (based upon Liquidation Amounts) not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Property Trustee from the Outstanding Preferred Securities not previously called for redemption, by such method (including, without limitation, by lot) as the Property Trustee and the Clearing Agency shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to $             or an integral multiple of $             in excess thereof) of the Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities of a denomination larger than $            . If the Property Trustee is not the Security Registrar for the Preferred Securities, the Property Trustee shall promptly notify the Security Registrar in writing of the Preferred Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Preferred Securities selected for partial redemption, the Liquidation Amount thereof to be redeemed. For all purposes of this Trust Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Preferred Securities shall relate, in the case of any Preferred Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities that has been or is to be redeemed.

(g) Any determination made by the Property Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.02 shall be conclusive and binding upon the Debenture Issuer and the Holders of the Trust Securities in the absence of manifest error and the Property Trustee shall have no liability with respect to such determination.

Section 4.03 . Subordination of Common Securities. (a) Payment of Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, and the Redemption Price of, the Trust Securities, as applicable, shall be made, subject to Section 4.02(f), pro rata among the Common Securities and the Preferred Securities based on the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities; provided, however , that if on any Distribution Date or Redemption Date any Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, no payment of any Distribution (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, or Redemption Price of, any Common Security, and no other payment on account of the redemption, liquidation or other acquisition of Common Securities, shall be made unless payment in full in cash of all accumulated and unpaid Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on all Outstanding Preferred Securities for all Distribution periods terminating on or prior thereto, or in the case of payment of the Redemption Price the full amount of such Redemption Price on all Outstanding Preferred Securities, shall have been made or provided for, and all funds immediately available to the Property Trustee shall first be applied to the payment in full in cash of all Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, or the Redemption Price of, Preferred Securities then due and payable.

 

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(b) In the case of the occurrence of any Debenture Event of Default, the Holder of Common Securities will be deemed to have waived any right to act with respect to any such Debenture Event of Default under this Trust Agreement until the effect of all such Debenture Events of Default with respect to the Preferred Securities have been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated. Until any such Debenture Event of Default under this Trust Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities has been so cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, the Property Trustee shall act solely on behalf of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and not the Holder of the Common Securities, and only the Holders of the Preferred Securities will have the right to direct the Property Trustee to act on their behalf.

Section 4.04 . Payment Procedures. Payments of Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) in respect of the Preferred Securities shall be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Securities Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States or, if the Preferred Securities are held by a Clearing Agency, such Distributions shall be made to the Clearing Agency in immediately available funds, which shall credit the relevant Persons’ accounts at such Clearing Agency on the applicable distribution dates. Payments of Distributions to Holders of $            , or more in aggregate Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities may be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds upon written request of such Holder to the Securities Registrar not later than 10 calendar days prior to the date on which the Distribution is payable. Payments in respect of the Common Securities shall be made in such manner as shall be mutually agreed between the Property Trustee and the Common Securityholder.

Section 4.05 . Tax Returns And Reports. The Administrative Trustees shall prepare (or cause to be prepared), at the Depositor’s expense, and file all United States Federal, state and local tax and information returns and reports required to be filed by or in respect of the Trust. In this regard, the Administrative Trustees shall (a) prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed) the appropriate Internal Revenue Service Form required to be filed in respect of the Trust in each taxable year of the Trust and (b) prepare and furnish (or cause to be prepared and furnished) to each Securityholder the appropriate Internal Revenue Service form required to be provided on such form. The Administrative Trustees shall provide the Depositor and the Property Trustee with a copy of all such returns and reports promptly after such filing or furnishing. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Property Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Property Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including compliance with any covenants hereunder (as to which the Property Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates). The Trustees shall comply with United States Federal

 

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withholding and backup withholding tax laws and information reporting requirements with respect to any payments to Securityholders under the Trust Securities.

Section 4.06 . Payment of Taxes, Duties, etc. of the Trust. Upon receipt under the Debentures of any Additional Sums in its possession, the Property Trustee shall, at the written direction of an Administrative Trustee, promptly pay any taxes, duties or governmental charges of whatsoever nature (other than withholding taxes) imposed on the Trust by the United States or any other taxing authority.

Section 4.07 . Payments Under Indenture. Any amount payable hereunder to any Holder of Preferred Securities shall be reduced by the amount of any corresponding payment such Holder (and any Owner with respect thereto) has directly received pursuant to Section 5.08 of the Indenture.

Section 4.08 . CUSIP Numbers. The Trust in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustees shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange.

Section 4.09 . Exchanges. (a) If at any time the Depositor or any of its Affiliates (in any such case, a “ Depositor Affiliated Holder ”) is the Owner or Holder of any Preferred Securities, such Depositor Affiliated Holder shall have the right to deliver to the Property Trustee all or such portion of its Preferred Securities as it elects and, subject to the terms of the Indenture, receive, in exchange therefor, a Like Amount of Debentures (such an exchange being referred to herein as an “ Exchange ”). Such election (i) shall be exercisable, and shall be effective on any Business Day, provided that such Business Day is not a record date or any date falling between a record date and a Distribution Date, by such Depositor Affiliated Holder delivering to the Property Trustee a written notice of such election specifying the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities with respect to which such election is being made and the date on which such Exchange shall occur, which date shall be not less than 10 Business Days after the date of receipt by the Property Trustee of such election notice and (ii) shall be conditioned upon such Depositor Affiliated Holder having delivered or caused to be delivered to the Property Trustee or its designee the Preferred Securities which are the subject of such election by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date on which such Exchange is to occur. After the Exchange, such Preferred Securities shall be canceled and shall no longer be deemed to be Outstanding and all rights of the Depositor Affiliated Holder with respect to such Preferred Securities shall cease. So long as the Preferred Securities are in book-entry-only form, the delivery and the cancellation of the Preferred Securities pursuant to this Section 4.09 shall be made in accordance with the customary procedures for the Clearing Agency for the Preferred Securities.

 

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(b) In the case of an Exchange, the Trust shall, on the date of such Exchange, exchange Debentures having a principal amount equal to a proportional amount of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the outstanding Common Securities based on the ratio of the (i) aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities exchanged pursuant to Section 4.09(a), divided by (ii) the aggregate liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities outstanding immediately prior to such Exchange, for such proportional amount of Common Securities held by the Depositor (which contemporaneously shall be canceled and no longer be deemed to be outstanding); provided , that the Depositor delivers or causes to be delivered to the Property Trustee or its designee the required amount of Common Securities to be exchanged by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date on which such exchange is to occur.

ARTICLE 5

T RUST S ECURITIES C ERTIFICATES

Section 5.01 . Ownership. The Depositor shall be the sole beneficial owner of the Trust.

Section 5.02 . The Trust Securities Certificates. The Trust Securities Certificates shall be issued in multiples of $             and shall be executed on behalf of the Trust by manual signature of at least one Administrative Trustee. Subject to Section 5.03(b), Trust Securities Certificates bearing the manual signatures of individuals who were, at the time when such signatures shall have been affixed, authorized to sign on behalf of the Trust, shall be validly issued and entitled to the benefits of this Trust Agreement, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them shall have ceased to be so authorized prior to the delivery of such Trust Securities Certificates or did not hold such offices at the date of delivery of such Trust Securities Certificates. A transferee of a Trust Securities Certificate shall become a Securityholder, and shall be entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a Securityholder hereunder, upon due registration of such Trust Securities Certificate in such transferee’s name pursuant to Section 5.04, Section 5.11 and Section 5.13.

Section 5.03 . Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities Certificates. (a) Upon their original issuance, the Administrative Trustees shall cause Trust Securities Certificates, in an aggregate Liquidation Amount as provided in Section 2.05, to be executed on behalf of the Trust and delivered to or upon the written order of the Depositor, signed by an Authorized Officer, without further corporate action by the Depositor, in authorized denominations.

 

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(b) A Trust Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of an authorized signatory of the Property Trustee. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Trust Security has been authenticated under this Trust Agreement. Upon a written order of the Trust signed by one Administrative Trustee, the Property Trustee shall authenticate the Trust Securities for original issue. Each Trust Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Property Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Trust to authenticate Trust Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Trust Securities whenever the Property Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Trust Agreement to authentication by the Property Trustee includes authentication by such agent.

Section 5.04 . Registration of Transfer and Exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates. The Depositor shall keep or cause to be kept, at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08, a register or registers for the purpose of registering Trust Securities Certificates and transfers and exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates (the “ Securities Register ”). The registrar designated by the Depositor (the “ Securities Registrar ”), subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, shall provide for the registration of Preferred Securities Certificates and Common Securities Certificates (subject to Section 5.10 in the case of the Common Securities Certificates) and registration of transfers and exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates as herein provided. If the Depositor fails to designate another entity as Securities Registrar, the Property Trustee shall act as such for the Preferred Securities and the Administrative Trustee shall act as Securities Registrar for the Common Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Preferred Securities Certificate at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08, the Administrative Trustees or any one of them shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Preferred Securities Certificates in authorized denominations of a like aggregate Liquidation Amount dated the date of execution by such Administrative Trustee or Trustees. The Securities Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of any Preferred Securities after such Preferred Securities have been called for redemption. At the option of a Holder, Preferred Securities Certificates may be exchanged for other Preferred Securities Certificates in authorized denominations of the same class and of a like aggregate Liquidation Amount upon surrender of the Preferred Securities Certificates to be exchanged at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08. Every Preferred Securities Certificate presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to an Administrative Trustee and the Securities Registrar duly executed by the Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing. Each Preferred Securities Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be cancelled and subsequently disposed of by the

 

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Securities Registrar in accordance with customary practice. Registration of transfers or exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates shall be effected without service charge by or on behalf of the Trust, but the Securities Registrar may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any such transfer or exchange.

Section 5.05 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities Certificates. If (a) any mutilated Trust Securities Certificate shall be surrendered to the Securities Registrar, or if the Securities Registrar shall receive evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Trust Securities Certificate and (b) there shall be delivered to the Securities Registrar and the Trustees such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, then in the absence of notice that such Trust Securities Certificate shall have been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Administrative Trustees, or any one of them, on behalf of the Trust shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Trust Securities Certificate, a new Trust Securities Certificate of like class, tenor and denomination. In connection with the issuance of any new Trust Securities Certificate under this Section, the Administrative Trustees or the Securities Registrar may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith and any expenses they incur in replacing the Trust Securities. Any duplicate Trust Securities Certificate issued pursuant to this Section shall constitute conclusive evidence of an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust, as if originally issued, whether or not the lost, stolen or destroyed Trust Securities Certificate shall be found at any time.

Section 5.06 . Persons Deemed Securityholders. Prior to due presentation of a Trust Securities Certificate for registration of transfer, the Administrative Trustees or the Securities Registrar shall treat the Person in whose name any Trust Securities Certificate shall be registered in the Securities Register as the owner of such Trust Securities Certificate for the purpose of receiving distributions and for all other purposes whatsoever, and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such Trust Securities Certificate and neither the Trustees nor the Securities Registrar shall be bound by any notice to the contrary.

Section 5.07 . Access to List of Securityholders’ Names and Addresses. The Administrative Trustees shall furnish or cause to be furnished (x) to the Depositor, within 15 days after receipt by any Administrative Trustee of a request therefor from the Depositor in writing and (y) to the Property Trustee, promptly after receipt by any Administrative Trustee of a request therefor from the Property Trustee in writing in order to enable the Property Trustee to discharge its obligations under this Trust Agreement, a list, in such form as the Depositor or the Property Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the

 

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Securityholders as of a recent date. If Holders of Trust Securities Certificates evidencing ownership at such time and for the previous six months of not less than 25% of the Outstanding aggregate Liquidation Amount apply in writing to any Administrative Trustee, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Securityholders with respect to their rights under this Trust Agreement or under the Trust Securities Certificates and such application is accompanied by a copy of the communication that such applicants propose to transmit, then the Administrative Trustees shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, afford such applicants access during normal business hours to the current list of Securityholders. Each Holder, by receiving and holding a Trust Securities Certificate, and each Owner shall be deemed to have agreed not to hold the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees accountable by reason of the disclosure of its name and address, regardless of the source from which such information was derived.

Section 5.08 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Trust shall maintain in New York, New York, an office or offices or agency or agencies where Preferred Securities Certificates may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Trustees in respect of the Trust Securities and the Trust Agreement may be served. The Administrative Trustees initially designate the Corporate Trust Office of the Property Trustee as the principal corporate trust office for such purposes. The Administrative Trustees shall give prompt written notice to the Depositor and to the Securityholders of any change in the location of the Securities Register or any such office or agency.

Section 5.09 . Appointment of Paying Agent. The Paying Agent shall make distributions to Securityholders from the Payment Account and shall report the amounts of such distributions in writing to the Property Trustee (if the Property Trustee is not the Paying Agent) and the Administrative Trustees. Any Paying Agent shall have the revocable power to withdraw funds from the Payment Account for the purpose of making the distributions referred to above. The Administrative Trustees may revoke such power and remove the Paying Agent if such Trustees determine in their sole discretion that the Paying Agent shall have failed to perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement in any material respect. The Paying Agent shall initially be the Property Trustee. Any Person acting as Paying Agent shall be permitted to resign as Paying Agent upon 30 days’ written notice to the Administrative Trustees, the Property Trustee and the Depositor. In the event that the Property Trustee shall no longer be the Paying Agent or a successor Paying Agent shall resign or its authority to act be revoked, the Administrative Trustees shall appoint a successor (which shall be a bank or trust company that is acceptable to the Property Trustee and the Depositor) to act as Paying Agent. The Administrative Trustees shall cause such successor Paying Agent or any additional Paying Agent appointed by the Administrative Trustees to execute and deliver to the Trustees an instrument in which such successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustees that as

 

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Paying Agent, such successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agent will hold all sums, if any, held by it for payment to the Securityholders in trust for the benefit of the Securityholders entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Securityholders. At the written request of the Administrative Trustees, any Paying Agent that is not the Property Trustee shall return all unclaimed funds to the Property Trustee and upon removal of such Paying Agent, such Paying Agent shall also return all funds in its possession to the Property Trustee, at which time the Paying Agent (if other than the Trust or an Affiliate of the Trust) shall have no further liability for the money. The provisions of Section 8.01, Section 8.02 and Section 8.06 herein shall apply to the Paying Agent appointed hereunder and, to the extent applicable, to any other paying agent appointed hereunder. Any reference in this Agreement to the Paying Agent shall include any co-paying agent unless the context requires otherwise.

Section 5.10 . Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor. On the Closing Date, the Depositor shall acquire and retain beneficial and record ownership of all of the Common Securities then issued by the Trust. To the fullest extent permitted by law, other than a transfer in connection with a consolidation or merger of the Depositor into another corporation, or any conveyance, transfer or lease by the Depositor of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Indenture, any attempted transfer of the Common Securities shall be void. The Administrative Trustees shall cause each Common Securities Certificate issued to the Depositor to contain a legend stating “THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE TRUST AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED BELOW)”. Each Common Securities Certificate issued to the Depositor shall be issued pursuant to Section 5.11(b) of this Trust Agreement.

Section 5.11 . Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates; Common Securities Certificate. (a) The Preferred Securities Certificates, upon original issuance, will be issued in the form of a typewritten Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates representing Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates, to be delivered to DTC, the initial Clearing Agency, by, or on behalf of, the Trust. Such Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates shall initially be registered on the Securities Register in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of the initial Clearing Agency, and no beneficial owner will receive a Definitive Preferred Securities Certificate representing such beneficial owner’s interest in such Preferred Securities, except as provided in Section 5.13. Except for Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates as specified herein, unless and until Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates have been issued to beneficial owners pursuant to Section 5.13:

(i) the provisions of this Section 5.11(a) shall be in full force and effect;

 

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(ii) the Securities Registrar and the Trustees shall be entitled to deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this Trust Agreement relating to the Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates (including the payment of the Liquidation Amount of and Distributions on the Book-Entry Preferred Securities and the giving of instructions or directions to Owners of Book-Entry Preferred Securities) as the sole Holder of Book-Entry Preferred Securities and shall have no obligations to the Owners thereof;

(iii) to the extent that the provisions of this Section 5.11 conflict with any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, the provisions of this Section 5.11 shall control; and

(iv) the rights of the Owners of the Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates shall be exercised only through the Clearing Agency and shall be limited to those established by law and agreements between such Owners and the Clearing Agency and/or the Clearing Agency Participants; provided, that solely for the purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite amount of Preferred Securities have voted on any matter provided for in this Trust Agreement, so long as Definitive Preferred Security Certificates have not been issued, the Trustees may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, any written instrument (including a proxy) delivered to the Trustees by the Clearing Agency setting forth the Owners’ votes or assigning the right to vote on any matter to any other Persons either in whole or in part. Pursuant to its customary procedures, the initial Clearing Agency will make book-entry transfers among the Clearing Agency Participants and receive and transmit payments on the Preferred Securities to such Clearing Agency Participants.

(b) A single Common Securities Certificate representing the Common Securities shall be issued to the Depositor in the form of a definitive Common Securities Certificate.

Section 5.12 . Notices to Clearing Agency. (a) To the extent that a notice or other communication to the Owners is required under this Trust Agreement, unless and until Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates shall have been issued to Owners pursuant to Section 5.13, the Trustees shall give all such notices and communications specified herein to be given to Owners to the Clearing Agency, and shall have no obligations to the Owners.

Section 5.13 . Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates. If (a) the Depositor advises the Trustees in writing that the Clearing Agency is no longer willing or able to act as clearing agency with respect to the Preferred Securities Certificates, and the Depositor fails to appoint a qualified successor within 90

 

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days, (b) the Depositor at its option advises the Trustees in writing that it elects to terminate the book-entry system through the Clearing Agency or (c) after the occurrence of a Debenture Event of Default, then the Property Trustee shall notify the Clearing Agency and the Clearing Agency shall notify all Owners of Preferred Securities Certificates and the other Trustees of the occurrence of any such event and of the availability of the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates to Owners of such class or classes, as applicable, requesting the same. Upon surrender to the Property Trustee of the typewritten Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates representing the Book Entry Preferred Securities Certificates by the Clearing Agency, accompanied by registration instructions, the Administrative Trustees, or any one of them, shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates in accordance with the instructions of the Clearing Agency. Neither the Securities Registrar nor the Trustees shall be liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, such instructions. Upon the issuance of Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates, the Trustees shall recognize the Holders of the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates as Securityholders. The Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or may be produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Trustees, as evidenced by the execution thereof by the Administrative Trustees or any one of them.

Section 5.14 . Rights of Securityholders. (a) The legal title to the Trust Property shall be vested exclusively in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) in accordance with Section 2.09, and the Securityholders shall not have any right or title therein other than the undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust conferred by their Trust Securities and they shall have no right to call for any partition or division of property, profits or rights of the Trust except as described below. The Trust Securities shall be personal property giving only the rights specifically set forth therein and in this Trust Agreement. The Trust Securities shall have no preemptive or similar rights and when issued and delivered to Securityholders against payment of the purchase price therefor will be fully paid and nonassessable by the Trust. The Holders of the Trust Securities, in their capacities as such, shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

(b) For so long as any Preferred Securities remain Outstanding, if, upon a Debenture Event of Default, the Debenture Trustee fails or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Debentures fail to declare the principal of all of the Debentures to be immediately due and payable, the Holders of at least 25% in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Debenture Issuer, the Debenture Guarantor, the Debenture Trustee and the Property Trustee; and

 

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upon any such declaration such principal amount of and the accrued interest on all of the Debentures shall become immediately due and payable, provided, that the payment of principal, interest, and any other amounts payable with respect to such Debentures shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in the Indenture.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Debentures has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Debenture Trustee as in the Indenture provided, the Holders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding, by written notice to the Debenture Issuer, the Debenture Guarantor, the Debenture Trustee and the Property Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

(i) the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor has paid or deposited with the Debenture Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

(A) all overdue installments of interest (including any Additional Interest) on, and any other Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect to, all of the Debentures,

(B) the principal of and premium on any Debentures which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in the Debentures,

(C) to the extent the payment of such interest or Additional Amounts (if applicable) is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in the Debentures, and

(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Debenture Trustee under the Indenture and the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Debenture Trustee and the Property Trustee, their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Debenture Trustee under the Indenture and the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement; and

(ii) all Debenture Events of Default, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Debentures which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.14 of the Indenture.

 

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

The Holders of not less than a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Preferred Securities, waive any past default under the Indenture, except a default (i) in the payment of principal of, any premium or interest (including any Additional Interest) on, or any other Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect to, the Debentures or (ii) in respect of a covenant or provision which under the Indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debenture.

Upon receipt by the Property Trustee of written notice declaring such an acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, by Holders of the Preferred Securities all or part of which are represented by Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates, a record date shall be established for determining Holders of Outstanding Preferred Securities entitled to join in such notice, which record date shall be at the close of business on the day the Property Trustee receives such notice. The Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to join in such notice, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that, unless such declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case may be, shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having joined in such notice prior to the day which is 90 days after such record date, such notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case may be, shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be canceled and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a Holder, or a proxy of a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such 90-day period, a new written notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, as the case may be, that is identical to a written notice which has been canceled pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, in which event a new record date shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.14(b).

(c) For so long as any Preferred Securities remain Outstanding, to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the terms of this Trust Agreement and the Indenture, any Holder of Preferred Securities shall have the right, upon a Debenture Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b) of the Indenture, to institute directly a proceeding against the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor, as the case may be, pursuant to Section 5.08 of the Indenture, for enforcement of payment to such Holder of the principal of, and any premium and (subject to the provisions of the Indenture) interest (including any Additional Interest) on, and any other Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect to, such Debentures having a principal amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities of such Holder (a “ Direct Action ”). In connection with any such Direct Action, the rights of the Holders of Common

 

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Securities will be subrogated to the rights of any Holder of Preferred Securities to the extent of any payment made by the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor to such Holder of Preferred Securities as a result of such Direct Action. Except as set forth in Section 5.14(b) and this Section 5.14(c), or as otherwise contemplated by the Indenture, the Holders of Preferred Securities shall have no right to exercise directly any right or remedy available to the holders of, or in respect of, the Debentures.

Section 5.15 . Rights and Immunities of the Registrar. The Securities Registrar shall be entitled to all of the rights, protections, immunities and indemnities afforded to the Property Trustee hereunder.

Section 5.16 . Rights and Immunities of the Paying Agent. The Paying Agent shall be entitled to all of the rights, protections, immunities and indemnities afforded to the Property Trustee hereunder.

Section 5.17 . No Obligation for Clearing Agency. The Property Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owners of a Preferred Securities Certificate or Owner, a Clearing Agency Participant or other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Clearing Agency or its nominee or of any Clearing Agency Participant thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Preferred Securities Certificates or with respect to the delivery to any Clearing Agency Participant, Owner or other Person (other than the Clearing Agency) of any notice (including any notice of redemption) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Preferred Securities Certificates. The Property Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by the Clearing Agency or any agent thereof with respect to is Participants and beneficial owners.

ARTICLE 6

A CTS OF S ECURITYHOLDERS ; M EETINGS ; V OTING

Section 6.01 . Limitations on Voting Rights. (a) Except as provided in this Trust Agreement and in the Indenture and as otherwise required by law, no Holder of Preferred Securities shall have any right to vote or in any manner otherwise control the administration, operation and management of the Trust or the obligations of the parties hereto, nor shall anything herein set forth, or contained in the terms of the Trust Securities Certificates, be construed so as to constitute the Securityholders from time to time as partners or members of an association.

 

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(b) So long as any Debentures are held by the Property Trustee, the Trustees shall not

(i) direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Debenture Trustee, or executing any trust or power conferred on the Debenture Trustee with respect to such Debentures,

(ii) waive any past default which is waivable under Section 5.13 of the Indenture,

(iii) exercise any right to rescind or annul a declaration that the principal of all the Debentures shall be due and payable, or

(iv) consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the Indenture or the Debentures, where such consent shall be required,

without, in each case, obtaining the prior approval of the Holders of at least a majority in Liquidation Amount of all Outstanding Preferred Securities; provided, however , that where a consent under the Indenture would require the consent of each holder of Debentures affected thereby, no such consent shall be given by the Property Trustee without the prior written consent of each Holder of Preferred Securities. The Trustees shall not revoke any action previously authorized or approved by a vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities, except by a subsequent vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities. The Property Trustee shall notify all Holders of the Preferred Securities of any notice of default received from the Debenture Trustee with respect to the Debentures. In addition to obtaining the foregoing approvals of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, prior to taking any of the foregoing actions, the Trustees shall be given, at the expense of the Depositor, an Opinion of Counsel rendered by counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that the Trust will not fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes for United States Federal income tax purposes on account of such action.

(c) If any proposed amendment to the Trust Agreement provides for, or the Trustees otherwise propose to effect,

(i) any action that would adversely affect in any material respect the powers, preferences or special rights of the Preferred Securities, whether by way of amendment to the Trust Agreement or otherwise, or

(ii) the dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust, other than pursuant to the terms of this Trust Agreement,

then the Holders of Outstanding Preferred Securities as a class will be entitled to vote on such amendment or proposal and such amendment or proposal shall not be effective except with the approval of the Holders of at least a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities. No amendment to

 

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this Trust Agreement may be made if, as a result of such amendment, the Trust would fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Meetings. Notice of all meetings of the Preferred Securityholders, stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting, shall be given by the Property Trustee, at the written direction of any Administrative Trustee, pursuant to Section 10.08 to each Preferred Securityholder of record, at his registered address, at least 15 days and not more than 90 days before the meeting. At any such meeting, any business properly before the meeting may be so considered whether or not stated in the notice of the meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice.

Section 6.03 . Meetings of Preferred Securityholders. No annual meeting of Securityholders is required to be held. The Administrative Trustees, however, shall call a meeting of Securityholders to vote on any matter upon the written request of the Preferred Securityholders of record of 25% of the Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) and the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee may, at any time in their discretion, call a meeting of Preferred Securityholders to vote on any matters as to which Preferred Securityholders are entitled to vote. Preferred Securityholders of record of 50% of the Outstanding Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount), present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of Securityholders. If a quorum is present at a meeting, an affirmative vote by the Preferred Securityholders of record present, in person or by proxy, holding a majority of the Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) held by the Preferred Securityholders of record present, either in person or by proxy, at such meeting shall constitute the action of the Securityholders, unless this Trust Agreement requires a greater number of affirmative votes.

Section 6.04 . Voting Rights. Securityholders shall be entitled to one vote for each $             of Liquidation Amount represented by their Trust Securities in respect of any matter as to which such Securityholders are entitled to vote.

Section 6.05 . Proxies, etc. At any meeting of Securityholders, any Securityholder entitled to vote thereat may vote by proxy, provided that no proxy shall be voted at any meeting unless it shall have been placed on file with the Administrative Trustees, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as the Administrative Trustees may direct, for verification prior to the time at which such vote shall be taken. Pursuant to a resolution of the Administrative Trustees, proxies may be solicited in the name of the Administrative Trustees or one or more officers of the Administrative Trustees. Only Securityholders of record shall be entitled to vote. When Trust Securities are held jointly by several Persons, any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in respect of such Trust Securities, but if more than one of them shall be present at such meeting in

 

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person or by proxy, and such joint owners or their proxies so present disagree as to any vote to be cast, such vote shall not be received in respect of such Trust Securities. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Securityholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. No proxy shall be valid more than three years after its date of execution.

Section 6.06 . Securityholder Action by Written Consent. Any required approval or action which may be given or taken by Securityholders at a meeting convened for such purpose may be given or taken without a meeting and without prior notice if Securityholders holding a majority of all Outstanding Trust Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) entitled to vote in respect of such action (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be required by any express provision of this Trust Agreement) shall consent to the action in writing.

Section 6.07 . Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes. For the purposes of determining the Securityholders who are entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting or to act by written consent, or to participate in any distribution on the Trust Securities in respect of which a record date is not otherwise provided for in this Trust Agreement, or for the purpose of any other action, the Administrative Trustees may from time to time fix a date, not more than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of Securityholders or the payment of a distribution or other action, as the case may be, as a record date for the determination of the identity of the Securityholders of record for such purposes.

Section 6.08 . Acts of Securityholders. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Trust Agreement to be given, made or taken by Securityholders or Owners may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Securityholders or Owners in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to an Administrative Trustee. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Securityholders or Owners signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Trust Agreement and (subject to Section 8.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustees, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient

 

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proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which any Trustee receiving the same deems sufficient. The ownership of Preferred Securities shall be proved by the Securities Register. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Securityholder of any Trust Security shall bind every future Securityholder of the same Trust Security and the Securityholder of every Trust Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustees or the Trust in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Trust Security. Without limiting the foregoing, a Securityholder entitled hereunder to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Trust Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such Liquidation Amount. If any dispute shall arise between the Securityholders and the Administrative Trustees or among such Securityholders or Trustees with respect to the authenticity, validity or binding nature of any request, demand, authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other Act of such Securityholder or Trustee under this Article 6, then the determination of such matter by the Property Trustee shall be conclusive with respect to such matter.

Section 6.09 . Inspection of Records. Upon reasonable notice to the Administrative Trustees and the Property Trustee, the records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by Securityholders during normal business hours for any purpose reasonably related to such Securityholder’s interest as a Securityholder.

ARTICLE 7

R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES

Section 7.01 . Representations and Warranties of the Property Trustee. The Property Trustee hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Depositor and the Securityholders that:

(a) the Property Trustee is a New York banking corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York;

(b) the Property Trustee has full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of this Trust Agreement;

 

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(c) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Property Trustee and constitutes the respective valid and legally binding agreement of the Property Trustee enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

(d) the execution, delivery and performance by the Property Trustee of this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action on the part of the Property Trustee and does not require any approval of stockholders of the Property Trustee, and such execution, delivery and performance will not (i) violate the Property Trustee’s Charter or By-laws, (ii) violate any provision of, or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any properties included in the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions of, any indenture, mortgage, credit agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Property Trustee is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) to its knowledge, violate any law, governmental rule or regulation of the State of New York governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Property Trustee or any order, judgment or decree applicable to the Property Trustee;

(e) neither the authorization, execution or delivery by the Property Trustee of this Trust Agreement nor the consummation of any of the transactions by the Property Trustee contemplated herein requires the consent or approval of, the giving of notice to, the registration with or the taking of any other action with respect to any governmental authority or agency under any existing Federal law or under the laws of the State of New York governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Property Trustee; and

(f) there are no proceedings pending or, to the Property Trustee’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Property Trustee in any court or before any governmental authority, agency or arbitration board or tribunal which, individually or in the aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the Trust or would question the right, power and authority of the Property Trustee to enter into or perform its obligations as one of the Trustees under this Trust Agreement.

Section 7.02 . Representations and Warranties of the Delaware Trustee. The Delaware Trustee hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Depositor and the Securityholders that:

(a) the Delaware Trustee is a Delaware banking corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware;

 

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(b) the Delaware Trustee has full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of this Trust Agreement, and satisfies for the Trust Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act;

(c) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Delaware Trustee and constitutes the respective valid and legally binding agreement of the Delaware Trustee enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

(d) the execution, delivery and performance by the Delaware Trustee of this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action on the part of the Delaware Trustee and does not require any approval of stockholders of the Delaware Trustee, and such execution, delivery and performance will not (i) violate the Delaware Trustee’s Charter or By-laws, (ii) violate any provision of, or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any properties included in the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions of, any indenture, mortgage, credit agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Delaware Trustee is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) to its knowledge, violate any law, governmental rule or regulation of the State of Delaware governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Delaware Trustee or any order, judgment or decree applicable to the Delaware Trustee;

(e) neither the authorization, execution or delivery by the Delaware Trustee of this Trust Agreement nor the consummation of any of the transactions by the Delaware Trustee contemplated herein requires the consent or approval of, the giving of notice to, the registration with or the taking of any other action with respect to any governmental authority or agency under any existing Federal or Delaware law governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Delaware Trustee; and

(f) there are no proceedings pending or, to the Delaware Trustee’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Delaware Trustee in any court or before any governmental authority, agency or arbitration board or tribunal which, individually or in the aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the Trust or would question the right, power and authority of the Delaware Trustee to enter into or perform its obligations as one of the Trustees under this Trust Agreement.

Section 7.03 . Representations and Warranties of Depositor. The Depositor hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Property Trustee and the Securityholders that:

(a) the Trust Securities Certificates issued on the Closing Date on behalf of the Trust have been duly authorized and will have been, duly and validly executed, issued and delivered by the Trustees pursuant to the terms and provisions of, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Trust Agreement and the Securityholders will be, as of each such date, entitled to the benefits of this Trust Agreement;

 

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(b) there are no taxes, fees or other governmental charges payable by the Trust (or the Trustees on behalf of the Trust) under the laws of the State of Delaware or any political subdivision thereof in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, of this Trust Agreement;

(c) the Depositor is an [entity] duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware;

(d) the Depositor has full company power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of this Trust Agreement;

(e) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Depositor and constitutes the valid and legally binding agreement of the Depositor enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

(f) the execution, delivery and performance by the Depositor of this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary company or other action on the part of the Depositor and does not require any approval of shareholders of the Depositor, and such execution, delivery and performance will not (i) violate the Depositor’s [Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws] [organization documents], (ii) violate any provision of, or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any properties included in the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions of, any indenture, mortgage, credit agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Depositor is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) violate any law, governmental rule or regulation of Delaware, governing the powers of the Depositor or any order, judgment or decree applicable to the Depositor;

(g) neither the authorization, execution or delivery by the Depositor of this Trust Agreement nor the consummation of any of the transactions by the Depositor contemplated herein requires the consent or approval of, the giving of

 

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notice to, the registration with or the taking of any other action with respect to any governmental authority or agency under any existing Delaware law governing the powers of the Depositor; and

(h) there are no proceedings pending or, to the best of the Depositor’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Depositor in any court or before any governmental authority, agency or arbitration board or tribunal which, individually or in the aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the Depositor or would question the right, power and authority of the Depositor to enter into or perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

T HE T RUSTEES

Section 8.01 . Certain Duties and Responsibilities. (a) The duties and responsibilities of the Trustees shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Trust Agreement and, in the case of the Property Trustee, subject to the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this Trust Agreement shall require the Trustees to expend or risk their own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of their duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of their rights or powers, if they shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Trust Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustees shall be subject to the provisions of this Section. To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Administrative Trustee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Trust or to the Securityholders, such Administrative Trustee shall not be liable to the Trust or to any Securityholder for such Trustee’s good faith reliance on the provisions of this Trust Agreement. The provisions of this Trust Agreement, to the extent that they restrict or eliminate the duties and liabilities of the Administrative Trustees otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Depositor and the Securityholders to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Administrative Trustees.

(b) All payments made by the Property Trustee or a Paying Agent in respect of the Trust Securities shall be made only from the revenue and proceeds from the Trust Property and only to the extent that there shall be sufficient revenue or proceeds from the Trust Property to enable the Property Trustee or a Paying Agent to make payments in accordance with the terms hereof. Each Securityholder, by its acceptance of a Trust Security, agrees that it will look solely to the revenue and proceeds from the Trust Property to the extent legally available for distribution to it as herein provided and that the Trustees are not

 

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personally liable to it for any amount distributable in respect of any Trust Security or for any other liability in respect of any Trust Security. This Section 8.01(b) does not limit the liability of the Trustees expressly set forth elsewhere in this Trust Agreement and, in the case of the Property Trustee, in the Trust Indenture Act.

(c) No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Property Trustee from liability for its own bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct, except that: (i) the Property Trustee undertakes to perform only those duties specifically set forth in this Agreement, provided, that during the continuance of a Debenture Event of Default it must exercise the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise in the conduct of his or her own affairs; (ii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee, unless it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or other tribunal or arbitration authority that the Property Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct; (iii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Property Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement; (iv) the Property Trustee’s sole duty with respect to the custody, safe keeping and physical preservation of the Debentures and the Payment Account shall be to deal with such Property in a similar manner as the Property Trustee deals with similar property for its own account, subject to the protections and limitations on liability afforded to the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement and the Trust Indenture Act; (v) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any interest on any money received by it except as it may otherwise agree in writing with the Depositor; and money held by the Property Trustee need not be segregated from other funds held by it except in relation to the Payment Account maintained by the Property Trustee pursuant to Section 3.01 and except to the extent otherwise required by law; and (vi) the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for monitoring the compliance by the Administrative Trustees or the Depositor with their respective duties under this Trust Agreement, nor shall the Property Trustee be liable for the default or misconduct of the Administrative Trustees or the Depositor.

(d) The Delaware Trustee is appointed to serve as the trustee of the Trust in the State of Delaware for the sole purpose of satisfying the requirement of Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act that the Trust have at least one trustee with a principal place of business in Delaware. It is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that the Delaware Trustee shall have none of the duties or liabilities of the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees. The duties of the Delaware Trustee shall be limited to (a) accepting legal process

 

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served on the Trust in the State of Delaware and (b) the execution of any certificates required to be filed with the Delaware Secretary of State which the Delaware Trustee is required to execute under Section 3811 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. To the extent that, at law or in equity, the Delaware Trustee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Trust or the Holders, it is hereby understood and agreed by the other parties hereto that such duties and liabilities are replaced by the duties and liabilities of the Delaware Trustee expressly set forth in this Trust Agreement. The Delaware Trustee shall be entitled to all of the same rights, protections, indemnities and immunities as the Property Trustee.

Section 8.02 . Certain Notices. Within fifteen (15) Business Days after the occurrence of any Debenture Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee shall transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 10.08, notice of such Debenture Event of Default to the Securityholders, the Administrative Trustees and the Depositor, unless such Debenture Event of Default shall have been cured or waived. Within five Business Days after the receipt of notice of the Debenture Issuer’s exercise of its right to defer the payment of interest on the Debentures pursuant to the Indenture, the Administrative Trustees shall transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 10.08, written notice of such exercise to the Securityholders and the Property Trustee, unless such exercise shall have been revoked.

Section 8.03 . Certain Rights of Property Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 8.01:

(a) the Property Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting in good faith upon any resolution, Opinion of Counsel, certificate, written representation of a Holder or transferee, certificate of auditors or any other certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, appraisal, bond, debenture, approval, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) if (i) in performing its duties under this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee is required to decide between alternative courses of action or (ii) in construing any of the provisions of this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee finds the same ambiguous or inconsistent with any other provisions contained herein or (iii) the Property Trustee is unsure of the application of any provision of this Trust Agreement, then, except as to any matter as to which the Preferred Securityholders are entitled to vote under the terms of this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deliver a notice to the Depositor requesting written instructions of the Depositor as to the course of action to be taken and the Property Trustee shall take such action, or refrain from taking such action, as the

 

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Property Trustee shall be instructed in writing to take, or to refrain from taking, by the Depositor and the Property Trustee shall be fully protected in acting in accordance with such instructions; provided, however , that if the Property Trustee does not receive such instructions of the Depositor within ten Business Days after it has delivered such notice, or such reasonably shorter period of time set forth in such notice (which to the extent practicable shall not be less than two Business Days), it may, but shall be under no duty to, take or refrain from taking such action not inconsistent with this Trust Agreement as it shall deem advisable and in the interests of the Securityholders, in which event the Property Trustee shall have no liability except in the event of a final judicial determination of its own negligence or willful misconduct;

(c) any direction or act of the Depositor or the Administrative Trustees contemplated by this Trust Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) whenever in the administration of this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established before undertaking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Property Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Depositor or the Administrative Trustees, and such Officers’ Certificate shall be full warrant to the Property Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Agreement upon the faith thereof;

(e) the Property Trustee shall have no duty to see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument (including any financing or continuation statement or any filing under tax or securities laws) or any rerecording, refiling or reregistration thereof;

(f) the Property Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection (which counsel may be counsel to the Depositor or any of its Affiliates) and the advice or any opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon and in accordance with such advice; the Property Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Trust Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction;

(g) the Property Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement at the request or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to this Trust Agreement, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Property Trustee such security or

 

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indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(h) the Property Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, entitlement, request, consent, order, approval, bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, unless requested in writing to do so by one or more Securityholders, but the Property Trustee may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit;

(i) the Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, custodians, nominees or attorneys, and the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for the negligence, willful misconduct or recklessness of any agent or attorney appointed by it in good faith hereunder;

(j) whenever in the administration of this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Property Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of the Trust Securities which instructions may only be given by the Holders of the same proportion in Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities as would be entitled to direct the Property Trustee under the terms of the Trust Securities in respect of such remedy, right or action, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions;

(k) except as otherwise expressly provided by this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall not be under any obligation to take any action that is discretionary under the provisions of this Trust Agreement;

(l) the Property Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Agreement or as specifically directed by the Depositor, the Administrative Trustees or Securityholders pursuant to the terms hereof, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Trust Agreement against the Property Trustee;

(m) the Property Trustee shall have no obligation to invest and reinvest any cash held by it in the absence of timely and specific written investment direction from the Depositor or an Administrative Trustee. In no event shall the Property Trustee be liable for the selection of investments or for investment losses incurred thereon. The Property Trustee shall have no liability in respect of losses incurred as a result of the liquidation of any investments prior its stated maturity;

 

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(n) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Property Trustee which conform to the requirements of this Trust Agreement;

(o) neither the Property Trustee nor any of its officers, directors, employees or agents shall be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) for any action taken or omitted under the Trust Agreement or in connection therewith except to the extent caused by the Property Trustee’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, no longer subject to appeal or review. The parties each (for itself and any Person claiming through it) hereby releases, waives, discharges, exculpates and covenants not to sue the Property Trustee for any action taken or omitted under this Trust Agreement except to the extent caused by the Property Trustee’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct; and

(p) the Property Trustee may request that the Depositor or the Administrative Trustees delivery a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Depositor or Administrative Trustees deem appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Trust Agreement.

No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Property Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Property Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts, or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Property Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.

Section 8.04 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Trust Securities Certificates shall be taken as the statements of the Depositor, and the Trustees do not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustees shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Debenture Issuer of the proceeds of the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . May Hold Securities. Any Trustee or any other agent of any Trustee or the Trust, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Trust Securities and, except as otherwise provided in the definition of “Outstanding” in Article 1 and subject to Section 8.08 and Section 8.13, may otherwise deal with the Trust with the same rights it would have if it were not a Trustee or such other agent.

 

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Section 8.06 . Compensation; Indemnity; Fees. The Depositor agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustees from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by them hereunder as agreed to in writing between the Depositor and the Trustees (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustees upon request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustees in accordance with any provision of this Trust Agreement or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustees’ negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify each of the Trustees and their agents, officers, directors and employees or any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability, penalty or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Trust Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustees’ negligence or willful misconduct.

The provisions of this Section 8.06 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement or the earlier resignation or removal of any Trustee. No Trustee may claim any lien or charge on any Trust Property as a result of any amount due pursuant to this Section 8.06.

Section 8.07 . Corporate Property Trustee Required; Eligibility of Trustees. (a) There shall at all times be a Property Trustee hereunder. The Property Trustee shall be a Person that is a United States person within the meaning of section 7701(a)(30) of the Code that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If any such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Property Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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(b) There shall at all times be one or more Administrative Trustees hereunder. Each Administrative Trustee shall be either a natural person who is at least 21 years of age and is a citizen or resident of the United States, or a legal entity, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof, that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind that entity.

(c) There shall at all times be a Delaware Trustee. The Delaware Trustee shall either be (i) a natural person who is at least 21 years of age and a resident of the State of Delaware or (ii) a legal entity with its principal place of business in the State of Delaware and that otherwise meets the requirements of applicable Delaware law that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such entity.

Section 8.08 . Conflicting Interests. If the Property Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Trust Agreement. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor and any Trustee may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or dissimilar to the business of the Trust, and the Trust and the Holders shall have no rights by virtue of this Trust Agreement in and to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the business of the Trust, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper. Neither the Depositor, nor any Trustee, shall be obligated to present any particular investment or other opportunity to the Trust even if such opportunity is of a character that, if presented to the Trust, could be taken by the Trust, and the Depositor or any Trustee shall have the right to take for its own account (individually or as a partner or fiduciary) or to recommend to others any such particular investment or other opportunity. Any Trustee may engage in any financial or other transaction with the Depositor or any Affiliate of the Depositor, or may act as depository for, trustee or agent for, or act on any committee or body of holders of, securities or other obligations of the Depositor or its Affiliates.

Section 8.09 . Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee. Unless a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, at any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of the Trust Indenture Act or of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Trust Property may at the time be located, the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees, by agreed action of the majority of such Trustees, shall have power to appoint, and upon the written request of the Administrative Trustees, the Depositor shall for such purpose join with the Administrative Trustees in the execution, delivery, and performance of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by the Property Trustee either to act as co-trustee, jointly with the

 

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Property Trustee, of all or any part of such Trust Property, or to the extent required by law to act as separate trustee of any such property, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons in the capacity aforesaid, any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the other provisions of this Section. If the Depositor does not join in such appointment within 15 days after the receipt by it of a request so to do, or in case a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee alone shall have power to make such appointment. Any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed pursuant to this Section shall either be (i) a natural person who is at least 21 years of age and a citizen or resident of the United States or (ii) a legal entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any State thereof that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such entity. Should any written instrument from the Depositor be required by any co-trustee or separate trustee so appointed for more fully confirming to such co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right, or power, any and all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged and delivered by the Depositor. Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following terms, namely:

(a) The Trust Securities shall be executed and delivered and all rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereunder in respect of the custody of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to be deposited or pledged with, the Trustees specified hereunder, shall be exercised, solely by such Trustees and not by such co-trustee or separate trustee.

(b) The rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereby conferred or imposed upon the Property Trustee in respect of any property covered by such appointment shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Property Trustee or by the Property Trustee and such co-trustee or separate trustee jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co-trustee or separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the Property Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and performed by such co-trustee or separate trustee.

(c) The Property Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing executed by it, with the written concurrence of the Depositor, may accept the resignation of or remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this Section, and, in case a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or remove, any such co-trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of the Depositor. Upon the written request of the Property Trustee, the Depositor shall join with the Property Trustee in the execution, delivery and performance of all instruments

 

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and agreements necessary or proper to effectuate such resignation or removal. A successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so resigned or removed may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section.

(d) No co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of the Property Trustee or any other trustee hereunder.

(e) The Property Trustee shall not be liable by reason of any act or omission of a co-trustee or separate trustee.

(f) Any Act of Holders delivered to the Property Trustee shall be deemed to have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.

Section 8.10 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. No resignation or removal of any Trustee (the “ Relevant Trustee ”) and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, the Relevant Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Trust Securities by giving written notice thereof to the Depositor. If the instrument of acceptance by the successor Trustee required by Section 8.11 shall not have been delivered to the Relevant Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the Relevant Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Depositor, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities. Unless a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may be removed at any time by Act of the Common Securityholder. If a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, or both of them, may be removed at such time by Act of the Holders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, delivered to the Relevant Trustee (in its individual capacity and on behalf of the Trust). If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 8.11 shall not have been delivered to the Relevant Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the Relevant Trustee may petition at the expense of the Depositor any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series. In no event will the Holders of Preferred Securities have the right to vote to appoint, remove or replace the Administrative Trustees. An Administrative Trustee may be removed by Act of the Common Securityholder at any time. If either the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting as Trustee, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of either the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee for any cause, at a time when no Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Common Securityholder, by Act of the Common Securityholder delivered to

 

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the outgoing Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, and the outgoing Trustee shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of continuing to act as the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, at a time when a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Preferred Securityholders, by Act of the Securityholders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding delivered to the outgoing Relevant Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Relevant Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, and such successor Trustee shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If an Administrative Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting as Administrative Trustee, the Common Securityholder by Act of the Common Securityholder delivered to the Administrative Trustee shall promptly appoint a successor Administrative Trustee or Administrative Trustees with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, and such successor Administrative Trustee or Trustees shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If no successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities shall have been so appointed by the Common Securityholder or the Preferred Securityholders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 8.11, any Securityholder who has been a Securityholder of Trust Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities. The Depositor shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee and each appointment of a successor Property Trustee or Delaware Trustee to all Securityholders in the manner provided in Section 10.08. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Relevant Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office if it is the Property Trustee. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Trust Agreement, in the event any Administrative Trustee or a Delaware Trustee who is a natural person dies or becomes, in the opinion of the Depositor, incompetent or incapacitated, the vacancy created by such death, incompetence or incapacity may be filled by (a) the unanimous act of remaining Administrative Trustees if there are at least two of them or (b) otherwise by the Depositor (with the successor in each case being a Person who satisfies the eligibility requirement for Administrative Trustees set forth in Section 8.07).

Section 8.11 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Trust and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all

 

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the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; and, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and if the Property Trustee is the resigning Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to the successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Property Trustee hereunder. In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, the retiring Relevant Trustee and each successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities shall execute and deliver an instrument hereto wherein each successor Relevant Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (a) may contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Relevant Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust; and (b) may add to or change any of the provisions of this Trust Agreement as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Relevant Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such instrument shall constitute such Relevant Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Relevant Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Relevant Trustee and upon the execution and delivery of such instrument the resignation or removal of the retiring Relevant Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Relevant Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust; but, on request of the Trust or any successor Relevant Trustee such retiring Relevant Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Relevant Trustee all Trust Property, all proceeds thereof and money held by such retiring Relevant Trustee hereunder with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust. Upon request of any such successor Relevant Trustee, the Trust shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Relevant Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be. No successor Relevant Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Relevant Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 8.12 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee (or any Administrative Trustee that is not a natural person) may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Relevant Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, shall

 

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be the successor of such Relevant Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto.

Section 8.13 . Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor, Debenture Issuer or Trust. If and when the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Depositor, the Debenture Issuer or the Trust (or any other obligor upon the Debentures or the Trust Securities), the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, shall be subject to and shall take all actions necessary in order to comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Depositor, Debenture Issuer or Trust (or any such other obligor).

Section 8.14 . Reports by Property Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with the first              15 following the first issuance of Preferred Securities pursuant to this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall transmit to all Securityholders in accordance with Section 10.08, and to the Depositor, a brief report dated as of such              15 with respect to: (i) its eligibility under Section 8.07 or, in lieu thereof, if to the best of its knowledge it has continued to be eligible under said Section, a written statement to such effect; (ii) a statement that the Property Trustee has complied with all of its obligations under this Trust Agreement during the twelve-month period (or, in the case of the initial report, the period since the Closing Date) ending with such              15 or, if the Property Trustee has not complied in any material respect with such obligations, a description of such noncompliance; and (iii) any change in the property and funds in its possession as Property Trustee since the date of its last report and any action taken by the Property Trustee in the performance of its duties hereunder which it has not previously reported and which in its opinion materially affects the Trust Securities, except action in respect of a default, notice of which has been or is to be withheld by it in accordance with any indenture provision authorized by subsection (b) of Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act.

(b) In addition the Property Trustee shall transmit to Securityholders such reports concerning the Property Trustee and its actions under this Trust Agreement as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.

(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Property Trustee with each stock exchange, interdealer quotation system or other self-regulatory organization upon which the Trust Securities are listed or traded, with the Commission and with the Depositor.

Section 8.15 . Reports to the Property Trustee. The Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 of

 

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the Trust Indenture Act (if any) and the compliance certificate required by Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Property Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Property Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including compliance with any covenants hereunder (as to which the Property Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 8.16 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. Each of the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such written evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Trust Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act shall be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 8.17 . Number of Trustees. (a) The number of Trustees shall be four, provided that the Holder of all of the Common Securities by written instrument may increase or decrease the number of Administrative Trustees. The Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may be the same person if the Property Trustee meets the applicable requirements.

(b) If a Trustee ceases to hold office for any reason and the number of Administrative Trustees is not reduced pursuant to Section 8.17(a), or if the number of Trustees is increased pursuant to Section 8.17(a), a vacancy shall occur. The vacancy shall be filled with a Trustee appointed in accordance with Section 8.10.

(c) The death, resignation, retirement, removal, bankruptcy, incompetence or incapacity to perform the duties of a Trustee shall not operate to annul, dissolve or terminate the Trust. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Administrative Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of an Administrative Trustee in accordance with Section 8.10, the Administrative Trustees in office, regardless of their number (and notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement), shall have all the powers granted to the Administrative Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Administrative Trustees by this Trust Agreement.

Section 8.18 . Delegation of Power. (a) Any Administrative Trustee may, by power of attorney consistent with applicable law, delegate to any other natural person over the age of 21 his or her power for the purpose of executing any documents contemplated in Section 2.07(a), including any registration statement or amendment thereto filed with the Commission, or making any other governmental filing; and

 

55


(b) The Administrative Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to time to such of their number or to the Depositor the doing of such things and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the names of the Administrative Trustees or otherwise as the Administrative Trustees may deem expedient, to the extent such delegation is not prohibited by applicable law or contrary to the provisions of the Trust, as set forth herein.

ARTICLE 9

D ISSOLUTION , L IQUIDATION , T ERMINATION AND M ERGER

Section 9.01 . Dissolution Upon Expiration Date. Unless earlier dissolved, the Trust shall automatically dissolve on                     , 20     (the “ Expiration Date ”).

Section 9.02 . Early Dissolution. The first to occur of any of the following events is an “ Early Termination Event ”, upon the occurrence of which the Trust shall be dissolved:

(a) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event in respect of, or the dissolution or liquidation of, the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor;

(b) the written direction to the Property Trustee from the Depositor at any time (which direction is optional and wholly within the discretion of the Depositor) to dissolve the Trust and distribute a Like Amount of Debentures to Securityholders in exchange for the Trust Securities;

(c) the redemption of all of the Trust Securities in connection with the redemption of all the Debentures; and

(d) the entry of an order for dissolution of the Trust by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 9.03 . Termination. The respective obligations and responsibilities of the Trustees and the Trust shall terminate upon the latest to occur of the following:

(a) the distribution by the Property Trustee to Securityholders upon the liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.04, or upon the redemption of all of the Trust Securities pursuant to Section 4.02, of all amounts required to be distributed hereunder upon the final payment of the Trust Securities;

 

56


(b) the payment of any claims and obligations of the Trust pursuant to applicable law, including Section 3808 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act;

(c) the discharge of all administrative duties of the Administrative Trustees, including the performance of any tax reporting obligations with respect to the Trust or the Securityholders; and

(d) the execution and filing of a certificate of cancellation with the Delaware Secretary of State by (or at the direction of) the Administrative Trustee.

Section 9.04 . Liquidation. (a) If an Early Termination Event specified in clause Section 9.02(a), Section 9.02(b) or Section 9.02(d) of Section 9.02 occurs or upon the Expiration Date, the Trust shall be liquidated by the Trustees as expeditiously as the Trustees determine to be possible by distributing, after satisfaction of claims and obligations of the Trust as provided by applicable law, including Section 3808 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, to each Securityholder a Like Amount of Debentures, subject to Section 9.04(e).

(b) Notice of liquidation shall be given by the Property Trustee, at the Depositor’s expense, by first-class mail, postage prepaid mailed not later than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Liquidation Date to each Holder of Trust Securities at such Holder’s address appearing in the Securities Register. All notices of liquidation shall: (i) state the Liquidation Date; (ii) state that from and after the Liquidation Date, the Trust Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding and any Trust Securities Certificates not surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a Like Amount of Debentures; and (iii) provide such information with respect to the mechanics by which Holders may exchange Trust Securities Certificates for Debentures, or if Section 9.04(e) applies, receive a Liquidation Distribution, as the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee shall deem appropriate.

(c) Except where Section 9.02(c) or Section 9.04(e) applies, in order to effect the liquidation of the Trust and distribution of the Debentures to Securityholders, the Property Trustee shall establish a record date for such distribution (which shall be not more than 45 days prior to the Liquidation Date) and, either itself acting as exchange agent or through the appointment of a separate exchange agent, shall establish such procedures as it shall deem appropriate to effect the distribution of Debentures in exchange for the Outstanding Trust Securities Certificates.

(d) Except where Section 9.02(c) or Section 9.04(e) applies, on and after the Liquidation Date, (i) the Trust Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding, (ii) certificates representing a Like Amount of Debentures will be issued to the Holders of Trust Securities Certificates, upon surrender of such certificates to the Administrative Trustees or their agent for exchange, (iii) the

 

57


Depositor shall cause the Debenture Issuer to use its reasonable efforts to have the Debentures listed or traded on the such stock exchange, interdealer quotation system and/or other self-regulatory organization as the Preferred Securities are then listed or traded, (iv) any Trust Securities Certificates not so surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a Like Amount of Debentures, accruing interest at the rate provided for in the Debentures from the last Distribution Date on which a Distribution was made on such Trust Securities Certificates until such certificates are so surrendered (and until such certificates are so surrendered, no payments of interest or principal will be made to Holders of Trust Securities Certificates with respect to such Debentures) and (v) all rights of Securityholders holding Trust Securities will cease, except the right of such Securityholders to receive Debentures upon surrender of Trust Securities Certificates.

(e) In the event that, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 9.04, whether because of an order for dissolution entered by a court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, distribution of the Debentures in the manner provided herein is determined by the Property Trustee not to be practical, the Trust Property shall be liquidated, and the Trust shall be wound-up and terminated by the Property Trustee in such manner as the Property Trustee determines consistent with the requirements of applicable law; provided, however , that any such determination shall be conclusive and binding on any such Securityholder and any Person claiming under, by or through such holder and provided further that the Property Trustee shall not be liable to any Securityholder or other Person for such determination to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. In such event, Securityholders will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Trust available for distribution to Securityholders, after satisfaction of claims and obligations of the Trust as provided by applicable law, including Section 3808 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, an amount equal to the Liquidation Amount per Trust Security plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount being the “ Liquidation Distribution ”). If, upon any such winding up, the Liquidation Distribution can be paid only in part because the Trust has insufficient assets available to pay in full the aggregate Liquidation Distribution, then, subject to the next succeeding sentence, the amounts payable by the Trust on the Trust Securities shall be paid on a pro rata basis (based upon Liquidation Amounts). The Holder of the Common Securities will be entitled to receive Liquidation Distributions upon any such dissolution pro rata (determined as aforesaid) with Holders of Preferred Securities, except that, if a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred Securities shall have a priority over the Common Securities.

Section 9.05 . Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Trust. The Trust may not merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any corporation or other entity, except

 

58


pursuant to this Section 9.05. The Trust may, at the request of the Depositor, with the consent of only the Administrative Trustees and without the consent of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to a trust organized as such under the laws of any State; provided, that (a) such successor entity either (i) expressly assumes all of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Preferred Securities or (ii) substitutes for the Preferred Securities other securities having substantially the same terms as the Preferred Securities (the “ Successor Securities ”) so long as the Successor Securities rank the same as the Preferred Securities rank in priority with respect to distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise, (b) the Depositor expressly appoints a trustee of such successor entity possessing the same powers and duties as the Property Trustee as the holder of the Debentures, (c) the Successor Securities are listed or traded, or any Successor Securities will be listed upon notification of issuance, on any national securities exchange or other organization on which the Preferred Securities are then listed or traded, if any, (d) such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not cause the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) to be downgraded by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, (e) such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect, (f) such successor entity has a purpose substantially identical to that of the Trust, (g) prior to such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the Depositor has received an Opinion of Counsel rendered by independent counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that (i) such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect, and (ii) following such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, neither the Trust nor such successor entity will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act and (h) the Depositor (or any permitted successor or assignee) owns all of the common securities of such successor entity and the Debenture Guarantor guarantees the obligations of such successor entity under the Successor Securities at least to the extent provided by the Guarantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust shall not, except with the consent of holders of 100% in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, convert into, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any other entity or permit any other entity to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, convert into, or replace it if such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conversion, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease would cause the Trust or

 

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the successor entity to be classified as other than a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes or cause any other material adverse tax consequences to the Holders of the Preferred Securities.

ARTICLE 10

M ISCELLANEOUS P ROVISIONS

Section 10.01 . Limitation of Rights of Securityholders. The death or incapacity of any person having an interest, beneficial or otherwise, in Trust Securities shall not operate to terminate this Trust Agreement, nor entitle the legal representatives or heirs of such person or any Securityholder for such person, to claim an accounting, take any action or bring any proceeding in any court for a partition or winding up of the arrangements contemplated hereby, nor otherwise affect the rights, obligations and liabilities of the parties hereto or any of them.

Section 10.02 . Amendment. (a) This Trust Agreement may be amended from time to time by the Trustees and the Depositor, without the consent of any Securityholders, (i) to cure any ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Trust Agreement, which shall not be inconsistent with the other provisions of this Trust Agreement, or (ii) to modify, eliminate or add to any provisions of this Trust Agreement to such extent as shall be necessary to ensure that the Trust will be classified for United States Federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust at all times that any Trust Securities are outstanding or to ensure that the Trust will not be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company; provided, however , that in the case of clause (i), such action shall not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any Securityholder. Any such amendments of this Trust Agreement shall become effective when notice thereof is given to the Securityholders.

(b) Except as provided in Section 10.02(c) hereof, any provision of this Trust Agreement may be amended by the Trustees and the Depositor with (i) the consent of Trust Securityholders representing not less than a majority (based upon Liquidation Amounts) of the Trust Securities then Outstanding and (ii) receipt by the Trustees of an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment or the exercise of any power granted to the Trustees in accordance with such amendment will not affect the Trust’s status as a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes or the Trust’s exemption from status of an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(c) In addition to and notwithstanding any other provision in this Trust Agreement, without the consent of each affected Securityholder, this Trust Agreement may not be amended to (i) change the amount or timing of any

 

60


Distribution on the Trust Securities or otherwise adversely affect the amount of any Distribution required to be made in respect of the Trust Securities as of a specified date or (ii) restrict the right of a Securityholder to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such date. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, without the unanimous consent of the Securityholders, this paragraph (c) of this Section 10.02 may not be amended.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, no Trustee shall enter into or consent to any amendment to this Trust Agreement which would cause the Trust to fail or cease to qualify for the exemption from status of an investment company under the Investment Company Act or fail or cease to be classified as a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Trust Agreement to the contrary, this Trust Agreement may not be amended in a manner which imposes any additional obligation on the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee without the consent of the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be.

(f) In the event that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is made, the Administrative Trustees shall promptly provide to the Depositor a copy of such amendment.

(g) Neither the Property Trustee nor the Delaware Trustee shall be required to enter into any amendment to this Trust Agreement which affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Trust Agreement. The Property Trustee shall be provided with an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate stating that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is in compliance with this Trust Agreement and that all conditions precedent in this Trust Agreement to the execution and delivery of such amendment have been satisfied.

Section 10.03 . Separability. In case any provision in this Trust Agreement or in the Trust Securities Certificates shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 10.04 . Governing Law. This Trust Agreement and the rights and obligations of each of the Securityholders, the Trust and the Trustees with respect to this Trust Agreement and the Trust Securities shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.

Section 10.05 . Payments Due on Non-Business Day. If the date fixed for any payment on any Trust Security shall be a day that is not a Business Day, then such payment need not be made on such date but may be made on the next

 

61


succeeding day that is a Business Day (except as otherwise provided in Section 4.01(a) and Section 4.02(d)) unless such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, payment will be made on the immediately preceding Business Day with the same force and effect as though made on the date fixed for such payment, and no interest shall accrue thereon for the period after such date.

Section 10.06 . Successors. This Trust Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor to the Depositor, the Trust or the Relevant Trustee, including any successor by operation of law. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale involving the Depositor that is permitted under Article Eight of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Depositor’s obligations hereunder, the Depositor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 10.07 . Headings. The Article and Section headings are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of this Trust Agreement.

Section 10.08 . Reports, Notices and Demands. Any report, notice, demand or other communication which by any provision of this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or served to or upon any Securityholder or the Depositor may be given or served in writing by deposit thereof, first-class postage prepaid, in the United States mail, hand delivery or facsimile transmission, in each case, addressed, (a) in the case of a Preferred Securityholder, to such Preferred Securityholder as such Securityholder’s name and address may appear on the Securities Register; and (b) in the case of the Common Securityholder or the Depositor, to [            ], [c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, telephone number (203) 485-4200]. Such notice, demand or other communication to or upon a Securityholder shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, upon hand delivery, mailing or transmission. Any notice, demand or other communication which by any provision of this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or served to or upon the Trust, the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees shall be given in writing addressed (until another address is published by the Trust) as follows: (a) with respect to the Property Trustee, to The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration; (b) with respect to the Delaware Trustee, to BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, Delaware 19711, Attention: Institutional Trust Services; and (c) with respect to the Administrative Trustees, to them at c/o PartnerRe Ltd., 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, marked “Attention Administrative Trustees of PartnerRe Capital Trust II.” Such notice, demand or other communication to or upon the Trust or the Property Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made only upon actual receipt of the writing by the Trust or a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee.

 

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Section 10.09 . Agreement Not to Petition. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the Trustees and the Depositor agree for the benefit of the Securityholders that, until at least one year and one day after the Trust has been dissolved in accordance with Article 9, they shall not file, or join in the filing of, a petition against the Trust under any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law (including, without limitation, the United States Bankruptcy Code) (collectively, “ Bankruptcy Laws ”) or otherwise join in the commencement of any proceeding against the Trust under any Bankruptcy Law. In the event the Depositor takes action in violation of this Section 10.09, the Property Trustee agrees, for the benefit of Securityholders, that at the expense of the Depositor, it shall file an answer with the bankruptcy court or otherwise properly contest the filing of such petition by the Depositor against the Trust or the commencement of such action and raise the defense that the Depositor has agreed in writing not to take such action and should be stopped and precluded therefrom and such other defenses, if any, as counsel for the Trustee or the Trust may assert. The provisions of this Section 10.09 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement.

Section 10.10 . Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. (a)   This Trust Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Trust Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) The Property Trustee shall be the only Trustee which is a trustee for the purposes of the Trust Indenture Act.

(c) If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this Trust Agreement by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control. If any provision of this Trust Agreement modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Trust Agreement as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.

(d) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this Trust Agreement shall not affect the nature of the Trust Securities as equity securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.

Section 10.11 . Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement, Guarantee and Indenture. THE RECEIPT AND ACCEPTANCE OF A TRUST SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN BY OR ON BEHALF OF A SECURITYHOLDER OR ANY BENEFICIAL OWNER, WITHOUT ANY SIGNATURE OR FURTHER MANIFESTATION OF ASSENT, SHALL CONSTITUTE THE UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE BY THE SECURITYHOLDER AND ALL OTHERS HAVING A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN SUCH TRUST SECURITY

 

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OF ALL THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT AND AGREEMENT TO THE SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS AND OTHER TERMS OF THE GUARANTEE AND THE INDENTURE, AND SHALL CONSTITUTE THE AGREEMENT OF THE TRUST, SUCH SECURITYHOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS THAT THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT SHALL BE BINDING, OPERATIVE AND EFFECTIVE AS BETWEEN THE TRUST AND SUCH SECURITYHOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS.

Section 10.12 . Waiver Of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE DEPOSITOR AND THE TRUSTEES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT, THE TRUST SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 10.13 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Property Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Property Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

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[A FINANCE SUBSIDIARY OF PARTNERRE LTD.],
as Depositor

   

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Property Trustee

By:  

 

    By:  

 

Name:       Name:  
Title:       Title:  
     

BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE,
as Delaware Trustee

      By:  

 

      Name:  
      Title:  
      ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEES
       

 

        Thomas L. Forsyth,
        as Administrative Trustee
       

 

        Theodore C. Walker,
        as Administrative Trustee


EXHIBIT A

THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE

EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE

TRUST AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED BELOW)

 

Certificate Number   Number of Common Securities
C-                ______

Certificate Evidencing Common Securities

of

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II

         % Common Securities

(liquidation amount $             per Common Security)

PartnerRe Capital Trust II, a statutory trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Trust ”), hereby certifies that [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe Ltd.] (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of                          (            ) common securities of the Trust representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust and designated the             % Common Securities (liquidation amount $             per Common Security) (the “ Common Securities ”). In accordance with Section 5.10 of the Trust Agreement (as defined below) the Common Securities are not transferable and any attempted transfer hereof shall be void. The designations, and any attempted transfer hereof shall be void. The designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms and provisions of the Common Securities are set forth in, and this certificate and the Common Securities represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of                 , as the same may be amended from time to time (the “ Trust Agreement ”), including the designation of the terms of the Common Securities as set forth therein. The Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust Agreement to the Holder without charge upon written request to the Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.

Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the Trust Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.

 

A-1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, one of the Administrative Trustees of the Trust has executed this certificate this      day of             , 20    .

 

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:   Administrative Trustee

 

Authenticated by:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Property Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

This Preferred Security is a Global Certificate within the meaning of the Trust Agreement hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (the “ Depository ”) or a nominee of the Depository. This Preferred Security is exchangeable for Preferred Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Trust Agreement and no transfer of this Preferred Security (other than a transfer of this Preferred Security as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository) may be registered except in limited circumstances.

Unless this Preferred Security is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New York) to PartnerRe Capital Trust II or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any Preferred Security issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company and any payment hereon is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY A PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

 

Certificate Number   Number of Preferred Securities
P-                ______

Certificate Evidencing Preferred Securities

Of

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II

         % Trust Preferred Securities

(Liquidation amount $             per Preferred Security)

PartnerRe Capital Trust II, a statutory trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Trust ”), hereby certifies that Cede & Co. (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of                          (            ) preferred securities of the Trust representing an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust and designated the PartnerRe Capital Trust II             % Preferred Securities (Liquidation Amount $             per Preferred Security) (the “ Preferred Securities ”). The Preferred Securities are transferable on the books and records of the Trust, in person or by a duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this certificate duly endorsed and in proper form for transfer as provided in Section 5.04 of the Trust Agreement (as defined below). The designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms and provisions of the Preferred Securities are set forth in, and this certificate and the Preferred Securities represented hereby are issued and shall in

 

B-1


all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of                 , 20    , among [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe Ltd.], as Depositor, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “ Trust Agreement ”), including the designation of the terms of Preferred Securities as set forth therein. The Holder is entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee Agreement entered into by PartnerRe Ltd. (“ PartnerRe ”), a Bermuda company, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as guarantee trustee, dated as of                 , 20    , (the “ Guarantee ”), in each case, to the extent provided therein. The Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust Agreement and the Guarantee to the Holder without charge upon written request to the Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.

Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the Trust Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, one of the Administrative Trustees of the Trust has executed this certificate this      day of             , 20    .

 

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST II
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:   Administrative Trustee

 

Authenticated by:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Property Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:

 

B-2


ASSIGNMENT

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned assigns and transfers this Preferred Security to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax identification number)

 

 

 

 

(Insert address and zip code of assignee)

and irrevocably appoints

 

 

 

 

 

 

agent to transfer this Preferred Security Certificate on the books of the Trust. The agent may substitute another to act for him or her.

 

Date:  

 

Signature:  

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Preferred Security Certificate)

SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED:

THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.

 

B-3

Exhibit 4.24

FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED

TRUST AGREEMENT

AMONG

[A FINANCE SUBSIDIARY OF PARTNERRE LTD.], AS DEPOSITOR

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

AS PROPERTY TRUSTEE

BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE,

AS DELAWARE TRUSTEE,

AND

THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEES NAMED HEREIN

DATED AS OF                          , 20    

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

        

P AGE

ARTICLE 1

D EFINED T ERMS

Section 1.01.

  

Definitions

  2

ARTICLE 2

E STABLISHMENT OF THE T RUST

Section 2.01.

  

Name

  11

Section 2.02.

  

Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal Place of Business

  11

Section 2.03.

  

Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational Expenses

  11

Section 2.04.

  

Issuance of the Preferred Securities

  12

Section 2.05.

  

Issuance of the Common Securities; Subscription and Purchase of Debentures

  12

Section 2.06.

  

Declaration of Trust

  12

Section 2.07.

  

Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions

  13

Section 2.08.

  

Assets of Trust

  17

Section 2.09.

  

Title to Trust Property

  17

Section 2.10.

  

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

  17

ARTICLE 3

P AYMENT A CCOUNT

Section 3.01.

  

Payment Account

  17

ARTICLE 4

C ERTAIN T ERMS OF THE T RUST S ECURITIES

Section 4.01.

  

Distributions

  18

Section 4.02.

  

Redemption

  20

Section 4.03.

  

Subordination of Common Securities

  22

Section 4.04.

  

Payment Procedures

  23

Section 4.05.

  

Tax Returns And Reports

  23

Section 4.06.

  

Payment of Taxes, Duties, etc. of the Trust

  24

Section 4.07.

  

Payments Under Indenture

  24

Section 4.08.

  

CUSIP Numbers

  24

Section 4.09.

  

Exchanges

  24

 

i


ARTICLE 5

T RUST S ECURITIES C ERTIFICATES

Section 5.01.

  

Ownership

  25

Section 5.02.

  

The Trust Securities Certificates

  25

Section 5.03.

  

Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities Certificates

  25

Section 5.04.

  

Registration of Transfer and Exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates

  26

Section 5.05.

  

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities Certificates

  27

Section 5.06.

  

Persons Deemed Securityholders

  27

Section 5.07.

  

Access to List of Securityholders’ Names and Addresses

  27

Section 5.08.

  

Maintenance of Office or Agency

  28

Section 5.09.

  

Appointment of Paying Agent

  28

Section 5.10.

  

Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor

  29

Section 5.11.

  

Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates; Common Securities Certificate

  29

Section 5.12.

  

Notices to Clearing Agency

  30

Section 5.13.

  

Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates

  30

Section 5.14.

  

Rights of Securityholders

  31

Section 5.15.

  

Rights and Immunities of the Registrar

  34

Section 5.16.

  

Rights and Immunities of the Paying Agent

  34

Section 5.17.

  

No Obligation for Clearing Agency

  34

ARTICLE 6

A CTS OF S ECURITYHOLDERS ; M EETINGS ; V OTING

Section 6.01.

  

Limitations on Voting Rights

  34

Section 6.02.

  

Notice of Meetings

  36

Section 6.03.

  

Meetings of Preferred Securityholders

  36

Section 6.04.

  

Voting Rights

  36

Section 6.05.

  

Proxies, etc

  36

Section 6.06.

  

Securityholder Action by Written Consent

  37

Section 6.07.

  

Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes

  37

Section 6.08.

  

Acts of Securityholders

  37

Section 6.09.

  

Inspection of Records

  38

ARTICLE 7

R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES

Section 7.01.

  

Representations and Warranties of the Property Trustee

  38

Section 7.02.

  

Representations and Warranties of the Delaware Trustee

  39

Section 7.03.

  

Representations and Warranties of Depositor

  40

 

ii


ARTICLE 8

T HE T RUSTEES

Section 8.01.

  

Certain Duties and Responsibilities

  42

Section 8.02.

  

Certain Notices

  44

Section 8.03.

  

Certain Rights of Property Trustee

  44

Section 8.04.

  

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

  47

Section 8.05.

  

May Hold Securities

  47

Section 8.06.

  

Compensation; Indemnity; Fees

  48

Section 8.07.

  

Corporate Property Trustee Required; Eligibility of Trustees

  48

Section 8.08.

  

Conflicting Interests

  49

Section 8.09.

  

Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee

  49

Section 8.10.

  

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

  51

Section 8.11.

  

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

  52

Section 8.12.

  

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

  53

Section 8.13.

  

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor, Debenture Issuer or Trust

  54

Section 8.14.

  

Reports by Property Trustee

  54

Section 8.15.

  

Reports to the Property Trustee

  54

Section 8.16.

  

Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

  55

Section 8.17.

  

Number of Trustees

  55

Section 8.18.

  

Delegation of Power

  55

ARTICLE 9

D ISSOLUTION , L IQUIDATION , T ERMINATION AND M ERGER

Section 9.01.

  

Dissolution Upon Expiration Date

  56

Section 9.02.

  

Early Dissolution

  56

Section 9.03.

  

Termination

  56

Section 9.04.

  

Liquidation

  57

Section 9.05.

  

Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Trust

  58

ARTICLE 10

M ISCELLANEOUS P ROVISIONS

Section 10.01.

  

Limitation of Rights of Securityholders

  60

Section 10.02.

  

Amendment

  60

Section 10.03.

  

Separability

  61

Section 10.04.

  

Governing Law

  61

Section 10.05.

  

Payments Due on Non-Business Day

  61

Section 10.06.

  

Successors

  62

Section 10.07.

  

Headings

  62

Section 10.08.

  

Reports, Notices and Demands

  62

Section 10.09.

  

Agreement Not to Petition

  63

 

iii


Section 10.10.

  

Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

  63

Section 10.11.

  

Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement, Guarantee and Indenture

  63

Section 10.12.

  

Waiver Of Jury Trial

  64

Section 10.13.

  

Force Majeure

  64

 

Exhibit A    CERTIFICATE EVIDENCING COMMON SECURITIES OF PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III
Exhibit B    CERTIFICATE EVIDENCING PREFERRED SECURITIES OF PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III

 

iv


PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III

CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT RELATING TO

SECTIONS 310 THROUGH 318 OF THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939:

 

TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION

  

TRUST
AGREEMENT
SECTION

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   8.07

(a) (2)

   8.07

(a) (3)

   8.09

(a) (4)

   2.07(a)(ii)

(b)

   8.08

(§)(§)311(a)

   8.13

(b)

   8.13

(§)(§)312(a)

   5.07

(b)

   5.07

(c)

   5.07

(§)(§)313(a)

   8.14(a)

(a)(4)

   8.14(b)

(b)

   8.14(b)

(c)

   10.08

(d)

   8.14(c)

(§)(§)314(a)

   8.15

(b)

   Not Applicable

(c)(1)

   8.16

(c)(2)

   8.16

(c) (3)

   Not Applicable

(d)

   Not Applicable

(e)

   1.01, 8.16

(§)(§)315(a)

   8.01(a), 8.03(a)

(b)

   8.02, 10.08

(c)

   8.01(a)

(d)

   8.01, 8.03

(e)

   Not Applicable

(§)(§)316(a)

   Not Applicable

(a)(1)(A)

   Not Applicable

(a)(1)(B)

   Not Applicable

(a) (2)

   Not Applicable

(b)

   Not Applicable

(c)

   6.07

(§)(§)317(a) (1)

   Not Applicable

 

v


TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION

  

TRUST
AGREEMENT
SECTION

(a) (2)

   Not Applicable

(b)

   5.09

(§)318(a)

   10.10

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie sheet shall not, for any purpose be deemed to be a part of the Trust Agreement.

 

vi


AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of                          , 20    , among (i) [A FINANCE SUBSIDIARY OF PARTNERRE LTD.], a Delaware [entity] (including any successors or assigns, the “ Depositor ”), (ii) THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation, as property trustee (the “ Property Trustee ”), (iii) BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware trustee (in such capacity, the “ Delaware Trustee ”), (iv) Thomas L. Forsyth, an individual, as an administrative trustee, and Theodore C. Walker, an individual, as an administrative trustee, each of whose address is c/o PartnerRe Ltd., 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the administrative trustees as herein after defined are referred to collectively as the “ Trustees ”) and (v) the several Holders, as hereinafter defined.

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, PartnerRe Finance II Inc., as original sponsor (the “ Original Depositor ”) of the Trust and certain of the Trustees (the “ Original Trustees ”) have heretofore duly declared and established a business trust pursuant to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act by the entering into of that certain Trust Agreement, dated as of December 11, 2001 (the “ Original Trust Agreement ”), and by the execution by the Original Trustees and filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of the Certificate of Trust, filed on December 11, 2001 (the “ Certificate of Trust ”);

WHEREAS, the Original Depositor and the Trustees have hereto amended the Certificate of Trust to amend Article 2 thereof to evidence the change of the Delaware trustee from Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association to BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware and filed such amendment with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “ Amended Certificate of Trust ”);

WHEREAS, the Original Depositor and the Trustees have heretofore amended and restated the Original Trust Agreement to evidence certain changes to the persons and entities that serve as the property trustee, Delaware trustee and administrative trustees of the Trust (as defined herein) (the “ Amended and Restated Trust Agreement ” and together with the Original Trust Agreement, the “ Original Amended Trust Agreement ”); and

WHEREAS, the Depositor and the Trustees desire to further amend and restate the Original Amended Trust Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein to provide for, among other things, (i) the issuance of the Common Securities by the Trust to the Depositor, (ii) the issuance and sale of the Preferred Securities by the Trust pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (iii) the acquisition by the Trust from the Debenture Issuer (as hereinafter defined) of all of the right, title and interest in the Debentures and (iv) the appointment of additional Administrative Trustees; 1

 

1 [Note that, if the Original Depositor is no longer the Depositor under this Trust Agreement, the Original Amended Trust Agreement will need to be amended and restated to replace the Original Depositor, or, the Original Depositor will be made a party hereto for the limited purpose of changing the Depositor.]


NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, each party, for the benefit of the other parties and for the benefit of the Securityholders, hereby amends and restates the Original Amended Trust Agreement in its entirety and agrees as follows:

ARTICLE 1

D EFINED T ERMS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. For all purposes of this Trust Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

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

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

(c) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “ Article ” or a “ Section ” refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Trust Agreement; and

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

Act ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.08.

Additional Amounts ” means, with respect to Trust Securities of a given Liquidation Amount, for a given period, the amount of any Additional Interest and any Additional Amounts (as defined in the Indenture) paid by the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor on a Like Amount of Debentures for such period.

 

2


Additional Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.01 of the Indenture.

Additional Sums ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08 of the Indenture.

Administrative Trustee ” means each of Thomas L. Forsyth and Theodore C. Walker, solely in such Person’s capacity as Administrative Trustee of the Trust and not in such Person’s individual capacity, or such Administrative Trustee’s successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor trustee appointed as herein provided.

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

Amended Certificate of Trust ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Amended and Restated Trust Agreement ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Depositor, the Chairman [only include if Depositor is a corporation: “of the Board of Directors”], a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Depositor.

Bankruptcy Event ” means, with respect to any Person (a) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of (i) a decree or order for relief in respect of such Person in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or (ii) a decree or order adjudging such Person to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of such Person and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or (iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of such Person or of any

 

3


substantial part of the property of such Person, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of such Person; or (b) the commencement by such Person of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by such Person to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by such Person of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of such Person or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by such Person to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of such Person or any substantial part of the property of such Person or the making by such Person of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by such Person in furtherance of any such action.

Bankruptcy Laws ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.09.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Depositor [insert if Depositor is a limited liability company: “(or its sole member)”] to have been duly adopted by the [sole member of the] Depositor’s Board of Directors, or such committee of the [sole member of the Depositor’s] Board of Directors or officers of the [sole member of the] Depositor to which authority to act on behalf of its Board of Directors has been delegated, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the appropriate Trustee or Trustees.

Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates ” means a beneficial interest in the Preferred Securities Certificates, ownership and transfers of which shall be made through book entries by a Clearing Agency as described in Section 5.11.

Business Day ” means a day other than (a) a Saturday or Sunday or (b) a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to remain closed.

Certificate of Trust ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Clearing Agency ” means an organization registered as a “ clearing agency ” pursuant to Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. DTC will be the initial Clearing Agency.

 

4


Clearing Agency Participant ” means a broker, dealer, bank, other financial institution or other Person for whom from time to time a Clearing Agency effects book-entry transfers and pledges of securities deposited with the Clearing Agency.

Closing Date ” has the meaning specified in the Underwriting Agreement, which date is also the date of execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Security ” means an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $             and having the rights provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided herein.

Common Securities Certificate ” means a certificate evidencing ownership of Common Securities, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal office of the Property Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the date of execution of this Agreement is located The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration, or at any other such address as the Property Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto.

Debenture Event of Default ” means an “ Event of Default ” as defined in the Indenture.

Debenture Guarantor ” means PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company, in its capacity as guarantor under the Indenture, and its successors.

Debenture Issuer ” means [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe Ltd.], a Delaware [entity], in its capacity as the issuer of the Debentures under the Indenture, and its successors.

Debenture Redemption Date ” means, with respect to any Debentures to be redeemed under the Indenture, the date fixed for redemption under the Indenture.

 

5


Debenture Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, solely in its capacity as trustee and not in its individual capacity under the Indenture, or any successor trustee appointed as therein provided.

Debentures ” means the aggregate principal amount of the Debenture Issuer’s     % Junior Subordinated Debt Securities due                          ,              issued pursuant to the Indenture and guaranteed by the Debenture Guarantor.

Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates ” means either or both (as the context requires) of (a) Preferred Securities Certificates issued as Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates as provided in Section 5.11(a) and Section 5.11(b) and (b) Preferred Securities Certificates issued in certificated, fully registered form as provided in Section 5.13.

Delaware Statutory Trust Act ” means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. Section 3801, et seq. , as it may be amended from time to time.

Delaware Trustee ” means the banking association identified as the “Delaware Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Trust Agreement solely in its capacity as Delaware Trustee of the Trust and not in its individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor trustee appointed as herein provided.

Depositor ” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Trust Agreement.

Depositor Affiliated Holder ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.09(a).

Distribution Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(a).

Distributions ” means amounts payable in respect of the Trust Securities as provided in Section 4.01.

DTC ” means The Depository Trust Company.

Early Termination Event ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.02.

Exchange ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.09(a).

Expiration Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.

Extension Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(a).

 

6


Guarantee ” means the Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement executed and delivered by the Preferred Securities Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement, for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, as amended from time to time.

Indenture ” means the Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                     , among the Debenture Issuer, the Debenture Guarantor and the Debenture Trustee, as trustee, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

Investment Company Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Issuer ” means the Trust, as issuer of the Trust Securities.

Lien ” means any lien, pledge, charge, encumbrance, mortgage, deed of trust, adverse ownership interest, hypothecation, assignment, security interest or preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever.

Like Amount ” means (a) with respect to a redemption of Trust Securities, Trust Securities having a Liquidation Amount equal to the principal amount of Debentures to be contemporaneously redeemed in accordance with the Indenture the proceeds of which will be used to pay the Redemption Price of such Trust Securities, and (b) with respect to a distribution of Debentures to Holders of Trust Securities in connection with a dissolution or liquidation of the Trust or pursuant to an Exchange, Debentures having a principal amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities of the Holder to whom such Debentures are distributed.

Liquidation Amount ” means the stated amount of $             per Trust Security.

Liquidation Date ” means the date on which Debentures are to be distributed to Holders of Trust Securities in connection with a dissolution and liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.04(a).

Liquidation Distribution ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(e).

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the appropriate Trustee or Trustees.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Trust or the Depositor, as the case may be, or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

7


Original Amended Trust Agreement ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Original Trust Agreement ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Original Trustees ” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Trust Agreement.

Outstanding, ” when used with respect to Preferred Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Preferred Securities theretofore executed and delivered under this Trust Agreement, except:

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

(b) Preferred Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Property Trustee or any Paying Agent for the Holders of such Preferred Securities; provided that , if such Preferred Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and

(c) Preferred Securities which have been paid or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Preferred Securities have been executed and delivered pursuant to Section 5.04, Section 5.05, Section 5.11, Section 5.13, unless there shall have been presented to the Property Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Preferred Security is held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hand such Preferred Security is a valid obligation of the Trust; provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Securityholders for quorum purposes, Preferred Securities owned by the Depositor, any Trustee or any Affiliate of the Depositor or any Trustee, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that (i) in determining whether any Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Preferred Securities that such Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded and (ii) the foregoing shall not apply at any time when all of the outstanding Preferred Securities are owned by the Depositor, one or more of the Administrative Trustees and/or any of their Affiliates. Preferred Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Administrative Trustees the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Preferred Securities and that the pledgee is not the Depositor or any Affiliate of the Depositor.

 

8


Owner ” means each Person who beneficially owns a Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificate as reflected in the records of the Clearing Agency or, if a Clearing Agency Participant is not the Owner, then as reflected in the records of a Person maintaining an account with such Clearing Agency (directly or indirectly, in accordance with the rules of such Clearing Agency).

Paying Agent ” means any paying agent or co-paying agent appointed pursuant to Section 5.09 and shall initially be the Property Trustee.

Payment Account ” means a segregated non-interest-bearing corporate trust account maintained by the Property Trustee with the Paying Agent in its trust department for the benefit of the Securityholders in which all amounts paid in respect of the Debentures will be held and from which the Property Trustee shall make payments to the Securityholders in accordance with Section 4.01 and Section 4.02.

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

Preferred Security ” means an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $             and having the rights provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided herein.

Preferred Securities Certificate ” means a certificate evidencing ownership of Preferred Securities, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B.

Preferred Securities Guarantor ” means PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company, in its capacity as guarantor under the Guarantee, and its successors.

Property Trustee ” means the commercial bank or trust company identified as the “ Property Trustee ” in the preamble to this Trust Agreement solely in its capacity as Property Trustee of the Trust and not in its individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor property trustee appointed as herein provided.

Redemption Date ” means, with respect to any Trust Security to be redeemed, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Trust Agreement; provided, that each Debenture Redemption Date and the stated maturity of the Debentures shall be a Redemption Date for a Like Amount of Trust Securities.

 

9


Redemption Price ” means, with respect to any Trust Security, the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions to the Redemption Date, plus the related amount of the premium, if any, and any Additional Amounts paid by the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor upon the concurrent redemption of a Like Amount of Debentures, allocated on a pro rata basis (based on Liquidation Amounts) among the Trust Securities.

Relevant Trustee ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8.10.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Property Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Property Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Property Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Trust Agreement.

Securities Register ” and “ Securities Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 5.04.

Securityholder ” or “ Holder ” means a Person in whose name a Trust Security or Securities is registered in the Securities Register, any such Person being a beneficial owner within the meaning of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act; provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite amount of Preferred Securities have voted on any matter provided for in this Trust Agreement, then for purposes of any such determination, so long as Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates have not been issued, the term Securityholders or Holders as used herein shall refer to the Owners.

Trust ” means the Delaware statutory trust created by the Original Trust Agreement and the Certificate of Trust, as each has since been amended, and continued hereby and identified on the cover page to this Trust Agreement.

Trust Agreement ” means this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, as the same may be modified, amended or supplemented in accordance with the applicable provisions hereof, including all exhibits hereto, including, for all purposes of this Trust Agreement and any such modification, amendment or supplement, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this Trust Agreement and any such modification, amendment or supplement, respectively.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however , that in

 

10


the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “ Trust Indenture Act ” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

Trust Property ” means (a) the Debentures, (b) any cash on deposit in, or owing to, the Payment Account and (c) all proceeds and rights in respect of the foregoing.

Trust Security ” means any one of the Common Securities or the Preferred Securities.

Trust Securities Certificate ” means any one of the Common Securities Certificates or the Preferred Securities Certificates.

Trustees ” means, collectively, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees.

Underwriting Agreement ” means the Underwriting Agreement, dated as of                     ,     , 20    , among the Trust, the Depositor, the Debenture Guarantor and the Underwriters named therein.

ARTICLE 2

E STABLISHMENT OF THE T RUST

Section 2.01 . Name. The Trust continued hereby shall be known as “ PartnerRe Capital Trust III ”, as such name may be modified from time to time by the Administrative Trustees following written notice to the Holders of Trust Securities and the other Trustees, in which name the Trustees may conduct the business of the Trust, make and execute contracts and other instruments on behalf of the Trust and sue and be sued.

Section 2.02 . Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal Place of Business. The address of the initial Delaware Trustee in the State of Delaware is BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, Delaware 19711, or such other address in the State of Delaware as the Delaware Trustee may designate by written notice to the Depositor. The principal executive office of the Trust is c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich CT 06830-6352.

Section 2.03 . Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational Expenses. The Trustees acknowledge receipt in trust from the Original Depositor in connection with the Original Trust Agreement of the sum of $10, which constituted the initial Trust Property. The Depositor shall pay organizational expenses of the Trust as they arise or shall, upon request of any Trustee, promptly

 

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reimburse such Trustee for any such expenses paid by such Trustee. The Depositor shall make no claim upon the Trust Property for the payment of such expenses.

Section 2.04 . Issuance of the Preferred Securities. [The Depositor, both on its own behalf and on behalf of the Trust] [insert if Original Depositor remains Depositor: The Depositor, both on its own behalf and on behalf of the Trust and as Trust sponsor under the Original Trust Agreement,], has executed and delivered the Underwriting Agreement. On the Closing Date, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate, in accordance with Section 5.03 and such Administrative Trustee shall deliver to the Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement Preferred Securities Certificates, registered in the name of the nominee of the initial Clearing Agency, in an aggregate amount of                      Preferred Securities having an aggregate Liquidation Amount of $            , against receipt of an aggregate purchase price of such Preferred Securities of $            , which amount such Administrative Trustee shall promptly deliver to the Property Trustee.

Section 2.05 . Issuance of the Common Securities; Subscription and Purchase of Debentures. (a) On the Closing Date, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall execute in accordance with Section 5.02 and deliver to the Depositor Common Securities Certificates, registered in the name of the Depositor, in an aggregate amount of                      Common Securities having an aggregate Liquidation Amount of $            , against payment by the Depositor of such amount, which amount such Administrative Trustee shall promptly deliver to the Property Trustee. Contemporaneously therewith, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall subscribe to and purchase from the Debenture Issuer Debentures, registered in the name of the Trust and in an aggregate principal amount of $             and, in satisfaction of the purchase price for such Debentures, the Property Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall deliver to the Debenture Issuer the sum of $            .

(b) On the Closing Date, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall subscribe to and purchase from the Debenture Issuer Debentures, registered in the name of the Property Trustee and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities issued and sold on such date, and, in satisfaction of the purchase price for such Debentures, the Property Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall deliver to the Debenture Issuer the amount received on such date from one of the Administrative Trustees pursuant to the last sentences of Section 2.04 and Section 2.05(a), respectively.

Section 2.06 . Declaration of Trust. The exclusive purposes and functions of the Trust are (a) to issue and sell Trust Securities and use the proceeds from

 

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such sale to acquire the Debentures, and (b) to engage in those activities necessary, convenient or incidental thereto. The Depositor hereby appoints the Trustees as trustees of the Trust, to have all the rights, powers and duties to the extent set forth herein, and the Trustees hereby accept such appointment, subject to the terms and conditions hereof. The Property Trustee hereby declares that it will hold the Trust Property upon and subject to the conditions set forth herein for the benefit of the Securityholders. The Administrative Trustees shall have all rights, powers and duties set forth herein and in accordance with applicable law with respect to accomplishing the purposes of the Trust. The Delaware Trustee shall be one of the Trustees of the Trust for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.

Section 2.07 . Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions. (a) The Trustees shall conduct the affairs of the Trust in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement. Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (b) of this Section and Article 8, and in accordance with the following provisions (i) and (ii), the Administrative Trustees shall have the authority to enter into all transactions and agreements determined by the Administrative Trustee to be appropriate in exercising the authority, express or implied, otherwise granted to the Trustees under this Trust Agreement, and to perform all acts in furtherance thereof, including without limitation, the following:

(i) As among the Trustees, each of the Administrative Trustees, acting singly or together, shall have the power and authority to act on behalf of the Trust with respect to the following matters:

(A) comply with the Underwriting Agreement regarding the issuance and sale of the Trust Securities;

(B) to cause the Trust to enter into, and to execute, deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust any agreement among the Trust, the Depositor and the Clearing Agency relating to the Trust Securities Certificates and any other agreements as may be necessary or desirable in connection with the purposes and function of the Trust;

(C) to assist in the registration of the Preferred Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under state securities or blue sky laws, and the qualification of this Trust Agreement as a trust indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

(D) to assist in the listing of the Preferred Securities upon such securities exchange or exchanges as shall be determined by the Depositor and the registration of the Preferred

 

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Securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the preparation and filing of all periodic and other reports and other documents pursuant to the foregoing;

(E) the sending of notices (other than notices of default) and other information regarding the Trust Securities and the Debentures to the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement;

(F) the appointment of a Paying Agent, authenticating agent and Securities Registrar in accordance with this Trust Agreement;

(G) the establishment of a record date for any of the purposes contemplated by Section 6.07 hereof;

(H) to the extent provided in this Trust Agreement, the winding up of the affairs of and liquidation of the Trust and the preparation, execution and filing of the certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

(I) unless otherwise determined by the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees, or as otherwise required by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to execute on behalf of the Trust (either acting alone or together with any or all of the Administrative Trustees) any documents that the Administrative Trustees have the power to execute pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and

(J) the taking of any action incidental to the foregoing as the Trustees may from time to time determine is necessary or advisable to give effect to the terms of this Trust Agreement for the benefit of the Securityholders (without consideration of the effect of any such action on any particular Securityholder).

(ii) As among the Trustees, the Property Trustee shall have the power, duty and authority to act on behalf of the Trust with respect to the following matters:

(A) the establishment of the Payment Account;

(B) the receipt of the Debentures;

(C) the collection of interest, principal and any other payments made in respect of the Debentures in the Payment Account;

 

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(D) the distribution of amounts owed to the Securityholders in respect of the Trust Securities provided that the Property Trustee and the Paying Agent are the same Person;

(E) the exercise of all of the rights, powers and privileges of a holder of the Debentures;

(F) the sending of notices of default and other information regarding the Trust Securities and the Debentures to the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement;

(G) the distribution of the Trust Property in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement;

(H) to the extent provided in this Trust Agreement, to facilitate the Administrative Trustee’s winding up of the affairs of and liquidation of the Trust and the preparation, execution and filing of the certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, upon receipt of any such documents or instructions from the Administrative Trustee in furtherance of these actions;

(I) after a Debenture Event of Default, the taking of any action incidental to the foregoing as the Property Trustee may from time to time determine is necessary or advisable to give effect to the terms of this Trust Agreement and to protect and conserve the Trust Property for the benefit of the Securityholders (without consideration of the effect of any such action on any particular Securityholder); and

(J) engaging in such ministerial activities as shall be necessary, appropriate, convenient or incidental to effect the repayment of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities to the extent the Debentures mature or are redeemed.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section 2.07(a)(ii), the Property Trustee shall have none of the duties, liabilities, powers or the authority of the Administrative Trustees set forth in Section 2.07(a)(i).

(b) So long as this Trust Agreement remains in effect, the Trust (or the Trustees acting on behalf of the Trust) shall not undertake any business, activities or transaction except as expressly provided herein or contemplated hereby. In particular, the Trustees shall not cause the Trust to (i) acquire any investments or engage in any activities not authorized by this Trust Agreement, (ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange, mortgage, pledge, set-off or otherwise dispose of any of the

 

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Trust Property or interests therein, including to Securityholders, except as expressly provided herein, (iii) take any action or fail to take any action that would cause the Trust to fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes, (iv) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any other debt or (v) take or consent to any action that would result in the placement of a Lien on any of the Trust Property. The Administrative Trustees shall defend all claims and demands of all Persons at any time claiming any Lien on any of the Trust Property adverse to the interest of the Trust or the Securityholders in their capacity as Securityholders.

(c) In connection with the issue and sale of the Preferred Securities, the Depositor shall have the right and responsibility to assist the Trust with respect to, or effect on behalf of the Trust, the following (and any actions taken by the Depositor in furtherance of the following prior to the date of this Trust Agreement are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects):

(i) the preparation and filing by the Trust with the Commission and the execution on behalf of the Trust of a registration statement on the appropriate form in relation to the Preferred Securities, including any amendments thereto;

(ii) the determination of the states in which to take appropriate action to qualify or register for sale all or part of the Preferred Securities and the determination of any and all such acts, other than actions which must be taken by or on behalf of the Trust, and the advice to the Trustees of actions they must take on behalf of the Trust, and the preparation for execution and filing of any documents to be executed and filed by the Trust or on behalf of the Trust, as the Depositor deems necessary or advisable in order to comply with the applicable laws of any such States;

(iii) the preparation for filing by the Trust and execution on behalf of the Trust of an application to the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or any other national stock exchange for listing upon notice of issuance of any Preferred Securities;

(iv) the preparation for filing by the Trust with the Commission and the execution on behalf of the Trust of a registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the registration of the Preferred Securities under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments thereto;

(v) the negotiation of the terms of, and the execution and delivery of, the Underwriting Agreement providing for the sale of the Preferred Securities; and

 

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(vi) the taking of any other actions deemed by the Depositor to be necessary or desirable to carry out any of the foregoing activities.

(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Trustees are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs of the Trust and to operate the Trust so that the Trust will not (i) be deemed to be an “investment company” required to be registered under the Investment Company Act or (ii) fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes for United States Federal income tax purposes and so that the Debentures will be treated as indebtedness of the Debenture Issuer for United States Federal income tax purposes. In this connection, the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees are authorized to take any action, not inconsistent with applicable law, the Amended Certificate of Trust or this Trust Agreement, that each of the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees determines in their discretion to be necessary or desirable for such purposes, as long as such action does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.

Section 2.08 . Assets of Trust. The assets of the Trust shall consist of the Trust Property.

Section 2.09 . Title to Trust Property. Legal title to all Trust Property shall be vested at all times in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) and shall be held and administered by the Property Trustee for the benefit of the Trust and the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement.

Section 2.10 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained in this Trust Agreement and the Securities shall be taken as the statements of the Depositor, and the Trustees do not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustees do not make any representations as to the value or condition of the property of the Trust or any part thereof. The Trustees do not make any representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Declaration or the Securities.

ARTICLE 3

P AYMENT A CCOUNT

Section 3.01 . Payment Account. (a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Property Trustee shall establish the Payment Account. The Property Trustee and any agent of the Property Trustee shall have exclusive control and sole right of withdrawal with respect to the Payment Account for the purpose of making deposits in and withdrawals from the Payment Account in accordance with this Trust Agreement. All monies and other property deposited or held from time to time in the Payment Account shall be held by the Property Trustee in the Payment

 

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Account for the exclusive benefit of the Securityholders and for distribution as herein provided, including (and subject to) any priority of payments provided for herein.

(b) The Property Trustee shall deposit in the Payment Account, promptly upon receipt, all payments of principal of or interest on, and any other payments or proceeds with respect to, the Debentures. Amounts held in the Payment Account shall not be invested by the Property Trustee pending distribution thereof.

ARTICLE 4

C ERTAIN T ERMS OF THE T RUST S ECURITIES

Section 4.01 . Distributions. (a) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be cumulative, and will accumulate whether or not there are funds of the Trust available for the payment of Distributions. Distributions shall accrue from                         , 20    , and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on                          ,                         ,                          and                          of each year, commencing on                          , 20     except as otherwise described below. The Debenture Issuer has the right under the Indenture, at any time and from time to time, to defer payments of interest for such period or periods as may be specified with respect to the Debentures (each, an “ Extension Period ”), on the terms and conditions specified in the Indenture. As a consequence of such deferral, Distributions will also be deferred. Despite such deferral, quarterly Distributions will continue to accumulate at the rate set forth in paragraph Section 4.01, together with additional distributions thereon (to the extent permitted by applicable law) at the rate at which Additional Interest is then accruing on the Debentures, compounded quarterly during any such Extension Period. If any date on which a Distribution is otherwise payable on the Trust Securities is not a Business Day, then the payment of such Distribution shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any additional distributions or other payment in respect of any such delay), in each case with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment was originally payable (each date on which distributions are payable in accordance with this Section 4.01(a), a “ Distribution Date ”); provided however , if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, the payment of such Distribution shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day.

(b) The Trust Securities represent undivided beneficial interests in the Trust Property, and, as a practical matter, the Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be payable at a rate of     % per annum of the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities. The term “Distributions” as used herein includes such cash distributions and any accumulated or additional distributions that are payable hereunder unless otherwise stated. The amount of Distributions payable for any

 

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full or partial period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of Distributions payable for any period shall include any Additional Amounts, if applicable pursuant to the terms of such Trust Security.

(c) The Property Trustee shall, and is directed to, make Distributions on the Trust Securities payable to the Holders thereof on each Distribution Date, but only to the extent that the Trust has funds then on hand and available in the Payment Account for the payment of such Distributions.

(d) Distributions on the Trust Securities with respect to a Distribution Date shall be payable to the Holders thereof as they appear on the Securities Register at the close of business on the relevant record date, which, as long as the Preferred Securities remain in book-entry only form, shall be the day immediately preceding such Distribution Date. The relevant record dates for the Common Securities shall be the same record dates as for the Preferred Securities. If the Preferred Securities shall not continue to remain in book-entry only form or are not in book-entry only form at issuance, the relevant record dates for the Preferred Securities shall be the dates 15 calendar days prior to the relevant Distribution Dates, which Distribution Dates shall correspond to the interest payment dates on the Debentures. Distributions payable on any Trust Securities that are not punctually paid on any Distribution Date, as a result of the Debenture Issuer (or the Debenture Guarantor on its behalf) having failed to make an interest payment under the Debentures, will cease to be payable to the Person in whose name such Trust Securities are registered on the relevant record date, and such defaulted Distribution will instead be payable to the Person in whose name such Trust Securities are registered on the special record date or other specified date for determining Debenture holders entitled to such defaulted interest established in accordance with the Indenture.

(e) In the event that there is any money or other property held by or for the Trust that is not accounted for hereunder, such property shall be distributed pro rata among the Holders of the Trust Securities. A reference herein to any payment, distribution or treatment as being “ pro rata ” shall mean pro rata to each Holder of Trust Securities according to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities held by the relevant Holder in relation to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all Trust Securities outstanding unless, in relation to a payment, a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, in which case any funds available to make such payment shall be paid first to each Holder of the Preferred Securities pro rata according to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities held by the relevant Holder relative to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all Preferred Securities outstanding, and only after satisfaction of all amounts owed to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, to each Holder of Common Securities pro rata according to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Common Securities held by the relevant Holder relative to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all Common Securities outstanding.

 

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Section 4.02 . Redemption. (a) On each Debenture Redemption Date and on the stated maturity of the Debentures, the Trust will be required to redeem a Like Amount of Trust Securities at a price per Trust Security equal to the Redemption Price.

(b) Notice of redemption shall be given by the Property Trustee at the expense of the Depositor by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Trust Securities to be redeemed, at such Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register; provided that the Property Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice should be satisfactory to the Property Trustee). All notices of redemption shall state:

(i) the Redemption Date;

(ii) the Redemption Price;

(iii) the CUSIP number;

(iv) if less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities are to be redeemed, the identification and the total Liquidation Amount of the particular Trust Securities to be redeemed; and

(v) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Trust Security to be redeemed and that distributions thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date.

(c) The Trust Securities redeemed on each Redemption Date shall be redeemed at the Redemption Price with the proceeds from the contemporaneous redemption of Debentures. Redemptions of the Trust Securities shall be made, and the Redemption Price shall be payable, on each Redemption Date only to the extent that the Trust has funds then on hand and available in the Payment Account for the payment of such Redemption Price.

(d) If the Property Trustee gives a notice of redemption (which notice shall be irrevocable) in respect of any Preferred Securities, then, by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Redemption Date, subject to Section 4.02(c), the Property Trustee will, so long as the Preferred Securities are in book-entry-only form, irrevocably deposit with the Clearing Agency for the Preferred Securities funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Price and will give such Clearing Agency irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Price to the relevant Persons’ accounts at such Clearing Agency on the applicable

 

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Redemption Date. If the Preferred Securities are no longer in book-entry-only form, and in the case of the Common Securities, the Property Trustee, subject to Section 4.02(c), will irrevocably deposit with the Paying Agent funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Price and will give the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Price to the Holders thereof upon surrender of their Trust Securities Certificates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Distributions payable on or prior to the Redemption Date for any Trust Securities called for redemption shall be payable to the Holders of such Trust Securities as they appear on the Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record dates for the related Distribution Dates. If notice of redemption shall have been given and funds deposited as required, then immediately prior to the close of business on the date of such deposit, all rights of Securityholders holding Trust Securities so called for redemption will cease, except the right of such Securityholders to receive the Redemption Price and any Distributions payable on or prior to the Redemption Date, but without interest, and such Securities will cease to be outstanding. In the event that any date on which any Redemption Price is payable is not a Business Day, then payment of the Redemption Price payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay); provided that , if the Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, payment will be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the event that payment of the Redemption Price in respect of any Trust Securities called for redemption is improperly withheld or refused and not paid either by the Trust or by the Preferred Securities Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee, Distributions on such Trust Securities will continue to accrue, at the then applicable rate, from the Redemption Date originally established by the Trust for such Trust Securities to the date such Redemption Price is actually paid, in which case the actual payment date will be the date fixed for redemption for purposes of calculating the Redemption Price. The notice if mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to the Holder of Trust Securities to be redeemed as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Trust Security.

(e) Payment of the Redemption Price on the Trust Securities shall be made to the recordholders thereof as they appear on the Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record date, which shall be one day prior to the relevant Redemption Date; provided, however , that in the event that the Preferred Securities do not remain in book-entry-only form, the relevant record date shall be the date fifteen days prior to the relevant Redemption Date.

(f) Subject to Section 4.03(a), if less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities are to be redeemed on a Redemption Date, then the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Trust Securities to be redeemed shall be allocated on a pro

 

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rata basis (based on Liquidation Amounts) among the Common Securities and the Preferred Securities. The particular Preferred Securities to be redeemed shall be selected on a pro rata basis (based upon Liquidation Amounts) not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Property Trustee from the Outstanding Preferred Securities not previously called for redemption, by such method (including, without limitation, by lot) as the Property Trustee and the Clearing Agency shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to $             or an integral multiple of $             in excess thereof) of the Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities of a denomination larger than $            . If the Property Trustee is not the Security Registrar for the Preferred Securities, the Property Trustee shall promptly notify the Security Registrar in writing of the Preferred Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Preferred Securities selected for partial redemption, the Liquidation Amount thereof to be redeemed. For all purposes of this Trust Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Preferred Securities shall relate, in the case of any Preferred Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities that has been or is to be redeemed.

(g) Any determination made by the Property Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.02 shall be conclusive and binding upon the Debenture Issuer and the Holders of the Trust Securities in the absence of manifest error and the Property Trustee shall have no liability with respect to such determination.

Section 4.03 . Subordination of Common Securities. (a) Payment of Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, and the Redemption Price of, the Trust Securities, as applicable, shall be made, subject to Section 4.02(f), pro rata among the Common Securities and the Preferred Securities based on the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities; provided, however , that if on any Distribution Date or Redemption Date any Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, no payment of any Distribution (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, or Redemption Price of, any Common Security, and no other payment on account of the redemption, liquidation or other acquisition of Common Securities, shall be made unless payment in full in cash of all accumulated and unpaid Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on all Outstanding Preferred Securities for all Distribution periods terminating on or prior thereto, or in the case of payment of the Redemption Price the full amount of such Redemption Price on all Outstanding Preferred Securities, shall have been made or provided for, and all funds immediately available to the Property Trustee shall first be applied to the payment in full in cash of all Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, or the Redemption Price of, Preferred Securities then due and payable.

 

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(b) In the case of the occurrence of any Debenture Event of Default, the Holder of Common Securities will be deemed to have waived any right to act with respect to any such Debenture Event of Default under this Trust Agreement until the effect of all such Debenture Events of Default with respect to the Preferred Securities have been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated. Until any such Debenture Event of Default under this Trust Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities has been so cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, the Property Trustee shall act solely on behalf of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and not the Holder of the Common Securities, and only the Holders of the Preferred Securities will have the right to direct the Property Trustee to act on their behalf.

Section 4.04 . Payment Procedures. Payments of Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) in respect of the Preferred Securities shall be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Securities Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States or, if the Preferred Securities are held by a Clearing Agency, such Distributions shall be made to the Clearing Agency in immediately available funds, which shall credit the relevant Persons’ accounts at such Clearing Agency on the applicable distribution dates. Payments of Distributions to Holders of $            , or more in aggregate Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities may be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds upon written request of such Holder to the Securities Registrar not later than 10 calendar days prior to the date on which the Distribution is payable. Payments in respect of the Common Securities shall be made in such manner as shall be mutually agreed between the Property Trustee and the Common Securityholder.

Section 4.05 . Tax Returns And Reports. The Administrative Trustees shall prepare (or cause to be prepared), at the Depositor’s expense, and file all United States Federal, state and local tax and information returns and reports required to be filed by or in respect of the Trust. In this regard, the Administrative Trustees shall (a) prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed) the appropriate Internal Revenue Service Form required to be filed in respect of the Trust in each taxable year of the Trust and (b) prepare and furnish (or cause to be prepared and furnished) to each Securityholder the appropriate Internal Revenue Service form required to be provided on such form. The Administrative Trustees shall provide the Depositor and the Property Trustee with a copy of all such returns and reports promptly after such filing or furnishing. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Property Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Property Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including compliance with any covenants hereunder (as to which the Property Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates). The Trustees shall comply with United States Federal

 

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withholding and backup withholding tax laws and information reporting requirements with respect to any payments to Securityholders under the Trust Securities.

Section 4.06 . Payment of Taxes, Duties, etc. of the Trust. Upon receipt under the Debentures of any Additional Sums in its possession, the Property Trustee shall, at the written direction of an Administrative Trustee, promptly pay any taxes, duties or governmental charges of whatsoever nature (other than withholding taxes) imposed on the Trust by the United States or any other taxing authority.

Section 4.07 . Payments Under Indenture. Any amount payable hereunder to any Holder of Preferred Securities shall be reduced by the amount of any corresponding payment such Holder (and any Owner with respect thereto) has directly received pursuant to Section 5.08 of the Indenture.

Section 4.08 . CUSIP Numbers. The Trust in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustees shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange.

Section 4.09 . Exchanges. (a) If at any time the Depositor or any of its Affiliates (in any such case, a “ Depositor Affiliated Holder ”) is the Owner or Holder of any Preferred Securities, such Depositor Affiliated Holder shall have the right to deliver to the Property Trustee all or such portion of its Preferred Securities as it elects and, subject to the terms of the Indenture, receive, in exchange therefor, a Like Amount of Debentures (such an exchange being referred to herein as an “ Exchange ”). Such election (i) shall be exercisable, and shall be effective on any Business Day, provided that such Business Day is not a record date or any date falling between a record date and a Distribution Date, by such Depositor Affiliated Holder delivering to the Property Trustee a written notice of such election specifying the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities with respect to which such election is being made and the date on which such Exchange shall occur, which date shall be not less than 10 Business Days after the date of receipt by the Property Trustee of such election notice and (ii) shall be conditioned upon such Depositor Affiliated Holder having delivered or caused to be delivered to the Property Trustee or its designee the Preferred Securities which are the subject of such election by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date on which such Exchange is to occur. After the Exchange, such Preferred Securities shall be canceled and shall no longer be deemed to be Outstanding and all rights of the Depositor Affiliated Holder with respect to such Preferred Securities shall cease. So long as the Preferred Securities are in book-entry-only form, the delivery and the cancellation of the Preferred Securities pursuant to this Section 4.09 shall be made in accordance with the customary procedures for the Clearing Agency for the Preferred Securities.

 

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(b) In the case of an Exchange, the Trust shall, on the date of such Exchange, exchange Debentures having a principal amount equal to a proportional amount of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the outstanding Common Securities based on the ratio of the (i) aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities exchanged pursuant to Section 4.09(a), divided by (ii) the aggregate liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities outstanding immediately prior to such Exchange, for such proportional amount of Common Securities held by the Depositor (which contemporaneously shall be canceled and no longer be deemed to be outstanding); provided , that the Depositor delivers or causes to be delivered to the Property Trustee or its designee the required amount of Common Securities to be exchanged by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date on which such exchange is to occur.

ARTICLE 5

T RUST S ECURITIES C ERTIFICATES

Section 5.01 . Ownership. The Depositor shall be the sole beneficial owner of the Trust.

Section 5.02 . The Trust Securities Certificates. The Trust Securities Certificates shall be issued in multiples of $             and shall be executed on behalf of the Trust by manual signature of at least one Administrative Trustee. Subject to Section 5.03(b), Trust Securities Certificates bearing the manual signatures of individuals who were, at the time when such signatures shall have been affixed, authorized to sign on behalf of the Trust, shall be validly issued and entitled to the benefits of this Trust Agreement, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them shall have ceased to be so authorized prior to the delivery of such Trust Securities Certificates or did not hold such offices at the date of delivery of such Trust Securities Certificates. A transferee of a Trust Securities Certificate shall become a Securityholder, and shall be entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a Securityholder hereunder, upon due registration of such Trust Securities Certificate in such transferee’s name pursuant to Section 5.04, Section 5.11 and Section 5.13.

Section 5.03 . Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities Certificates. (a) Upon their original issuance, the Administrative Trustees shall cause Trust Securities Certificates, in an aggregate Liquidation Amount as provided in Section 2.05, to be executed on behalf of the Trust and delivered to or upon the written order of the Depositor, signed by an Authorized Officer, without further corporate action by the Depositor, in authorized denominations.

 

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(b) A Trust Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of an authorized signatory of the Property Trustee. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Trust Security has been authenticated under this Trust Agreement. Upon a written order of the Trust signed by one Administrative Trustee, the Property Trustee shall authenticate the Trust Securities for original issue. Each Trust Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Property Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Trust to authenticate Trust Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Trust Securities whenever the Property Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Trust Agreement to authentication by the Property Trustee includes authentication by such agent.

Section 5.04 . Registration of Transfer and Exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates. The Depositor shall keep or cause to be kept, at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08, a register or registers for the purpose of registering Trust Securities Certificates and transfers and exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates (the “ Securities Register ”). The registrar designated by the Depositor (the “ Securities Registrar ”), subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, shall provide for the registration of Preferred Securities Certificates and Common Securities Certificates (subject to Section 5.10 in the case of the Common Securities Certificates) and registration of transfers and exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates as herein provided. If the Depositor fails to designate another entity as Securities Registrar, the Property Trustee shall act as such for the Preferred Securities and the Administrative Trustee shall act as Securities Registrar for the Common Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Preferred Securities Certificate at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08, the Administrative Trustees or any one of them shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Preferred Securities Certificates in authorized denominations of a like aggregate Liquidation Amount dated the date of execution by such Administrative Trustee or Trustees. The Securities Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of any Preferred Securities after such Preferred Securities have been called for redemption. At the option of a Holder, Preferred Securities Certificates may be exchanged for other Preferred Securities Certificates in authorized denominations of the same class and of a like aggregate Liquidation Amount upon surrender of the Preferred Securities Certificates to be exchanged at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08. Every Preferred Securities Certificate presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to an Administrative Trustee and the Securities Registrar duly executed by the Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing. Each Preferred Securities Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be cancelled and subsequently disposed of by the

 

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Securities Registrar in accordance with customary practice. Registration of transfers or exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates shall be effected without service charge by or on behalf of the Trust, but the Securities Registrar may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any such transfer or exchange.

Section 5.05 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities Certificates. If (a) any mutilated Trust Securities Certificate shall be surrendered to the Securities Registrar, or if the Securities Registrar shall receive evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Trust Securities Certificate and (b) there shall be delivered to the Securities Registrar and the Trustees such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, then in the absence of notice that such Trust Securities Certificate shall have been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Administrative Trustees, or any one of them, on behalf of the Trust shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Trust Securities Certificate, a new Trust Securities Certificate of like class, tenor and denomination. In connection with the issuance of any new Trust Securities Certificate under this Section, the Administrative Trustees or the Securities Registrar may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith and any expenses they incur in replacing the Trust Securities. Any duplicate Trust Securities Certificate issued pursuant to this Section shall constitute conclusive evidence of an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust, as if originally issued, whether or not the lost, stolen or destroyed Trust Securities Certificate shall be found at any time.

Section 5.06 . Persons Deemed Securityholders. Prior to due presentation of a Trust Securities Certificate for registration of transfer, the Administrative Trustees or the Securities Registrar shall treat the Person in whose name any Trust Securities Certificate shall be registered in the Securities Register as the owner of such Trust Securities Certificate for the purpose of receiving distributions and for all other purposes whatsoever, and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such Trust Securities Certificate and neither the Trustees nor the Securities Registrar shall be bound by any notice to the contrary.

Section 5.07 . Access to List of Securityholders’ Names and Addresses. The Administrative Trustees shall furnish or cause to be furnished (x) to the Depositor, within 15 days after receipt by any Administrative Trustee of a request therefor from the Depositor in writing and (y) to the Property Trustee, promptly after receipt by any Administrative Trustee of a request therefor from the Property Trustee in writing in order to enable the Property Trustee to discharge its obligations under this Trust Agreement, a list, in such form as the Depositor or the Property Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the

 

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Securityholders as of a recent date. If Holders of Trust Securities Certificates evidencing ownership at such time and for the previous six months of not less than 25% of the Outstanding aggregate Liquidation Amount apply in writing to any Administrative Trustee, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Securityholders with respect to their rights under this Trust Agreement or under the Trust Securities Certificates and such application is accompanied by a copy of the communication that such applicants propose to transmit, then the Administrative Trustees shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, afford such applicants access during normal business hours to the current list of Securityholders. Each Holder, by receiving and holding a Trust Securities Certificate, and each Owner shall be deemed to have agreed not to hold the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees accountable by reason of the disclosure of its name and address, regardless of the source from which such information was derived.

Section 5.08 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Trust shall maintain in New York, New York, an office or offices or agency or agencies where Preferred Securities Certificates may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Trustees in respect of the Trust Securities and the Trust Agreement may be served. The Administrative Trustees initially designate the Corporate Trust Office of the Property Trustee as the principal corporate trust office for such purposes. The Administrative Trustees shall give prompt written notice to the Depositor and to the Securityholders of any change in the location of the Securities Register or any such office or agency.

Section 5.09 . Appointment of Paying Agent. The Paying Agent shall make distributions to Securityholders from the Payment Account and shall report the amounts of such distributions in writing to the Property Trustee (if the Property Trustee is not the Paying Agent) and the Administrative Trustees. Any Paying Agent shall have the revocable power to withdraw funds from the Payment Account for the purpose of making the distributions referred to above. The Administrative Trustees may revoke such power and remove the Paying Agent if such Trustees determine in their sole discretion that the Paying Agent shall have failed to perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement in any material respect. The Paying Agent shall initially be the Property Trustee. Any Person acting as Paying Agent shall be permitted to resign as Paying Agent upon 30 days’ written notice to the Administrative Trustees, the Property Trustee and the Depositor. In the event that the Property Trustee shall no longer be the Paying Agent or a successor Paying Agent shall resign or its authority to act be revoked, the Administrative Trustees shall appoint a successor (which shall be a bank or trust company that is acceptable to the Property Trustee and the Depositor) to act as Paying Agent. The Administrative Trustees shall cause such successor Paying Agent or any additional Paying Agent appointed by the Administrative Trustees to execute and deliver to the Trustees an instrument in which such successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustees that as

 

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Paying Agent, such successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agent will hold all sums, if any, held by it for payment to the Securityholders in trust for the benefit of the Securityholders entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Securityholders. At the written request of the Administrative Trustees, any Paying Agent that is not the Property Trustee shall return all unclaimed funds to the Property Trustee and upon removal of such Paying Agent, such Paying Agent shall also return all funds in its possession to the Property Trustee, at which time the Paying Agent (if other than the Trust or an Affiliate of the Trust) shall have no further liability for the money. The provisions of Section 8.01, Section 8.02 and Section 8.06 herein shall apply to the Paying Agent appointed hereunder and, to the extent applicable, to any other paying agent appointed hereunder. Any reference in this Agreement to the Paying Agent shall include any co-paying agent unless the context requires otherwise.

Section 5.10 . Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor. On the Closing Date, the Depositor shall acquire and retain beneficial and record ownership of all of the Common Securities then issued by the Trust. To the fullest extent permitted by law, other than a transfer in connection with a consolidation or merger of the Depositor into another corporation, or any conveyance, transfer or lease by the Depositor of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Indenture, any attempted transfer of the Common Securities shall be void. The Administrative Trustees shall cause each Common Securities Certificate issued to the Depositor to contain a legend stating “THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE TRUST AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED BELOW)”. Each Common Securities Certificate issued to the Depositor shall be issued pursuant to Section 5.11(b) of this Trust Agreement.

Section 5.11 . Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates; Common Securities Certificate. (a) The Preferred Securities Certificates, upon original issuance, will be issued in the form of a typewritten Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates representing Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates, to be delivered to DTC, the initial Clearing Agency, by, or on behalf of, the Trust. Such Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates shall initially be registered on the Securities Register in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of the initial Clearing Agency, and no beneficial owner will receive a Definitive Preferred Securities Certificate representing such beneficial owner’s interest in such Preferred Securities, except as provided in Section 5.13. Except for Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates as specified herein, unless and until Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates have been issued to beneficial owners pursuant to Section 5.13:

(i) the provisions of this Section 5.11(a) shall be in full force and effect;

 

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(ii) the Securities Registrar and the Trustees shall be entitled to deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this Trust Agreement relating to the Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates (including the payment of the Liquidation Amount of and Distributions on the Book-Entry Preferred Securities and the giving of instructions or directions to Owners of Book-Entry Preferred Securities) as the sole Holder of Book-Entry Preferred Securities and shall have no obligations to the Owners thereof;

(iii) to the extent that the provisions of this Section 5.11 conflict with any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, the provisions of this Section 5.11 shall control; and

(iv) the rights of the Owners of the Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates shall be exercised only through the Clearing Agency and shall be limited to those established by law and agreements between such Owners and the Clearing Agency and/or the Clearing Agency Participants; provided, that solely for the purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite amount of Preferred Securities have voted on any matter provided for in this Trust Agreement, so long as Definitive Preferred Security Certificates have not been issued, the Trustees may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, any written instrument (including a proxy) delivered to the Trustees by the Clearing Agency setting forth the Owners’ votes or assigning the right to vote on any matter to any other Persons either in whole or in part. Pursuant to its customary procedures, the initial Clearing Agency will make book-entry transfers among the Clearing Agency Participants and receive and transmit payments on the Preferred Securities to such Clearing Agency Participants.

(b) A single Common Securities Certificate representing the Common Securities shall be issued to the Depositor in the form of a definitive Common Securities Certificate.

Section 5.12 . Notices to Clearing Agency. (a) To the extent that a notice or other communication to the Owners is required under this Trust Agreement, unless and until Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates shall have been issued to Owners pursuant to Section 5.13, the Trustees shall give all such notices and communications specified herein to be given to Owners to the Clearing Agency, and shall have no obligations to the Owners.

Section 5.13 . Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates. If (a) the Depositor advises the Trustees in writing that the Clearing Agency is no longer willing or able to act as clearing agency with respect to the Preferred Securities Certificates, and the Depositor fails to appoint a qualified successor within 90

 

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days, (b) the Depositor at its option advises the Trustees in writing that it elects to terminate the book-entry system through the Clearing Agency or (c) after the occurrence of a Debenture Event of Default, then the Property Trustee shall notify the Clearing Agency and the Clearing Agency shall notify all Owners of Preferred Securities Certificates and the other Trustees of the occurrence of any such event and of the availability of the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates to Owners of such class or classes, as applicable, requesting the same. Upon surrender to the Property Trustee of the typewritten Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates representing the Book Entry Preferred Securities Certificates by the Clearing Agency, accompanied by registration instructions, the Administrative Trustees, or any one of them, shall execute, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates in accordance with the instructions of the Clearing Agency. Neither the Securities Registrar nor the Trustees shall be liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, such instructions. Upon the issuance of Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates, the Trustees shall recognize the Holders of the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates as Securityholders. The Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or may be produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Trustees, as evidenced by the execution thereof by the Administrative Trustees or any one of them.

Section 5.14 . Rights of Securityholders. (a) The legal title to the Trust Property shall be vested exclusively in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) in accordance with Section 2.09, and the Securityholders shall not have any right or title therein other than the undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust conferred by their Trust Securities and they shall have no right to call for any partition or division of property, profits or rights of the Trust except as described below. The Trust Securities shall be personal property giving only the rights specifically set forth therein and in this Trust Agreement. The Trust Securities shall have no preemptive or similar rights and when issued and delivered to Securityholders against payment of the purchase price therefor will be fully paid and nonassessable by the Trust. The Holders of the Trust Securities, in their capacities as such, shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

(b) For so long as any Preferred Securities remain Outstanding, if, upon a Debenture Event of Default, the Debenture Trustee fails or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Debentures fail to declare the principal of all of the Debentures to be immediately due and payable, the Holders of at least 25% in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Debenture Issuer, the Debenture Guarantor, the Debenture Trustee and the Property Trustee; and

 

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upon any such declaration such principal amount of and the accrued interest on all of the Debentures shall become immediately due and payable, provided, that the payment of principal, interest, and any other amounts payable with respect to such Debentures shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in the Indenture.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Debentures has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Debenture Trustee as in the Indenture provided, the Holders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding, by written notice to the Debenture Issuer, the Debenture Guarantor, the Debenture Trustee and the Property Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

(i) the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor has paid or deposited with the Debenture Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

(A) all overdue installments of interest (including any Additional Interest) on, and any other Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect to, all of the Debentures,

(B) the principal of and premium on any Debentures which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in the Debentures,

(C) to the extent the payment of such interest or Additional Amounts (if applicable) is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in the Debentures, and

(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Debenture Trustee under the Indenture and the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Debenture Trustee and the Property Trustee, their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Debenture Trustee under the Indenture and the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement; and

(ii) all Debenture Events of Default, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Debentures which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.14 of the Indenture.

 

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

The Holders of not less than a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Preferred Securities, waive any past default under the Indenture, except a default (i) in the payment of principal of, any premium or interest (including any Additional Interest) on, or any other Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect to, the Debentures or (ii) in respect of a covenant or provision which under the Indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debenture.

Upon receipt by the Property Trustee of written notice declaring such an acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, by Holders of the Preferred Securities all or part of which are represented by Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates, a record date shall be established for determining Holders of Outstanding Preferred Securities entitled to join in such notice, which record date shall be at the close of business on the day the Property Trustee receives such notice. The Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to join in such notice, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that, unless such declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case may be, shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having joined in such notice prior to the day which is 90 days after such record date, such notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case may be, shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be canceled and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a Holder, or a proxy of a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such 90-day period, a new written notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, as the case may be, that is identical to a written notice which has been canceled pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, in which event a new record date shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.14(b).

(c) For so long as any Preferred Securities remain Outstanding, to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the terms of this Trust Agreement and the Indenture, any Holder of Preferred Securities shall have the right, upon a Debenture Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b) of the Indenture, to institute directly a proceeding against the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor, as the case may be, pursuant to Section 5.08 of the Indenture, for enforcement of payment to such Holder of the principal of, and any premium and (subject to the provisions of the Indenture) interest (including any Additional Interest) on, and any other Additional Amounts (if applicable) with respect to, such Debentures having a principal amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities of such Holder (a “ Direct Action ”). In connection with any such Direct Action, the rights of the Holders of Common

 

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Securities will be subrogated to the rights of any Holder of Preferred Securities to the extent of any payment made by the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor to such Holder of Preferred Securities as a result of such Direct Action. Except as set forth in Section 5.14(b) and this Section 5.14(c), or as otherwise contemplated by the Indenture, the Holders of Preferred Securities shall have no right to exercise directly any right or remedy available to the holders of, or in respect of, the Debentures.

Section 5.15 . Rights and Immunities of the Registrar. The Securities Registrar shall be entitled to all of the rights, protections, immunities and indemnities afforded to the Property Trustee hereunder.

Section 5.16 . Rights and Immunities of the Paying Agent. The Paying Agent shall be entitled to all of the rights, protections, immunities and indemnities afforded to the Property Trustee hereunder.

Section 5.17 . No Obligation for Clearing Agency. The Property Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owners of a Preferred Securities Certificate or Owner, a Clearing Agency Participant or other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Clearing Agency or its nominee or of any Clearing Agency Participant thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Preferred Securities Certificates or with respect to the delivery to any Clearing Agency Participant, Owner or other Person (other than the Clearing Agency) of any notice (including any notice of redemption) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Preferred Securities Certificates. The Property Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by the Clearing Agency or any agent thereof with respect to is Participants and beneficial owners.

ARTICLE 6

A CTS OF S ECURITYHOLDERS ; M EETINGS ; V OTING

Section 6.01 . Limitations on Voting Rights. (a) Except as provided in this Trust Agreement and in the Indenture and as otherwise required by law, no Holder of Preferred Securities shall have any right to vote or in any manner otherwise control the administration, operation and management of the Trust or the obligations of the parties hereto, nor shall anything herein set forth, or contained in the terms of the Trust Securities Certificates, be construed so as to constitute the Securityholders from time to time as partners or members of an association.

(b) So long as any Debentures are held by the Property Trustee, the Trustees shall not

(i) direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Debenture Trustee, or executing any trust or power conferred on the Debenture Trustee with respect to such Debentures,

 

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(ii) waive any past default which is waivable under Section 5.13 of the Indenture,

(iii) exercise any right to rescind or annul a declaration that the principal of all the Debentures shall be due and payable, or

(iv) consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the Indenture or the Debentures, where such consent shall be required,

without, in each case, obtaining the prior approval of the Holders of at least a majority in Liquidation Amount of all Outstanding Preferred Securities; provided, however , that where a consent under the Indenture would require the consent of each holder of Debentures affected thereby, no such consent shall be given by the Property Trustee without the prior written consent of each Holder of Preferred Securities. The Trustees shall not revoke any action previously authorized or approved by a vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities, except by a subsequent vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities. The Property Trustee shall notify all Holders of the Preferred Securities of any notice of default received from the Debenture Trustee with respect to the Debentures. In addition to obtaining the foregoing approvals of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, prior to taking any of the foregoing actions, the Trustees shall be given, at the expense of the Depositor, an Opinion of Counsel rendered by counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that the Trust will not fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes for United States Federal income tax purposes on account of such action.

(c) If any proposed amendment to the Trust Agreement provides for, or the Trustees otherwise propose to effect,

(i) any action that would adversely affect in any material respect the powers, preferences or special rights of the Preferred Securities, whether by way of amendment to the Trust Agreement or otherwise, or

(ii) the dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust, other than pursuant to the terms of this Trust Agreement,

then the Holders of Outstanding Preferred Securities as a class will be entitled to vote on such amendment or proposal and such amendment or proposal shall not be effective except with the approval of the Holders of at least a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities. No amendment to

 

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this Trust Agreement may be made if, as a result of such amendment, the Trust would fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Meetings. Notice of all meetings of the Preferred Securityholders, stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting, shall be given by the Property Trustee, at the written direction of any Administrative Trustee, pursuant to Section 10.08 to each Preferred Securityholder of record, at his registered address, at least 15 days and not more than 90 days before the meeting. At any such meeting, any business properly before the meeting may be so considered whether or not stated in the notice of the meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice.

Section 6.03 . Meetings of Preferred Securityholders. No annual meeting of Securityholders is required to be held. The Administrative Trustees, however, shall call a meeting of Securityholders to vote on any matter upon the written request of the Preferred Securityholders of record of 25% of the Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) and the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee may, at any time in their discretion, call a meeting of Preferred Securityholders to vote on any matters as to which Preferred Securityholders are entitled to vote. Preferred Securityholders of record of 50% of the Outstanding Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount), present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of Securityholders. If a quorum is present at a meeting, an affirmative vote by the Preferred Securityholders of record present, in person or by proxy, holding a majority of the Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) held by the Preferred Securityholders of record present, either in person or by proxy, at such meeting shall constitute the action of the Securityholders, unless this Trust Agreement requires a greater number of affirmative votes.

Section 6.04 . Voting Rights. Securityholders shall be entitled to one vote for each $             of Liquidation Amount represented by their Trust Securities in respect of any matter as to which such Securityholders are entitled to vote.

Section 6.05 . Proxies, etc. At any meeting of Securityholders, any Securityholder entitled to vote thereat may vote by proxy, provided that no proxy shall be voted at any meeting unless it shall have been placed on file with the Administrative Trustees, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as the Administrative Trustees may direct, for verification prior to the time at which such vote shall be taken. Pursuant to a resolution of the Administrative Trustees, proxies may be solicited in the name of the Administrative Trustees or one or more officers of the Administrative Trustees. Only Securityholders of record shall be entitled to vote. When Trust Securities are held jointly by several Persons, any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in respect of such Trust Securities, but if more than one of them shall be present at such meeting in

 

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person or by proxy, and such joint owners or their proxies so present disagree as to any vote to be cast, such vote shall not be received in respect of such Trust Securities. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Securityholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. No proxy shall be valid more than three years after its date of execution.

Section 6.06 . Securityholder Action by Written Consent. Any required approval or action which may be given or taken by Securityholders at a meeting convened for such purpose may be given or taken without a meeting and without prior notice if Securityholders holding a majority of all Outstanding Trust Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) entitled to vote in respect of such action (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be required by any express provision of this Trust Agreement) shall consent to the action in writing.

Section 6.07 . Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes. For the purposes of determining the Securityholders who are entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting or to act by written consent, or to participate in any distribution on the Trust Securities in respect of which a record date is not otherwise provided for in this Trust Agreement, or for the purpose of any other action, the Administrative Trustees may from time to time fix a date, not more than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of Securityholders or the payment of a distribution or other action, as the case may be, as a record date for the determination of the identity of the Securityholders of record for such purposes.

Section 6.08 . Acts of Securityholders. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Trust Agreement to be given, made or taken by Securityholders or Owners may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Securityholders or Owners in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to an Administrative Trustee. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Securityholders or Owners signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Trust Agreement and (subject to Section 8.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustees, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient

 

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proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which any Trustee receiving the same deems sufficient. The ownership of Preferred Securities shall be proved by the Securities Register. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Securityholder of any Trust Security shall bind every future Securityholder of the same Trust Security and the Securityholder of every Trust Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustees or the Trust in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Trust Security. Without limiting the foregoing, a Securityholder entitled hereunder to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Trust Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such Liquidation Amount. If any dispute shall arise between the Securityholders and the Administrative Trustees or among such Securityholders or Trustees with respect to the authenticity, validity or binding nature of any request, demand, authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other Act of such Securityholder or Trustee under this Article 6, then the determination of such matter by the Property Trustee shall be conclusive with respect to such matter.

Section 6.09 . Inspection of Records. Upon reasonable notice to the Administrative Trustees and the Property Trustee, the records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by Securityholders during normal business hours for any purpose reasonably related to such Securityholder’s interest as a Securityholder.

ARTICLE 7

R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES

Section 7.01 . Representations and Warranties of the Property Trustee. The Property Trustee hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Depositor and the Securityholders that:

(a) the Property Trustee is a New York banking corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York;

(b) the Property Trustee has full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of this Trust Agreement;

 

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(c) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Property Trustee and constitutes the respective valid and legally binding agreement of the Property Trustee enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

(d) the execution, delivery and performance by the Property Trustee of this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action on the part of the Property Trustee and does not require any approval of stockholders of the Property Trustee, and such execution, delivery and performance will not (i) violate the Property Trustee’s Charter or By-laws, (ii) violate any provision of, or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any properties included in the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions of, any indenture, mortgage, credit agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Property Trustee is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) to its knowledge, violate any law, governmental rule or regulation of the State of New York governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Property Trustee or any order, judgment or decree applicable to the Property Trustee;

(e) neither the authorization, execution or delivery by the Property Trustee of this Trust Agreement nor the consummation of any of the transactions by the Property Trustee contemplated herein requires the consent or approval of, the giving of notice to, the registration with or the taking of any other action with respect to any governmental authority or agency under any existing Federal law or under the laws of the State of New York governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Property Trustee; and

(f) there are no proceedings pending or, to the Property Trustee’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Property Trustee in any court or before any governmental authority, agency or arbitration board or tribunal which, individually or in the aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the Trust or would question the right, power and authority of the Property Trustee to enter into or perform its obligations as one of the Trustees under this Trust Agreement.

Section 7.02 . Representations and Warranties of the Delaware Trustee. The Delaware Trustee hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Depositor and the Securityholders that:

(a) the Delaware Trustee is a Delaware banking corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware;

 

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(b) the Delaware Trustee has full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of this Trust Agreement, and satisfies for the Trust Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act;

(c) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Delaware Trustee and constitutes the respective valid and legally binding agreement of the Delaware Trustee enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

(d) the execution, delivery and performance by the Delaware Trustee of this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action on the part of the Delaware Trustee and does not require any approval of stockholders of the Delaware Trustee, and such execution, delivery and performance will not (i) violate the Delaware Trustee’s Charter or By-laws, (ii) violate any provision of, or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any properties included in the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions of, any indenture, mortgage, credit agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Delaware Trustee is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) to its knowledge, violate any law, governmental rule or regulation of the State of Delaware governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Delaware Trustee or any order, judgment or decree applicable to the Delaware Trustee;

(e) neither the authorization, execution or delivery by the Delaware Trustee of this Trust Agreement nor the consummation of any of the transactions by the Delaware Trustee contemplated herein requires the consent or approval of, the giving of notice to, the registration with or the taking of any other action with respect to any governmental authority or agency under any existing Federal or Delaware law governing the corporate, banking or trust powers of the Delaware Trustee; and

(f) there are no proceedings pending or, to the Delaware Trustee’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Delaware Trustee in any court or before any governmental authority, agency or arbitration board or tribunal which, individually or in the aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the Trust or would question the right, power and authority of the Delaware Trustee to enter into or perform its obligations as one of the Trustees under this Trust Agreement.

Section 7.03 . Representations and Warranties of Depositor. The Depositor hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Property Trustee and the Securityholders that:

(a) the Trust Securities Certificates issued on the Closing Date on behalf of the Trust have been duly authorized and will have been, duly and validly executed, issued and delivered by the Trustees pursuant to the terms and provisions of, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Trust Agreement and the Securityholders will be, as of each such date, entitled to the benefits of this Trust Agreement;

 

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(b) there are no taxes, fees or other governmental charges payable by the Trust (or the Trustees on behalf of the Trust) under the laws of the State of Delaware or any political subdivision thereof in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, of this Trust Agreement;

(c) the Depositor is an [entity] duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware;

(d) the Depositor has full company power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of this Trust Agreement;

(e) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Depositor and constitutes the valid and legally binding agreement of the Depositor enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

(f) the execution, delivery and performance by the Depositor of this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary company or other action on the part of the Depositor and does not require any approval of shareholders of the Depositor, and such execution, delivery and performance will not (i) violate the Depositor’s [Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws] [organization documents], (ii) violate any provision of, or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any properties included in the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions of, any indenture, mortgage, credit agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Depositor is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) violate any law, governmental rule or regulation of Delaware, governing the powers of the Depositor or any order, judgment or decree applicable to the Depositor;

(g) neither the authorization, execution or delivery by the Depositor of this Trust Agreement nor the consummation of any of the transactions by the Depositor contemplated herein requires the consent or approval of, the giving of

 

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notice to, the registration with or the taking of any other action with respect to any governmental authority or agency under any existing Delaware law governing the powers of the Depositor; and

(h) there are no proceedings pending or, to the best of the Depositor’s knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Depositor in any court or before any governmental authority, agency or arbitration board or tribunal which, individually or in the aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the Depositor or would question the right, power and authority of the Depositor to enter into or perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

T HE T RUSTEES

Section 8.01 . Certain Duties and Responsibilities. (a) The duties and responsibilities of the Trustees shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Trust Agreement and, in the case of the Property Trustee, subject to the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this Trust Agreement shall require the Trustees to expend or risk their own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of their duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of their rights or powers, if they shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Trust Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustees shall be subject to the provisions of this Section. To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Administrative Trustee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Trust or to the Securityholders, such Administrative Trustee shall not be liable to the Trust or to any Securityholder for such Trustee’s good faith reliance on the provisions of this Trust Agreement. The provisions of this Trust Agreement, to the extent that they restrict or eliminate the duties and liabilities of the Administrative Trustees otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Depositor and the Securityholders to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Administrative Trustees.

(b) All payments made by the Property Trustee or a Paying Agent in respect of the Trust Securities shall be made only from the revenue and proceeds from the Trust Property and only to the extent that there shall be sufficient revenue or proceeds from the Trust Property to enable the Property Trustee or a Paying Agent to make payments in accordance with the terms hereof. Each Securityholder, by its acceptance of a Trust Security, agrees that it will look solely to the revenue and proceeds from the Trust Property to the extent legally available for distribution to it as herein provided and that the Trustees are not

 

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personally liable to it for any amount distributable in respect of any Trust Security or for any other liability in respect of any Trust Security. This Section 8.01(b) does not limit the liability of the Trustees expressly set forth elsewhere in this Trust Agreement and, in the case of the Property Trustee, in the Trust Indenture Act.

(c) No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Property Trustee from liability for its own bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct, except that: (i) the Property Trustee undertakes to perform only those duties specifically set forth in this Agreement, provided, that during the continuance of a Debenture Event of Default it must exercise the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise in the conduct of his or her own affairs; (ii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee, unless it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or other tribunal or arbitration authority that the Property Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct; (iii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Property Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement; (iv) the Property Trustee’s sole duty with respect to the custody, safe keeping and physical preservation of the Debentures and the Payment Account shall be to deal with such Property in a similar manner as the Property Trustee deals with similar property for its own account, subject to the protections and limitations on liability afforded to the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement and the Trust Indenture Act; (v) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any interest on any money received by it except as it may otherwise agree in writing with the Depositor; and money held by the Property Trustee need not be segregated from other funds held by it except in relation to the Payment Account maintained by the Property Trustee pursuant to Section 3.01 and except to the extent otherwise required by law; and (vi) the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for monitoring the compliance by the Administrative Trustees or the Depositor with their respective duties under this Trust Agreement, nor shall the Property Trustee be liable for the default or misconduct of the Administrative Trustees or the Depositor.

(d) The Delaware Trustee is appointed to serve as the trustee of the Trust in the State of Delaware for the sole purpose of satisfying the requirement of Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act that the Trust have at least one trustee with a principal place of business in Delaware. It is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that the Delaware Trustee shall have none of the duties or liabilities of the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees. The duties of the Delaware Trustee shall be limited to (a) accepting legal process

 

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served on the Trust in the State of Delaware and (b) the execution of any certificates required to be filed with the Delaware Secretary of State which the Delaware Trustee is required to execute under Section 3811 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. To the extent that, at law or in equity, the Delaware Trustee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Trust or the Holders, it is hereby understood and agreed by the other parties hereto that such duties and liabilities are replaced by the duties and liabilities of the Delaware Trustee expressly set forth in this Trust Agreement. The Delaware Trustee shall be entitled to all of the same rights, protections, indemnities and immunities as the Property Trustee.

Section 8.02 . Certain Notices. Within fifteen (15) Business Days after the occurrence of any Debenture Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee shall transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 10.08, notice of such Debenture Event of Default to the Securityholders, the Administrative Trustees and the Depositor, unless such Debenture Event of Default shall have been cured or waived. Within five Business Days after the receipt of notice of the Debenture Issuer’s exercise of its right to defer the payment of interest on the Debentures pursuant to the Indenture, the Administrative Trustees shall transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 10.08, written notice of such exercise to the Securityholders and the Property Trustee, unless such exercise shall have been revoked.

Section 8.03 . Certain Rights of Property Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 8.01:

(a) the Property Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting in good faith upon any resolution, Opinion of Counsel, certificate, written representation of a Holder or transferee, certificate of auditors or any other certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, appraisal, bond, debenture, approval, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) if (i) in performing its duties under this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee is required to decide between alternative courses of action or (ii) in construing any of the provisions of this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee finds the same ambiguous or inconsistent with any other provisions contained herein or (iii) the Property Trustee is unsure of the application of any provision of this Trust Agreement, then, except as to any matter as to which the Preferred Securityholders are entitled to vote under the terms of this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deliver a notice to the Depositor requesting written instructions of the Depositor as to the course of action to be taken and the Property Trustee shall take such action, or refrain from taking such action, as the

 

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Property Trustee shall be instructed in writing to take, or to refrain from taking, by the Depositor and the Property Trustee shall be fully protected in acting in accordance with such instructions; provided, however , that if the Property Trustee does not receive such instructions of the Depositor within ten Business Days after it has delivered such notice, or such reasonably shorter period of time set forth in such notice (which to the extent practicable shall not be less than two Business Days), it may, but shall be under no duty to, take or refrain from taking such action not inconsistent with this Trust Agreement as it shall deem advisable and in the interests of the Securityholders, in which event the Property Trustee shall have no liability except in the event of a final judicial determination of its own negligence or willful misconduct;

(c) any direction or act of the Depositor or the Administrative Trustees contemplated by this Trust Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) whenever in the administration of this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established before undertaking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Property Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Depositor or the Administrative Trustees, and such Officers’ Certificate shall be full warrant to the Property Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Agreement upon the faith thereof;

(e) the Property Trustee shall have no duty to see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument (including any financing or continuation statement or any filing under tax or securities laws) or any rerecording, refiling or reregistration thereof;

(f) the Property Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection (which counsel may be counsel to the Depositor or any of its Affiliates) and the advice or any opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon and in accordance with such advice; the Property Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Trust Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction;

(g) the Property Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement at the request or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to this Trust Agreement, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Property Trustee such security or

 

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indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(h) the Property Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, entitlement, request, consent, order, approval, bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, unless requested in writing to do so by one or more Securityholders, but the Property Trustee may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit;

(i) the Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, custodians, nominees or attorneys, and the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for the negligence, willful misconduct or recklessness of any agent or attorney appointed by it in good faith hereunder;

(j) whenever in the administration of this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Property Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of the Trust Securities which instructions may only be given by the Holders of the same proportion in Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities as would be entitled to direct the Property Trustee under the terms of the Trust Securities in respect of such remedy, right or action, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions;

(k) except as otherwise expressly provided by this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall not be under any obligation to take any action that is discretionary under the provisions of this Trust Agreement;

(l) the Property Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Agreement or as specifically directed by the Depositor, the Administrative Trustees or Securityholders pursuant to the terms hereof, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Trust Agreement against the Property Trustee;

(m) the Property Trustee shall have no obligation to invest and reinvest any cash held by it in the absence of timely and specific written investment direction from the Depositor or an Administrative Trustee. In no event shall the Property Trustee be liable for the selection of investments or for investment losses incurred thereon. The Property Trustee shall have no liability in respect of losses incurred as a result of the liquidation of any investments prior its stated maturity;

 

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(n) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Property Trustee which conform to the requirements of this Trust Agreement;

(o) neither the Property Trustee nor any of its officers, directors, employees or agents shall be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) for any action taken or omitted under the Trust Agreement or in connection therewith except to the extent caused by the Property Trustee’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, as determined by the final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, no longer subject to appeal or review. The parties each (for itself and any Person claiming through it) hereby releases, waives, discharges, exculpates and covenants not to sue the Property Trustee for any action taken or omitted under this Trust Agreement except to the extent caused by the Property Trustee’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct; and

(p) the Property Trustee may request that the Depositor or the Administrative Trustees delivery a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Depositor or Administrative Trustees deem appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Trust Agreement.

No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Property Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Property Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts, or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Property Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.

Section 8.04 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Trust Securities Certificates shall be taken as the statements of the Depositor, and the Trustees do not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustees shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Debenture Issuer of the proceeds of the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . May Hold Securities. Any Trustee or any other agent of any Trustee or the Trust, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Trust Securities and, except as otherwise provided in the definition of “Outstanding” in Article 1 and subject to Section 8.08 and Section 8.13, may otherwise deal with the Trust with the same rights it would have if it were not a Trustee or such other agent.

 

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Section 8.06 . Compensation; Indemnity; Fees. The Depositor agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustees from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by them hereunder as agreed to in writing between the Depositor and the Trustees (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustees upon request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustees in accordance with any provision of this Trust Agreement or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustees’ negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify each of the Trustees and their agents, officers, directors and employees or any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability, penalty or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Trust Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustees’ negligence or willful misconduct.

The provisions of this Section 8.06 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement or the earlier resignation or removal of any Trustee. No Trustee may claim any lien or charge on any Trust Property as a result of any amount due pursuant to this Section 8.06.

Section 8.07 . Corporate Property Trustee Required; Eligibility of Trustees. (a) There shall at all times be a Property Trustee hereunder. The Property Trustee shall be a Person that is a United States person within the meaning of section 7701(a)(30) of the Code that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If any such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Property Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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(b) There shall at all times be one or more Administrative Trustees hereunder. Each Administrative Trustee shall be either a natural person who is at least 21 years of age and is a citizen or resident of the United States, or a legal entity, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof, that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind that entity.

(c) There shall at all times be a Delaware Trustee. The Delaware Trustee shall either be (i) a natural person who is at least 21 years of age and a resident of the State of Delaware or (ii) a legal entity with its principal place of business in the State of Delaware and that otherwise meets the requirements of applicable Delaware law that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such entity.

Section 8.08 . Conflicting Interests. If the Property Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Trust Agreement. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor and any Trustee may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or dissimilar to the business of the Trust, and the Trust and the Holders shall have no rights by virtue of this Trust Agreement in and to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the business of the Trust, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper. Neither the Depositor, nor any Trustee, shall be obligated to present any particular investment or other opportunity to the Trust even if such opportunity is of a character that, if presented to the Trust, could be taken by the Trust, and the Depositor or any Trustee shall have the right to take for its own account (individually or as a partner or fiduciary) or to recommend to others any such particular investment or other opportunity. Any Trustee may engage in any financial or other transaction with the Depositor or any Affiliate of the Depositor, or may act as depository for, trustee or agent for, or act on any committee or body of holders of, securities or other obligations of the Depositor or its Affiliates.

Section 8.09 . Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee. Unless a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, at any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of the Trust Indenture Act or of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Trust Property may at the time be located, the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees, by agreed action of the majority of such Trustees, shall have power to appoint, and upon the written request of the Administrative Trustees, the Depositor shall for such purpose join with the Administrative Trustees in the execution, delivery, and performance of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by the Property Trustee either to act as co-trustee, jointly with the

 

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Property Trustee, of all or any part of such Trust Property, or to the extent required by law to act as separate trustee of any such property, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons in the capacity aforesaid, any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the other provisions of this Section. If the Depositor does not join in such appointment within 15 days after the receipt by it of a request so to do, or in case a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee alone shall have power to make such appointment. Any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed pursuant to this Section shall either be (i) a natural person who is at least 21 years of age and a citizen or resident of the United States or (ii) a legal entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or any State thereof that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such entity. Should any written instrument from the Depositor be required by any co-trustee or separate trustee so appointed for more fully confirming to such co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right, or power, any and all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged and delivered by the Depositor. Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following terms, namely:

(a) The Trust Securities shall be executed and delivered and all rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereunder in respect of the custody of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to be deposited or pledged with, the Trustees specified hereunder, shall be exercised, solely by such Trustees and not by such co-trustee or separate trustee.

(b) The rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereby conferred or imposed upon the Property Trustee in respect of any property covered by such appointment shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Property Trustee or by the Property Trustee and such co-trustee or separate trustee jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co-trustee or separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the Property Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and performed by such co-trustee or separate trustee.

(c) The Property Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing executed by it, with the written concurrence of the Depositor, may accept the resignation of or remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this Section, and, in case a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or remove, any such co-trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of the Depositor. Upon the written request of the Property Trustee, the Depositor shall join with the Property Trustee in the execution, delivery and performance of all instruments

 

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and agreements necessary or proper to effectuate such resignation or removal. A successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so resigned or removed may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section.

(d) No co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of the Property Trustee or any other trustee hereunder.

(e) The Property Trustee shall not be liable by reason of any act or omission of a co-trustee or separate trustee.

(f) Any Act of Holders delivered to the Property Trustee shall be deemed to have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.

Section 8.10 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. No resignation or removal of any Trustee (the “ Relevant Trustee ”) and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, the Relevant Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Trust Securities by giving written notice thereof to the Depositor. If the instrument of acceptance by the successor Trustee required by Section 8.11 shall not have been delivered to the Relevant Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the Relevant Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Depositor, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities. Unless a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may be removed at any time by Act of the Common Securityholder. If a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, or both of them, may be removed at such time by Act of the Holders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, delivered to the Relevant Trustee (in its individual capacity and on behalf of the Trust). If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 8.11 shall not have been delivered to the Relevant Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the Relevant Trustee may petition at the expense of the Depositor any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series. In no event will the Holders of Preferred Securities have the right to vote to appoint, remove or replace the Administrative Trustees. An Administrative Trustee may be removed by Act of the Common Securityholder at any time. If either the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting as Trustee, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of either the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee for any cause, at a time when no Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Common Securityholder, by Act of the Common Securityholder delivered to

 

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the outgoing Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, and the outgoing Trustee shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of continuing to act as the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, at a time when a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Preferred Securityholders, by Act of the Securityholders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding delivered to the outgoing Relevant Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Relevant Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, and such successor Trustee shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If an Administrative Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting as Administrative Trustee, the Common Securityholder by Act of the Common Securityholder delivered to the Administrative Trustee shall promptly appoint a successor Administrative Trustee or Administrative Trustees with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, and such successor Administrative Trustee or Trustees shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If no successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities shall have been so appointed by the Common Securityholder or the Preferred Securityholders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 8.11, any Securityholder who has been a Securityholder of Trust Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities. The Depositor shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee and each appointment of a successor Property Trustee or Delaware Trustee to all Securityholders in the manner provided in Section 10.08. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Relevant Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office if it is the Property Trustee. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Trust Agreement, in the event any Administrative Trustee or a Delaware Trustee who is a natural person dies or becomes, in the opinion of the Depositor, incompetent or incapacitated, the vacancy created by such death, incompetence or incapacity may be filled by (a) the unanimous act of remaining Administrative Trustees if there are at least two of them or (b) otherwise by the Depositor (with the successor in each case being a Person who satisfies the eligibility requirement for Administrative Trustees set forth in Section 8.07).

Section 8.11 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Trust and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all

 

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the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; and, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and if the Property Trustee is the resigning Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to the successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Property Trustee hereunder. In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust, the retiring Relevant Trustee and each successor Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities shall execute and deliver an instrument hereto wherein each successor Relevant Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (a) may contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Relevant Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust; and (b) may add to or change any of the provisions of this Trust Agreement as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Relevant Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such instrument shall constitute such Relevant Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Relevant Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Relevant Trustee and upon the execution and delivery of such instrument the resignation or removal of the retiring Relevant Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Relevant Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Relevant Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust; but, on request of the Trust or any successor Relevant Trustee such retiring Relevant Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Relevant Trustee all Trust Property, all proceeds thereof and money held by such retiring Relevant Trustee hereunder with respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust. Upon request of any such successor Relevant Trustee, the Trust shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Relevant Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be. No successor Relevant Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Relevant Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 8.12 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee (or any Administrative Trustee that is not a natural person) may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Relevant Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, shall

 

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be the successor of such Relevant Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto.

Section 8.13 . Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor, Debenture Issuer or Trust. If and when the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Depositor, the Debenture Issuer or the Trust (or any other obligor upon the Debentures or the Trust Securities), the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, shall be subject to and shall take all actions necessary in order to comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Depositor, Debenture Issuer or Trust (or any such other obligor).

Section 8.14 . Reports by Property Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after                      15 of each year commencing with the first                      15 following the first issuance of Preferred Securities pursuant to this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall transmit to all Securityholders in accordance with Section 10.08, and to the Depositor, a brief report dated as of such                      15 with respect to: (i) its eligibility under Section 8.07 or, in lieu thereof, if to the best of its knowledge it has continued to be eligible under said Section, a written statement to such effect; (ii) a statement that the Property Trustee has complied with all of its obligations under this Trust Agreement during the twelve-month period (or, in the case of the initial report, the period since the Closing Date) ending with such                      15 or, if the Property Trustee has not complied in any material respect with such obligations, a description of such noncompliance; and (iii) any change in the property and funds in its possession as Property Trustee since the date of its last report and any action taken by the Property Trustee in the performance of its duties hereunder which it has not previously reported and which in its opinion materially affects the Trust Securities, except action in respect of a default, notice of which has been or is to be withheld by it in accordance with any indenture provision authorized by subsection (b) of Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act.

(b) In addition the Property Trustee shall transmit to Securityholders such reports concerning the Property Trustee and its actions under this Trust Agreement as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.

(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Property Trustee with each stock exchange, interdealer quotation system or other self-regulatory organization upon which the Trust Securities are listed or traded, with the Commission and with the Depositor.

Section 8.15 . Reports to the Property Trustee. The Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 of

 

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the Trust Indenture Act (if any) and the compliance certificate required by Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Property Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Property Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including compliance with any covenants hereunder (as to which the Property Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 8.16 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. Each of the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such written evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Trust Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act shall be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 8.17 . Number of Trustees. (a) The number of Trustees shall be four, provided that the Holder of all of the Common Securities by written instrument may increase or decrease the number of Administrative Trustees. The Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may be the same person if the Property Trustee meets the applicable requirements.

(b) If a Trustee ceases to hold office for any reason and the number of Administrative Trustees is not reduced pursuant to Section 8.17(a), or if the number of Trustees is increased pursuant to Section 8.17(a), a vacancy shall occur. The vacancy shall be filled with a Trustee appointed in accordance with Section 8.10.

(c) The death, resignation, retirement, removal, bankruptcy, incompetence or incapacity to perform the duties of a Trustee shall not operate to annul, dissolve or terminate the Trust. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Administrative Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of an Administrative Trustee in accordance with Section 8.10, the Administrative Trustees in office, regardless of their number (and notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement), shall have all the powers granted to the Administrative Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Administrative Trustees by this Trust Agreement.

Section 8.18 . Delegation of Power. (a) Any Administrative Trustee may, by power of attorney consistent with applicable law, delegate to any other natural person over the age of 21 his or her power for the purpose of executing any documents contemplated in Section 2.07(a), including any registration statement or amendment thereto filed with the Commission, or making any other governmental filing; and

 

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(b) The Administrative Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to time to such of their number or to the Depositor the doing of such things and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the names of the Administrative Trustees or otherwise as the Administrative Trustees may deem expedient, to the extent such delegation is not prohibited by applicable law or contrary to the provisions of the Trust, as set forth herein.

ARTICLE 9

D ISSOLUTION , L IQUIDATION , T ERMINATION AND M ERGER

Section 9.01 . Dissolution Upon Expiration Date. Unless earlier dissolved, the Trust shall automatically dissolve on                     , 20     (the “ Expiration Date ”).

Section 9.02 . Early Dissolution. The first to occur of any of the following events is an “ Early Termination Event ”, upon the occurrence of which the Trust shall be dissolved:

(a) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event in respect of, or the dissolution or liquidation of, the Debenture Issuer or the Debenture Guarantor;

(b) the written direction to the Property Trustee from the Depositor at any time (which direction is optional and wholly within the discretion of the Depositor) to dissolve the Trust and distribute a Like Amount of Debentures to Securityholders in exchange for the Trust Securities;

(c) the redemption of all of the Trust Securities in connection with the redemption of all the Debentures; and

(d) the entry of an order for dissolution of the Trust by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 9.03 . Termination. The respective obligations and responsibilities of the Trustees and the Trust shall terminate upon the latest to occur of the following:

(a) the distribution by the Property Trustee to Securityholders upon the liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.04, or upon the redemption of all of the Trust Securities pursuant to Section 4.02, of all amounts required to be distributed hereunder upon the final payment of the Trust Securities;

 

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(b) the payment of any claims and obligations of the Trust pursuant to applicable law, including Section 3808 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act;

(c) the discharge of all administrative duties of the Administrative Trustees, including the performance of any tax reporting obligations with respect to the Trust or the Securityholders; and

(d) the execution and filing of a certificate of cancellation with the Delaware Secretary of State by (or at the direction of) the Administrative Trustee.

Section 9.04 . Liquidation. (a) If an Early Termination Event specified in clause Section 9.02(a), Section 9.02(b) or Section 9.02(d) of Section 9.02 occurs or upon the Expiration Date, the Trust shall be liquidated by the Trustees as expeditiously as the Trustees determine to be possible by distributing, after satisfaction of claims and obligations of the Trust as provided by applicable law, including Section 3808 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, to each Securityholder a Like Amount of Debentures, subject to Section 9.04(e).

(b) Notice of liquidation shall be given by the Property Trustee, at the Depositor’s expense, by first-class mail, postage prepaid mailed not later than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Liquidation Date to each Holder of Trust Securities at such Holder’s address appearing in the Securities Register. All notices of liquidation shall: (i) state the Liquidation Date; (ii) state that from and after the Liquidation Date, the Trust Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding and any Trust Securities Certificates not surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a Like Amount of Debentures; and (iii) provide such information with respect to the mechanics by which Holders may exchange Trust Securities Certificates for Debentures, or if Section 9.04(e) applies, receive a Liquidation Distribution, as the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee shall deem appropriate.

(c) Except where Section 9.02(c) or Section 9.04(e) applies, in order to effect the liquidation of the Trust and distribution of the Debentures to Securityholders, the Property Trustee shall establish a record date for such distribution (which shall be not more than 45 days prior to the Liquidation Date) and, either itself acting as exchange agent or through the appointment of a separate exchange agent, shall establish such procedures as it shall deem appropriate to effect the distribution of Debentures in exchange for the Outstanding Trust Securities Certificates.

(d) Except where Section 9.02(c) or Section 9.04(e) applies, on and after the Liquidation Date, (i) the Trust Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding, (ii) certificates representing a Like Amount of Debentures will be issued to the Holders of Trust Securities Certificates, upon surrender of such certificates to the Administrative Trustees or their agent for exchange, (iii) the

 

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Depositor shall cause the Debenture Issuer to use its reasonable efforts to have the Debentures listed or traded on the such stock exchange, interdealer quotation system and/or other self-regulatory organization as the Preferred Securities are then listed or traded, (iv) any Trust Securities Certificates not so surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a Like Amount of Debentures, accruing interest at the rate provided for in the Debentures from the last Distribution Date on which a Distribution was made on such Trust Securities Certificates until such certificates are so surrendered (and until such certificates are so surrendered, no payments of interest or principal will be made to Holders of Trust Securities Certificates with respect to such Debentures) and (v) all rights of Securityholders holding Trust Securities will cease, except the right of such Securityholders to receive Debentures upon surrender of Trust Securities Certificates.

(e) In the event that, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 9.04, whether because of an order for dissolution entered by a court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, distribution of the Debentures in the manner provided herein is determined by the Property Trustee not to be practical, the Trust Property shall be liquidated, and the Trust shall be wound-up and terminated by the Property Trustee in such manner as the Property Trustee determines consistent with the requirements of applicable law; provided, however , that any such determination shall be conclusive and binding on any such Securityholder and any Person claiming under, by or through such holder and provided further that the Property Trustee shall not be liable to any Securityholder or other Person for such determination to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. In such event, Securityholders will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Trust available for distribution to Securityholders, after satisfaction of claims and obligations of the Trust as provided by applicable law, including Section 3808 of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, an amount equal to the Liquidation Amount per Trust Security plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount being the “ Liquidation Distribution ”). If, upon any such winding up, the Liquidation Distribution can be paid only in part because the Trust has insufficient assets available to pay in full the aggregate Liquidation Distribution, then, subject to the next succeeding sentence, the amounts payable by the Trust on the Trust Securities shall be paid on a pro rata basis (based upon Liquidation Amounts). The Holder of the Common Securities will be entitled to receive Liquidation Distributions upon any such dissolution pro rata (determined as aforesaid) with Holders of Preferred Securities, except that, if a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred Securities shall have a priority over the Common Securities.

Section 9.05 . Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Trust. The Trust may not merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any corporation or other entity, except

 

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pursuant to this Section 9.05. The Trust may, at the request of the Depositor, with the consent of only the Administrative Trustees and without the consent of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to a trust organized as such under the laws of any State; provided, that (a) such successor entity either (i) expressly assumes all of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Preferred Securities or (ii) substitutes for the Preferred Securities other securities having substantially the same terms as the Preferred Securities (the “ Successor Securities ”) so long as the Successor Securities rank the same as the Preferred Securities rank in priority with respect to distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise, (b) the Depositor expressly appoints a trustee of such successor entity possessing the same powers and duties as the Property Trustee as the holder of the Debentures, (c) the Successor Securities are listed or traded, or any Successor Securities will be listed upon notification of issuance, on any national securities exchange or other organization on which the Preferred Securities are then listed or traded, if any, (d) such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not cause the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) to be downgraded by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, (e) such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect, (f) such successor entity has a purpose substantially identical to that of the Trust, (g) prior to such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the Depositor has received an Opinion of Counsel rendered by independent counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that (i) such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect, and (ii) following such merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, neither the Trust nor such successor entity will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act and (h) the Depositor (or any permitted successor or assignee) owns all of the common securities of such successor entity and the Debenture Guarantor guarantees the obligations of such successor entity under the Successor Securities at least to the extent provided by the Guarantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust shall not, except with the consent of holders of 100% in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, convert into, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any other entity or permit any other entity to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, convert into, or replace it if such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conversion, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease would cause the Trust or

 

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the successor entity to be classified as other than a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes or cause any other material adverse tax consequences to the Holders of the Preferred Securities.

ARTICLE 10

M ISCELLANEOUS P ROVISIONS

Section 10.01 . Limitation of Rights of Securityholders. The death or incapacity of any person having an interest, beneficial or otherwise, in Trust Securities shall not operate to terminate this Trust Agreement, nor entitle the legal representatives or heirs of such person or any Securityholder for such person, to claim an accounting, take any action or bring any proceeding in any court for a partition or winding up of the arrangements contemplated hereby, nor otherwise affect the rights, obligations and liabilities of the parties hereto or any of them.

Section 10.02 . Amendment. (a) This Trust Agreement may be amended from time to time by the Trustees and the Depositor, without the consent of any Securityholders, (i) to cure any ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Trust Agreement, which shall not be inconsistent with the other provisions of this Trust Agreement, or (ii) to modify, eliminate or add to any provisions of this Trust Agreement to such extent as shall be necessary to ensure that the Trust will be classified for United States Federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust at all times that any Trust Securities are outstanding or to ensure that the Trust will not be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company; provided, however , that in the case of clause (i), such action shall not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any Securityholder. Any such amendments of this Trust Agreement shall become effective when notice thereof is given to the Securityholders.

(b) Except as provided in Section 10.02(c) hereof, any provision of this Trust Agreement may be amended by the Trustees and the Depositor with (i) the consent of Trust Securityholders representing not less than a majority (based upon Liquidation Amounts) of the Trust Securities then Outstanding and (ii) receipt by the Trustees of an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment or the exercise of any power granted to the Trustees in accordance with such amendment will not affect the Trust’s status as a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes or the Trust’s exemption from status of an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

(c) In addition to and notwithstanding any other provision in this Trust Agreement, without the consent of each affected Securityholder, this Trust Agreement may not be amended to (i) change the amount or timing of any

 

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Distribution on the Trust Securities or otherwise adversely affect the amount of any Distribution required to be made in respect of the Trust Securities as of a specified date or (ii) restrict the right of a Securityholder to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such date. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, without the unanimous consent of the Securityholders, this paragraph (c) of this Section 10.02 may not be amended.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, no Trustee shall enter into or consent to any amendment to this Trust Agreement which would cause the Trust to fail or cease to qualify for the exemption from status of an investment company under the Investment Company Act or fail or cease to be classified as a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Trust Agreement to the contrary, this Trust Agreement may not be amended in a manner which imposes any additional obligation on the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee without the consent of the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be.

(f) In the event that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is made, the Administrative Trustees shall promptly provide to the Depositor a copy of such amendment.

(g) Neither the Property Trustee nor the Delaware Trustee shall be required to enter into any amendment to this Trust Agreement which affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Trust Agreement. The Property Trustee shall be provided with an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate stating that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is in compliance with this Trust Agreement and that all conditions precedent in this Trust Agreement to the execution and delivery of such amendment have been satisfied.

Section 10.03 . Separability. In case any provision in this Trust Agreement or in the Trust Securities Certificates shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 10.04 . Governing Law. This Trust Agreement and the rights and obligations of each of the Securityholders, the Trust and the Trustees with respect to this Trust Agreement and the Trust Securities shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.

Section 10.05 . Payments Due on Non-Business Day. If the date fixed for any payment on any Trust Security shall be a day that is not a Business Day, then such payment need not be made on such date but may be made on the next

 

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succeeding day that is a Business Day (except as otherwise provided in Section 4.01(a) and Section 4.02(d)) unless such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, payment will be made on the immediately preceding Business Day with the same force and effect as though made on the date fixed for such payment, and no interest shall accrue thereon for the period after such date.

Section 10.06 . Successors. This Trust Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of any successor to the Depositor, the Trust or the Relevant Trustee, including any successor by operation of law. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale involving the Depositor that is permitted under Article Eight of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Depositor’s obligations hereunder, the Depositor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 10.07 . Headings. The Article and Section headings are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of this Trust Agreement.

Section 10.08 . Reports, Notices and Demands. Any report, notice, demand or other communication which by any provision of this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or served to or upon any Securityholder or the Depositor may be given or served in writing by deposit thereof, first-class postage prepaid, in the United States mail, hand delivery or facsimile transmission, in each case, addressed, (a) in the case of a Preferred Securityholder, to such Preferred Securityholder as such Securityholder’s name and address may appear on the Securities Register; and (b) in the case of the Common Securityholder or the Depositor, to [            ], [c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, telephone number (203) 485-4200]. Such notice, demand or other communication to or upon a Securityholder shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, upon hand delivery, mailing or transmission. Any notice, demand or other communication which by any provision of this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or served to or upon the Trust, the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees shall be given in writing addressed (until another address is published by the Trust) as follows: (a) with respect to the Property Trustee, to The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration; (b) with respect to the Delaware Trustee, to BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, Delaware 19711, Attention: Institutional Trust Services; and (c) with respect to the Administrative Trustees, to them at c/o PartnerRe Ltd., 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, marked “Attention Administrative Trustees of PartnerRe Capital Trust III.” Such notice, demand or other communication to or upon the Trust or the Property Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made only upon actual receipt of the writing by the Trust or a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee.

 

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Section 10.09 . Agreement Not to Petition. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each of the Trustees and the Depositor agree for the benefit of the Securityholders that, until at least one year and one day after the Trust has been dissolved in accordance with Article 9, they shall not file, or join in the filing of, a petition against the Trust under any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law (including, without limitation, the United States Bankruptcy Code) (collectively, “ Bankruptcy Laws ”) or otherwise join in the commencement of any proceeding against the Trust under any Bankruptcy Law. In the event the Depositor takes action in violation of this Section 10.09, the Property Trustee agrees, for the benefit of Securityholders, that at the expense of the Depositor, it shall file an answer with the bankruptcy court or otherwise properly contest the filing of such petition by the Depositor against the Trust or the commencement of such action and raise the defense that the Depositor has agreed in writing not to take such action and should be stopped and precluded therefrom and such other defenses, if any, as counsel for the Trustee or the Trust may assert. The provisions of this Section 10.09 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement.

Section 10.10 . Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. (a)   This Trust Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Trust Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) The Property Trustee shall be the only Trustee which is a trustee for the purposes of the Trust Indenture Act.

(c) If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this Trust Agreement by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control. If any provision of this Trust Agreement modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Trust Agreement as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.

(d) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this Trust Agreement shall not affect the nature of the Trust Securities as equity securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.

Section 10.11 . Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement, Guarantee and Indenture. THE RECEIPT AND ACCEPTANCE OF A TRUST SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN BY OR ON BEHALF OF A SECURITYHOLDER OR ANY BENEFICIAL OWNER, WITHOUT ANY SIGNATURE OR FURTHER MANIFESTATION OF ASSENT, SHALL CONSTITUTE THE UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE BY THE SECURITYHOLDER AND ALL OTHERS HAVING A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN SUCH TRUST SECURITY

 

63


OF ALL THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT AND AGREEMENT TO THE SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS AND OTHER TERMS OF THE GUARANTEE AND THE INDENTURE, AND SHALL CONSTITUTE THE AGREEMENT OF THE TRUST, SUCH SECURITYHOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS THAT THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT SHALL BE BINDING, OPERATIVE AND EFFECTIVE AS BETWEEN THE TRUST AND SUCH SECURITYHOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS.

Section 10.12 . Waiver Of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE DEPOSITOR AND THE TRUSTEES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT, THE TRUST SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 10.13 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Property Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Property Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

64


[A FINANCE SUBSIDIARY OF PARTNERRE LTD.],
as Depositor

   

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Property Trustee

By:  

 

    By:  

 

Name:       Name:  
Title:       Title:  
     

BNY MELLON TRUST OF DELAWARE,
as Delaware Trustee

      By:  

 

      Name:  
      Title:  
      ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEES
       

 

       

Thomas L. Forsyth,

as Administrative Trustee

       

 

       

Theodore C. Walker,

as Administrative Trustee


EXHIBIT A

THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE

EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE

TRUST AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED BELOW)

 

Certificate Number    Number of Common Securities
C-                              

Certificate Evidencing Common Securities

of

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III

     % Common Securities

(liquidation amount $             per Common Security)

PartnerRe Capital Trust III, a statutory trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Trust ”), hereby certifies that [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe Ltd.] (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of                              (            ) common securities of the Trust representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust and designated the     % Common Securities (liquidation amount $             per Common Security) (the “ Common Securities ”). In accordance with Section 5.10 of the Trust Agreement (as defined below) the Common Securities are not transferable and any attempted transfer hereof shall be void. The designations, and any attempted transfer hereof shall be void. The designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms and provisions of the Common Securities are set forth in, and this certificate and the Common Securities represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of                     , as the same may be amended from time to time (the “ Trust Agreement ”), including the designation of the terms of the Common Securities as set forth therein. The Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust Agreement to the Holder without charge upon written request to the Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.

Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the Trust Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.

 

A-1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, one of the Administrative Trustees of the Trust has executed this certificate this      day of             , 20    .

 

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:   Administrative Trustee

Authenticated by:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Property Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

This Preferred Security is a Global Certificate within the meaning of the Trust Agreement hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (the “ Depository ”) or a nominee of the Depository. This Preferred Security is exchangeable for Preferred Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Trust Agreement and no transfer of this Preferred Security (other than a transfer of this Preferred Security as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository) may be registered except in limited circumstances.

Unless this Preferred Security is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York, New York) to PartnerRe Capital Trust III or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any Preferred Security issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company and any payment hereon is made to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY A PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

 

Certificate Number    Number of Preferred Securities
P-                              

Certificate Evidencing Preferred Securities

Of

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III

     % Trust Preferred Securities

(Liquidation amount $             per Preferred Security)

PartnerRe Capital Trust III, a statutory trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Trust ”), hereby certifies that Cede & Co. (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of                              (            ) preferred securities of the Trust representing an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust and designated the PartnerRe Capital Trust III     % Preferred Securities (Liquidation Amount $             per Preferred Security) (the “ Preferred Securities ”). The Preferred Securities are transferable on the books and records of the Trust, in person or by a duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this certificate duly endorsed and in proper form for transfer as provided in Section 5.04 of the Trust Agreement (as defined below). The designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms and provisions of the Preferred Securities are set forth in, and this certificate and the Preferred Securities represented hereby are issued and shall in

 

B-1


all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of                     , 20    , among [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe Ltd.], as Depositor, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “ Trust Agreement ”), including the designation of the terms of Preferred Securities as set forth therein. The Holder is entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee Agreement entered into by PartnerRe Ltd. (“ PartnerRe ”), a Bermuda company, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as guarantee trustee, dated as of                     , 20    , (the “ Guarantee ”), in each case, to the extent provided therein. The Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust Agreement and the Guarantee to the Holder without charge upon written request to the Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.

Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the Trust Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, one of the Administrative Trustees of the Trust has executed this certificate this      day of             , 20    .

 

PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST III
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:   Administrative Trustee

Authenticated by:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Property Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:

 

B-2


ASSIGNMENT

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned assigns and transfers this Preferred Security to:

 

 

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax identification number)

 

 

(Insert address and zip code of assignee)
and irrevocably appoints

 

 

 

agent to transfer this Preferred Security Certificate on the books of the Trust. The agent may substitute another to act for him or her.

 

Date:  

 

Signature:  

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Preferred Security Certificate)

SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED:

THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.

 

B-3

Exhibit 4.30

FORM OF SENIOR INDENTURE

PARTNERRE LTD., Issuer

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                      , 20    

Senior Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”) and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01.

   Definitions.    1

Section 1.02.

   Compliance Certificates and Opinions    12

Section 1.03.

   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    13

Section 1.04.

   Acts of Holders    13

Section 1.05.

   Notices, etc.    16

Section 1.06.

   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    16

Section 1.07.

   Language of Notices    17

Section 1.08.

   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    17

Section 1.09.

   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    17

Section 1.10.

   Successors and Assigns    18

Section 1.11.

   Separability Clause    18

Section 1.12.

   Benefits of Indenture    18

Section 1.13.

   Governing Law    18

Section 1.14.

   Non-Business Days    18

Section 1.15.

   Counterparts    18

Section 1.16.

   Judgment Currency    18

Section 1.17.

   No Security Interest Created    19

Section 1.18.

   Limitation on Individual Liability    19

Section 1.19.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    20

Section 1.20.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    21

Section 1.21.

   Force Majeure    21
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01.

   Forms Generally    21

Section 2.02.

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    22

Section 2.03.

   Securities in Global Form    22
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01.

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    23

Section 3.02.

   Currency; Denominations    27

Section 3.03.

   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    27

Section 3.04.

   Temporary Securities    29

Section 3.05.

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    30

Section 3.06.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    34

 

ii


Section 3.07.

   Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    35

Section 3.08.

   Persons Deemed Owners    37

Section 3.09.

   Cancellation    38

Section 3.10.

   Computation of Interest    38

Section 3.11.

   CUSIP Numbers    38
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01.

   Satisfaction and Discharge    39

Section 4.02.

   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance    40

Section 4.03.

   Application of Trust Money    45

Section 4.04.

   Reinstatement    46
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES

Section 5.01.

   Events of Default    46

Section 5.02.

   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    48

Section 5.03.

   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    50

Section 5.04.

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    50

Section 5.05.

   Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons    51

Section 5.06.

   Application of Money Collected    52

Section 5.07.

   Limitations on Suits    52

Section 5.08.

   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    53

Section 5.09.

   Restoration of Rights and Remedies    53

Section 5.10.

   Rights and Remedies Cumulative    53

Section 5.11.

   Delay or Omission Not Waiver    54

Section 5.12.

   Control by Holders of Securities    54

Section 5.13.

   Waiver of Past Defaults    54

Section 5.14.

   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    55

Section 5.15.

   Undertaking for Costs    55
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01.

   Certain Rights of Trustee    56

Section 6.02.

   Notice of Defaults    58

Section 6.03.

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    59

Section 6.04.

   May Hold Securities    59

Section 6.05.

   Money Held in Trust    59

 

iii


Section 6.06.

   Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    59

Section 6.07.

   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    60

Section 6.08.

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    60

Section 6.09.

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    62

Section 6.10.

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    64

Section 6.11.

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent    64
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01.

   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    66

Section 7.02.

   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    67

Section 7.03.

   Reports by Trustee    67

Section 7.04.

   Reports by Company    67
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01.

   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    68

Section 8.02.

   Successor Person Substituted for Company    69
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01.

   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    69

Section 9.02.

   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    71

Section 9.03.

   Execution of Supplemental Indentures    72

Section 9.04.

   Effect of Supplemental Indentures    72

Section 9.05.

   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    72

Section 9.06.

   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    73

Section 9.07.

   Notice of Supplemental Indenture    73
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS

Section 10.01.

   Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    73

Section 10.02.

   Maintenance of Office or Agency    73

Section 10.03.

   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    75

Section 10.04.

   [Reserved].    77

Section 10.05.

   Corporate Existence    77

Section 10.06.

   Waiver of Certain Covenants    77

Section 10.07.

   Company Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults    77

Section 10.08.

   Calculation of Original Issue Discount    78

 

iv


ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01.

   Applicability of Article    78

Section 11.02.

   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    78

Section 11.03.

   Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    78

Section 11.04.

   Notice of Redemption    79

Section 11.05.

   Deposit of Redemption Price    81

Section 11.06.

   Securities Payable on Redemption Date    81

Section 11.07.

   Securities Redeemed in Part    82
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01.

   Applicability of Article    83

Section 12.02.

   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    83

Section 12.03.

   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    84
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01.

   Applicability of Article    84
ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01.

   Applicability of Article    85
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01.

   Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    85

Section 15.02.

   Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    85

Section 15.03.

   Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    86

Section 15.04.

   Quorum; Action    86

Section 15.05.

   Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    87

Section 15.06.

   Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    88

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of             , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), between PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

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

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

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

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

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

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions.

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Act, ” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

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

Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each

 

2


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

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

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

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

3


Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

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

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

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

Currency ,” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as

 

4


the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

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

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

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

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

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

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

 

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

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public

 

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accountants regularly retained by the Company or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

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

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

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

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

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of

 

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any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor.

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

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

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

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

 

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Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

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

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

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

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

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

 

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Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

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

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

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

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

 

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United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “ U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

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

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

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

 

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

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

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

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of

 

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Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

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

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

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

 

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

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

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

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

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

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

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

 

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

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

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

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in

 

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

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because

 

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of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner

 

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permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 1.20 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

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

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

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

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such

 

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exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

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

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

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

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

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

 

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

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

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

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

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities

 

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are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

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

(r) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(s) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

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

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

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

(w) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other

 

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terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

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

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

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

 

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

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

 

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The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

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

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon

 

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surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

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

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical

 

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terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

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

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or

 

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Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

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

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

 

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Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to

 

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become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security

 

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(herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

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

 

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

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

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

 

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

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “ CUSIP ,” “ CINS ” and “ ISIN ” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

 

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ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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

(A) have become due and payable,

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

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in

 

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the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

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

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the

 

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Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for other securities, (ii) the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for other securities, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(s), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto:

(i) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount,

 

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sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or Section 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91 st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

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

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to

 

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United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91 st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

 

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(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds

 

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thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default, ” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto,

 

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when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ” hereunder; or

(e) the Company shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

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(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of the property of the Company, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company; or

(g) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the making by the Company of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

 

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If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

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

(a) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

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

 

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Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

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

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

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

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

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the

 

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Company or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

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

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

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

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

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable

 

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compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

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

Third: The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

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

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

 

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(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or

 

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remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

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

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

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

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

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

 

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(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

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

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

 

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ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

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

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

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

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

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

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry

 

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or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

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

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance

 

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of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

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

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “ default ” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

 

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Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

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

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the

 

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exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

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

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such

 

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notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

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

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more

 

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or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

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

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

 

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(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and

 

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certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

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

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

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

 

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

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

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

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

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

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

 

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THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

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

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

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

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

 

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Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

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

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

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

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

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

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

 

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

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

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

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the

 

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Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

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

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

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

 

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

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

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

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

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

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

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any

 

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series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any

 

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waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(d) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

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

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

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any

 

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

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or

 

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regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

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

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or

 

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the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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Section 10.04 . [ Reserved ] .

Section 10.05 . Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

 

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(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that , the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

 

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

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

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

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

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

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

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

 

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

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

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

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

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

 

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A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

 

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If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

 

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ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

 

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Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

 

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ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first

 

85


publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given

 

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or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

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

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

 

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(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

88


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

 

PARTNERRE LTD.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

89

Exhibit 4.31

FORM OF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE LTD., Issuer

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                         , 20    

Subordinated Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a)(last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION
Section 1.01 .    Definitions    1
Section 1.02 .    Compliance Certificates and Opinions    12
Section 1.03 .    Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    13
Section 1.04 .    Acts of Holders    13
Section 1.05 .    Notices, etc.    15
Section 1.06 .    Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    16
Section 1.07 .    Language of Notices    17
Section 1.08 .    Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    17
Section 1.09 .    Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    17
Section 1.10 .    Successors and Assigns    17
Section 1.11 .    Separability Clause    17
Section 1.12 .    Benefits of Indenture    17
Section 1.13 .    Governing Law    17
Section 1.14 .    Non-Business Days    18
Section 1.15 .    Counterparts    18
Section 1.16 .    Judgment Currency    18
Section 1.17 .    No Security Interest Created    19
Section 1.18 .    Limitation on Individual Liability    19
Section 1.19 .    Submission to Jurisdiction    19
Section 1.20 .    Waiver of Jury Trial    20
Section 1.21 .    Force Majeure    20
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS
Section 2.01 .    Forms Generally    21
Section 2.02 .    Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    21
Section 2.03 .    Securities in Global Form    21
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES
Section 3.01 .    Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    22
Section 3.02 .    Currency; Denominations    27
Section 3.03 .    Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    27
Section 3.04 .    Temporary Securities    29
Section 3.05 .    Registration, Transfer and Exchange    30
Section 3.06 .    Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    34

 

i


Section 3.07.    Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    35
Section 3.08.    Persons Deemed Owners    37
Section 3.09.    Cancellation    37
Section 3.10.    Computation of Interest    38
Section 3.11.    CUSIP Numbers    38
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE
Section 4.01.    Satisfaction and Discharge    38
Section 4.02.    Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance    40
Section 4.03.    Application of Trust Money    45
Section 4.04.    Reinstatement    45
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES
Section 5.01.    Events of Default    45
Section 5.02.    Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    47
Section 5.03.    Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    48
Section 5.04.    Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    49
Section 5.05.    Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons    50
Section 5.06.    Application of Money Collected    50
Section 5.07.    Limitations on Suits    51
Section 5.08.    Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    52
Section 5.09.    Restoration of Rights and Remedies    52
Section 5.10.    Rights and Remedies Cumulative    52
Section 5.11.    Delay or Omission Not Waiver    52
Section 5.12.    Control by Holders of Securities    52
Section 5.13.    Waiver of Past Defaults    53
Section 5.14.    Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    53
Section 5.15.    Undertaking for Costs    53
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE
Section 6.01.    Certain Rights of Trustee    54
Section 6.02.    Notice of Defaults    57
Section 6.03.    Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    57
Section 6.04.    May Hold Securities    57
Section 6.05.    Money Held in Trust    57
Section 6.06.    Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    57
Section 6.07.    Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    58

 

ii


Section 6.08.    Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    59
Section 6.09.    Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    60
Section 6.10.    Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    62
Section 6.11.    Appointment of Authenticating Agent    62
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY
Section 7.01.    Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    64
Section 7.02.    Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    65
Section 7.03.    Reports by Trustee    65
Section 7.04.    Reports by Company    65
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES
Section 8.01.    Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    66
Section 8.02.    Successor Person Substituted for Company    67
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES
Section 9.01.    Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    67
Section 9.02.    Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    69
Section 9.03.    Execution of Supplemental Indentures    70
Section 9.04.    Effect of Supplemental Indentures    70
Section 9.05.    Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    71
Section 9.06.    Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    71
Section 9.07.    Effect on Senior Indebtedness    71
Section 9.08.    Notice of Supplemental Indenture    71
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS
Section 10.01.    Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    71
Section 10.02.    Maintenance of Office or Agency    71
Section 10.03.    Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    73
Section 10.04.    [Reserved]    75
Section 10.05.    Corporate Existence    75
Section 10.06.    Waiver of Certain Covenants    75
Section 10.07.    Company Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults    75
Section 10.08.    Calculation of Original Issue Discount    76

 

iii


ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES
Section 11.01.    Applicability of Article    76
Section 11.02.    Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    76
Section 11.03.    Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    76
Section 11.04.    Notice of Redemption    77
Section 11.05.    Deposit of Redemption Price    79
Section 11.06.    Securities Payable on Redemption Date    79
Section 11.07.    Securities Redeemed in Part    80
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS
Section 12.01.    Applicability of Article    80
Section 12.02.    Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    81
Section 12.03.    Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    81
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS
Section 13.01.    Applicability of Article    82
ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES
Section 14.01.    Applicability of Article    82
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES
Section 15.01.    Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    83
Section 15.02.    Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    83
Section 15.03.    Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    83
Section 15.04.    Quorum; Action    84
Section 15.05.    Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    84
Section 15.06.    Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    85
ARTICLE 16
S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES
Section 16.01.    Agreement to Subordinate    86
Section 16.02.    Default on Senior Indebtedness    86
Section 16.03.    Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy    87
Section 16.04.    Subrogation    88
Section 16.05.    Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    89
Section 16.06.    Notice by the Company    89

 

iv


Section 16.07.

   Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness    90

Section 16.08.

   Subordination May Not Be Impaired    91

Section 16.09.

   Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It    91

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                         , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), between PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

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

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

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

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

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

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

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

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


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

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

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

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

Act, ” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

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

Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

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

 

2


be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

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

Business Day, ” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

 

3


Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

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

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Contract Adjustment Payments ” means the payment obligations of the Company pursuant to Section 5.11 of the Purchase Contract Agreement, dated as of November 21, 2001, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as purchase contract agent.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

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

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

 

4


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

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

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

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

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

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

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

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar

 

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instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

 

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interest, ” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

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

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity, ” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency, ” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

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

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

 

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(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so

 

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disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor.

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

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

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

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

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

Redemption Price, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

 

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Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

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

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

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

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding referred to in Section 5.01(f) and 5.01(g) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing, and (f) any guarantee of junior subordinated debt securities of a financing vehicle of the Company, including those issued to PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III (or similar financing vehicles of the Company); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

 

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Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

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

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

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

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

United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

 

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U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “ U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

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

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

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

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

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

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Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

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

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for

 

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any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

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

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be

 

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

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

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

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

 

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

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

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities ; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

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

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

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

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be

 

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

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

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

 

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Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday

 

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or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the

 

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Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 1.20 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

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ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

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

Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of

 

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Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (a) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (b) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited ; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

 

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(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

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

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

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

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

 

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

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

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

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

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

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of

 

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$2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

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

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

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

 

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(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

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

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

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

(x) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(y) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to

 

26


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

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

Section 3.02 . Currency ; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

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

 

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At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

 

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

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

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

 

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related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

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

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

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured

 

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Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided, however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (a) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (b) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the

 

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

 

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before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (B) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

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

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

 

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Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided, however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the

 

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destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts ; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

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

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the

 

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Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

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

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

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

 

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Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

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

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

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

 

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Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto(other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

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

(A) have become due and payable,

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

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

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

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by

 

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the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for other securities, (ii) the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of

 

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such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for other securities, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto:

(i) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars

 

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or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or Section 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

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

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the

 

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Company has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

 

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(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

 

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Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

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(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ” hereunder; or

(e) the Company shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

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(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of the property of the Company, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company; or

(g) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the making by the Company of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity ; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

 

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

(a) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

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

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

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

 

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(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity,

the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

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

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

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

 

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

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

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

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

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

 

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

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

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

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

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

 

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Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy

 

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available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

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

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

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

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

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

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

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

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party

 

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litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

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

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

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

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

 

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

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

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

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

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(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

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

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

 

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Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided, further, that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “ default ” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

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

 

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(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

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

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required ; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section

 

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310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal ; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

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

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the

 

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Securities of such series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

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

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities,

 

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such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall

 

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duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

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

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

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust

 

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Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

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

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

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

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

 

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

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

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

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

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

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided, however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

 

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Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information ; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

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

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

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

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

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

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

 

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

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

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

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an

 

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indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

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

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

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

 

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

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

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

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

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

 

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

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided, however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

 

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(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

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

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

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

 

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Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where

 

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Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided, however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

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

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

 

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Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (a) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (b) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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Section 10.04. [ Reserved ]

Section 10.05 . Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided, however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company Statement as to Compliance ; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

 

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(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem ; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that , the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided, however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

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

 

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

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

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

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

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

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

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

 

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(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

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

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

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

 

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Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided, however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided, further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such

 

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Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment, ” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

 

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Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at

 

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the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 15.04 . Quorum ; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided, however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

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

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights ; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having

 

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the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided, however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

 

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ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the relates Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their

 

86


respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation ; Dissolution ; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the

 

87


payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “ cash, property or securities ” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16 with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (a) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (b) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article 8 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article 8 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall

 

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impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this

 

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Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee ; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

 

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With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for

 

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the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 16.01, 16.02, and 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

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

 

PARTNERRE LTD.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

Exhibit 4.32

FORM OF SENIOR INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                     , 20    

Senior Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     P AGE
ARTICLE 1   
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION   

Section 1.01. Definitions

   2

Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions

   13

Section 1.03. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

   14

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders

   14

Section 1.05. Notices, etc.

   17

Section 1.06. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver

   17

Section 1.07. Language of Notices

   18

Section 1.08. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

   18

Section 1.09. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

   18

Section 1.10. Successors and Assigns

   19

Section 1.11. Separability Clause

   19

Section 1.12. Benefits of Indenture

   19

Section 1.13. Governing Law

   19

Section 1.14. Non-Business Days

   19

Section 1.15. Counterparts

   19

Section 1.16. Judgment Currency

   19

Section 1.17. No Security Interest Created

   20

Section 1.18. Limitation on Individual Liability

   20

Section 1.19. Submission to Jurisdiction

   21

Section 1.20. Waiver of Jury Trial

   22

Section 1.21. Force Majeure

   22
ARTICLE 2   
S ECURITIES F ORMS   

Section 2.01. Forms Generally

   22

Section 2.02. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

   23

Section 2.03. Securities in Global Form

   23
ARTICLE 3   
T HE S ECURITIES   

Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

   24

Section 3.02. Currency; Denominations

   28

Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

   29

Section 3.04. Temporary Securities

   30

Section 3.05. Registration, Transfer and Exchange

   31


Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

   35

Section 3.07. Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved

   36

Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners

   38

Section 3.09. Cancellation

   39

Section 3.10. Computation of Interest

   39

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers

   39
ARTICLE 4   
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE   

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge

   40

Section 4.02. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

   41

Section 4.03. Application of Trust Money

   47

Section 4.04. Reinstatement

   47
ARTICLE 5   
R EMEDIES   

Section 5.01. Events of Default

   47

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

   50

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

   51

Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

   52

Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons

   53

Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected

   53

Section 5.07. Limitations on Suits

   54

Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   54

Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies

   55

Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative

   55

Section 5.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver

   55

Section 5.12. Control by Holders of Securities

   55

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults

   56

Section 5.14. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

   56

Section 5.15. Undertaking for Costs

   56
ARTICLE 6   
T HE T RUSTEE   

Section 6.01. Certain Rights of Trustee

   57

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults

   59

Section 6.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

   60

Section 6.04. May Hold Securities

   60

 

ii


Section 6.05. Money Held in Trust

   60

Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification

   60

Section 6.07. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

   61

Section 6.08. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

   62

Section 6.09. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

   64

Section 6.10. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

   65

Section 6.11. Appointment of Authenticating Agent

   65
ARTICLE 7   
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY   

Section 7.01. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

   67

Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

   68

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee

   68

Section 7.04. Reports by Company

   68
ARTICLE 8   
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES   

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   70

Section 8.02. Successor Person Substituted for Company

   70

Section 8.03. Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   71

Section 8.04. Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor

   72
ARTICLE 9   
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES   

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

   72

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

   73

Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.04. Effect of Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.05. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

   75

Section 9.07. Notice of Supplemental Indenture

   75
ARTICLE 10   
C OVENANTS   

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   76

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency

   76

Section 10.03. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

   78

Section 10.04. [Reserved]

   79

Section 10.05. Corporate Existence

   79

Section 10.06. Waiver of Certain Covenants

   79

 

iii


Section 10.07. Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults

   80

Section 10.08. Calculation of Original Issue Discount

   80
ARTICLE 11   
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES   

Section 11.01. Applicability of Article

   81

Section 11.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

   81

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

   81

Section 11.04. Notice of Redemption

   82

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price

   83

Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date

   84

Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part

   85
ARTICLE 12   
S INKING F UNDS   

Section 12.01. Applicability of Article

   85

Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

   86

Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

   86
ARTICLE 13   
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS   

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article

   87
ARTICLE 14   
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES   

Section 14.01. Applicability of Article

   87
ARTICLE 15   
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES   

Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

   88

Section 15.02. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

   88

Section 15.03. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

   88

Section 15.04. Quorum; Action

   89

Section 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

   89

Section 15.06. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

   90

 

iv


ARTICLE 16   
G UARANTEE   

Section 16.01. The Guarantee

   91

Section 16.02. Ranking

   91

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                     , 20    (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

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

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

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

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


NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

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

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions . Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

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

 

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Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

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

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

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

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

3


Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

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

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any

 

4


other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

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

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

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

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

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

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

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

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or

 

5


such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

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

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

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

 

6


Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

 

7


Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

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

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

8


Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

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

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

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided

 

9


in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

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

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

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

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

 

10


principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

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

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

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

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

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

 

11


Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

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

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

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

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

 

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United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

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

Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions . Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

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

 

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

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee . In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

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

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders . (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in

 

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person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

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

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

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

 

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

Section 1.05. Notices, etc . Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

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

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver . Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

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

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

 

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

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

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

Section 1.07. Language of Notices . Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act . If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents . The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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Section 1.10. Successors and Assigns . All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11. Separability Clause . In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12. Benefits of Indenture . Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13. Governing Law . This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14. Non-Business Days . Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15. Counterparts . This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16. Judgment Currency . The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in

 

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

Section 1.17. No Security Interest Created . Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18. Limitation on Individual Liability . No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because

 

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of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19. Submission to Jurisdiction . The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.20. Waiver of Jury Trial . EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21. Force Majeure . In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01. Forms Generally . Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

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

 

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Section 2.02. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication . Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

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

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

By:  

 

 
  Authorized Officer  
Dated:                       

Section 2.03. Securities in Global Form . Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series . The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

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

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such

 

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exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

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

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

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

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

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

 

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

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

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

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

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities

 

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are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

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

(r) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(s) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(t) the form or forms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

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

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

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

 

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(x) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

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

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

Section 3.02. Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

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

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver

 

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Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

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

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04. Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without

 

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

Section 3.05. Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

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

 

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

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or

 

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Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same

 

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series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

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

 

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No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing

 

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identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07. Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any

 

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Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

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

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

 

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

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

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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

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

Section 3.09. Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10. Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities

 

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or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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

(A) have become due and payable,

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

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

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

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or

 

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within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common

 

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Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(s), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons

 

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appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

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

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or

 

44


the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “insider”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

 

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(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03. Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04. Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01. Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be

 

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voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the

 

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Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the

 

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Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

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

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

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

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may

 

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prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

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

Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

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

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

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

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

Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

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

Third: The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07. Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

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

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

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12. Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

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

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

 

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

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

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

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

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

Section 5.14. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15. Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any

 

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series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01. Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

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

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

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

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

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is

 

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satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

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

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

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

 

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(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

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

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with

 

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respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04. May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05. Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

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

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this

 

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Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

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

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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Section 6.08. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor . (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

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

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such

 

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series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

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

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

 

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Section 6.09. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor . (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

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

 

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Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

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

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

Section 6.10. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

 

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

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

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

 

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

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

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

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

 
  as Authenticating Agent  
By:  

 

 
  as Authorized Officer  

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

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

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

 

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(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

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

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee . (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

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

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

Section 7.04. Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the

 

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

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

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

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

 

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ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

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

Section 8.02. Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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Section 8.03. Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such

 

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supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04. Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

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

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

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

 

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(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

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

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

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

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company

 

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(when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(d) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and

 

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

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

Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07. Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

 

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ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or

 

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served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

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

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

 

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Section 10.03. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

Section 10.04. [Reserved].

Section 10.05. Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06. Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the

 

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Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07. Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults . (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08. Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

 

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ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01. Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that , the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

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

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

 

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

Section 11.04. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

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

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

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

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

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

 

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(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

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

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

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise

 

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specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

 

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If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

 

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Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited.

Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at

 

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the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01. Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings . (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 15.04. Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

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

Section 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations,

 

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the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth

 

90


a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

G UARANTEE

Section 16.01. The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 16.02. Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall rank in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

91


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

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

92

Exhibit 4.33

FORM OF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                 , 20    

Subordinated Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section
(§)(§)310(a)(1)    6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08
(§)(§)312(a)    7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02
(§)(§)313(a)    7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03
(§)(§)314(a)    7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02
(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)    1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02,
5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08
(§)(§)317(a)(1)    5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03
(§)318(a)    1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION
Section 1.01.   Definitions    2
Section 1.02 .   Compliance Certificates and Opinions    14
Section 1.03 .   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    14
Section 1.04.   Acts of Holders    15
Section 1.05 .   Notices, etc.    17
Section 1.06 .   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    18
Section 1.07 .   Language of Notices    19
Section 1.08 .   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    19
Section 1.09 .   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    19
Section 1.10 .   Successors and Assigns    19
Section 1.11 .   Separability Clause    19
Section 1.12 .   Benefits of Indenture    19
Section 1.13 .   Governing Law    19
Section 1.14 .   Non-Business Days    19
Section 1.15 .   Counterparts    20
Section 1.16 .   Judgment Currency    20
Section 1.17 .   No Security Interest Created    21
Section 1.18 .   Limitation on Individual Liability    21
Section 1.19 .   Submission to Jurisdiction    21
Section 1.20 .   Waiver of Jury Trial    22
Section 1.21 .   Force Majeure    22
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS
Section 2.01 .   Forms Generally    23
Section 2.02 .   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    23
Section 2.03 .   Securities in Global Form    23
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES
Section 3.01 .   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    24
Section 3.02 .   Currency; Denominations    29
Section 3.03 .   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    29
Section 3.04 .   Temporary Securities    31
Section 3.05 .   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    32
Section 3.06 .   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    36

 

i


Section 3.07.   Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    37
Section 3.08 .   Persons Deemed Owners    39
Section 3.09 .   Cancellation    40
Section 3.10 .   Computation of Interest    40
Section 3.11 .   CUSIP Numbers    40
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE
Section 4.01 .   Satisfaction and Discharge    41
Section 4.02 .   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance    42
Section 4.03 .   Application of Trust Money    48
Section 4.04 .   Reinstatement    48
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES
Section 5.01 .   Events of Default    48
Section 5.02 .   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    51
Section 5.03 .   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    52
Section 5.04 .   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    53
Section 5.05 .   Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons    54
Section 5.06 .   Application of Money Collected    54
Section 5.07 .   Limitations on Suits    55
Section 5.08 .   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    55
Section 5.09 .   Restoration of Rights and Remedies    56
Section 5.10 .   Rights and Remedies Cumulative    56
Section 5.11 .   Delay or Omission Not Waiver    56
Section 5.12 .   Control by Holders of Securities    56
Section 5.13 .   Waiver of Past Defaults    57
Section 5.14 .   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    57
Section 5.15 .   Undertaking for Costs    57
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE
Section 6.01 .   Certain Rights of Trustee    58
Section 6.02 .   Notice of Defaults    60
Section 6.03 .   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    61
Section 6.04 .   May Hold Securities    61
Section 6.05 .   Money Held in Trust    61

 

ii


Section 6.06.   Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    61
Section 6.07 .   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    62
Section 6.08 .   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    63
Section 6.09 .   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    65
Section 6.10 .   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    66
Section 6.11 .   Appointment of Authenticating Agent    66
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY
Section 7.01 .   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    68
Section 7.02 .   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    69
Section 7.03 .   Reports by Trustee    69
Section 7.04 .   Reports by Company    69
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES
Section 8.01 .   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    71
Section 8.02 .   Successor Person Substituted for Company    71
Section 8.03 .   Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    72
Section 8.04 .   Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor    73
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES
Section 9.01 .   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    73
Section 9.02 .   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    74
Section 9.03 .   Execution of Supplemental Indentures    76
Section 9.04 .   Effect of Supplemental Indentures    76
Section 9.05 .   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    76
Section 9.06 .   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    76
Section 9.07 .   Effect on Senior Indebtedness    77
Section 9.08 .   Notice of Supplemental Indenture    77
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS
Section 10.01 .   Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    77
Section 10.02 .   Maintenance of Office or Agency    77
Section 10.03 .   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    79
Section 10.04 .   [Reserved]    80
Section 10.05 .   Corporate Existence    80
Section 10.06 .   Waiver of Certain Covenants    81

 

iii


Section 10.07.   Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults    81
Section 10.08 .   Calculation of Original Issue Discount    82
ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES
Section 11.01 .   Applicability of Article    82
Section 11.02 .   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    82
Section 11.03 .   Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    82
Section 11.04 .   Notice of Redemption    83
Section 11.05 .   Deposit of Redemption Price    85
Section 11.06 .   Securities Payable on Redemption Date    85
Section 11.07 .   Securities Redeemed in Part    86
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS
Section 12.01 .   Applicability of Article    86
Section 12.02 .   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    87
Section 12.03 .   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    87
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS
Section 13.01 .   Applicability of Article    88
ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES
Section 14.01 .   Applicability of Article    88
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES
Section 15.01 .   Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    89
Section 15.02 .   Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    89
Section 15.03 .   Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    90
Section 15.04 .   Quorum; Action    90
Section 15.05 .   Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    91
Section 15.06 .   Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    92

 

iv


ARTICLE 16
S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES
Section 16.01 .   Agreement to Subordinate    92
Section 16.02 .   Default on Senior Indebtedness    93
Section 16.03 .   Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy    93
Section 16.04 .   Subrogation    95
Section 16.05 .   Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    96
Section 16.06 .   Notice by the Company    96
Section 16.07 .   Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness    97
Section 16.08 .   Subordination May Not Be Impaired    98
Section 16.09 .   Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It    98
ARTICLE 17
G UARANTEE
Section 17.01 .   The Guarantee    99
Section 17.02 .   Ranking    99

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                 , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

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

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

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

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

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

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


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions . Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

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

 

2


Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

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

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

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

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

3


Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

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

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any

 

4


other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

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

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

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

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

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

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

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

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or

 

5


such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

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

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

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

 

6


Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

 

7


Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

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

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

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

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

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01; provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes

 

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shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

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

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

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

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

 

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Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

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

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

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

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

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

 

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Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(f) and 5.01(g) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities, including those issued to PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III (or similar financing vehicles of the Guarantor); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

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

Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

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Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

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

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

United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

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

 

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Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

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

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

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of

 

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Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

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

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders . (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in

 

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or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

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

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered

 

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Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

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

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

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

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

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Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

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

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

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

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

 

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

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last

 

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date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

 

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Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent

 

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to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 1.20 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

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ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

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

Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of

 

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such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

 

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With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

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

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

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

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions

 

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(including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

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

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

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

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

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

 

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(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

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

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

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

 

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(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(u) the form or forms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

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

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

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

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this

 

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Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

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

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

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

 

29


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

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

 

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The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

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

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender

 

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for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided, further, that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

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

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate

 

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principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

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

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or

 

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Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

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

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

 

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Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to

 

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become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security

 

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(herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

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

 

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

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

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

 

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

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

 

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ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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

(A) have become due and payable,

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

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in

 

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the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

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

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the

 

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Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as

 

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payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or Section 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91 st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

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

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of

 

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execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91 st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

 

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(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

 

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Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

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(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

 

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(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

 

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(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

 

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(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

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

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

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

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

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

 

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

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

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

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

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

 

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

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

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

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

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

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

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

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

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

 

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

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

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

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

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

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any

 

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series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

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

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

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

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

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is

 

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satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

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

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

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

 

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(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

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

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with

 

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respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “ default ” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

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

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this

 

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Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

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

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

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

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such

 

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series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

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

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

 

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Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

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

 

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Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

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

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

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

 

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

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

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

 

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

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

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

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

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

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

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

 

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(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

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

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

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

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

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the

 

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

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

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

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

 

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ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

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

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such

 

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supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

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

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

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

 

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(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

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

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

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

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company

 

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(when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

 

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

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

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

 

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Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the

 

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United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

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

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

 

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Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Section 10.04 . [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and

 

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franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

 

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(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

 

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

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

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

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

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

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

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

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon

 

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surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

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

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

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

 

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Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

 

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If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section

 

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12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or

 

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pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

 

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Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

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

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

 

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Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the relates Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

 

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All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under

 

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this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16 with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article 8 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article 8 of this Indenture.

 

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Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the

 

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receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in

 

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good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

 

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Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 16.01, 16.02, and 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

 

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ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

PARTNERRE LTD.,
as Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

100

Exhibit 4.34

 

 

FORM OF JUNIOR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                      , 20    

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

 

 


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    2

Section 1.02 .

   Compliance Certificates and Opinions    16

Section 1.03.

   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    16

Section 1.04.

   Acts of Holders    17

Section 1.05.

   Notices, etc.    20

Section 1.06.

   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    20

Section 1.07.

   Language of Notices    21

Section 1.08.

   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    21

Section 1.09.

   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    21

Section 1.10.

   Successors and Assigns    21

Section 1.11.

   Separability Clause    21

Section 1.12.

   Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries    21

Section 1.13.

   Benefits of Indenture    22

Section 1.14.

   Governing Law    22

Section 1.15.

   Non-Business Days    22

Section 1.16.

   Counterparts    22

Section 1.17.

   Judgment Currency    23

Section 1.18.

   No Security Interest Created    23

Section 1.19.

   Limitation on Individual Liability    23

Section 1.20.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    24

Section 1.21.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    25

Section 1.22.

   Force Majeure    25
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01.

   Forms Generally    25

Section 2.02.

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    26

Section 2.03.

   Securities in Global Form    26
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01.

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    27

Section 3.02.

   Currency; Denominations    32

Section 3.03.

   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    32

Section 3.04.

   Temporary Securities    34

 

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Section 3.05.

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    35

Section 3.06.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    39

Section 3.07.

   Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    40

Section 3.08.

   Persons Deemed Owners    42

Section 3.09.

   Cancellation    43

Section 3.10.

   Computation of Interest    43

Section 3.11.

   Extension of Interest Payment Period    43

Section 3.12.

   Agreed Tax Treatment    44

Section 3.13.

   Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange    44

Section 3.14.

   CUSIP Numbers    45
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01.

   Satisfaction and Discharge    45

Section 4.02.

   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.    47

Section 4.03.

   Application of Trust Money    52

Section 4.04.

   Reinstatement    52
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES

Section 5.01.

   Events of Default    53

Section 5.02.

   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    54

Section 5.03.

   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    56

Section 5.04.

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    57

Section 5.05.

   Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons    58

Section 5.06.

   Application of Money Collected    58

Section 5.07.

   Limitations on Suits    58

Section 5.08.

   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    59

Section 5.09.

   Restoration of Rights and Remedies    60

Section 5.10.

   Rights and Remedies Cumulative    60

Section 5.11.

   Delay or Omission Not Waiver    60

Section 5.12.

   Control by Holders of Securities    61

Section 5.13.

   Waiver of Past Defaults    61

Section 5.14.

   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    61

Section 5.15.

   Undertaking for Costs    62

 

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ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01.

   Certain Rights of Trustee    62

Section 6.02.

   Notice of Defaults    65

Section 6.03.

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    65

Section 6.04.

   May Hold Securities    65

Section 6.05.

   Money Held in Trust    66

Section 6.06.

   Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    66

Section 6.07.

   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    67

Section 6.08.

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.    67

Section 6.09.

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.    69

Section 6.10.

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    70

Section 6.11.

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent    71
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01.

   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    73

Section 7.02.

   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    73

Section 7.03.

   Reports by Trustee    73

Section 7.04.

   Reports by Company    74
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01.

   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    75

Section 8.02.

   Successor Person Substituted for Company    76

Section 8.03.

   Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    76

Section 8.04.

   Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor    77
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01.

   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    78

Section 9.02.

   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    79

Section 9.03.

   Execution of Supplemental Indentures    81

Section 9.04.

   Effect of Supplemental Indentures    81

Section 9.05.

   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    81

Section 9.06.

   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    82

Section 9.07.

   Effect on Senior Indebtedness    82

Section 9.08.

   Notice of Supplemental Indenture    82

 

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ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS

Section 10.01.

   Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    82

Section 10.02.

   Maintenance of Office or Agency    82

Section 10.03.

   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    84

Section 10.04.

   [Reserved].    86

Section 10.05.

   Corporate Existence    86

Section 10.06.

   Waiver of Certain Covenants    86

Section 10.07.

   Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults.    86

Section 10.08.

   Additional Sums    87

Section 10.09.

   Prohibition Against Dividends, etc    87

Section 10.10.

   Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust    88

Section 10.11.

   Ownership of Common Securities    89

Section 10.12.

   Calculation of Original Issue Discount    89
ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01.

   Applicability of Article    89

Section 11.02.

   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    89

Section 11.03.

   Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    90

Section 11.04.

   Notice of Redemption    90

Section 11.05.

   Deposit of Redemption Price    92

Section 11.06.

   Securities Payable on Redemption Date    92

Section 11.07.

   Securities Redeemed in Part    93

Section 11.08.

   Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust    94
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01.

   Applicability of Article    94

Section 12.02.

   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    94

Section 12.03.

   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    95
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01.

   Applicability of Article    96

 

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ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01.

   Applicability of Article    96
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01.

   Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    97

Section 15.02.

   Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    97

Section 15.03.

   Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    97

Section 15.04.

   Quorum; Action    98

Section 15.05.

   Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    98

Section 15.06.

   Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    99
ARTICLE 16
S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01.

   Agreement to Subordinate    100

Section 16.02.

   Default on Senior Indebtedness    100

Section 16.03.

   Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy    101

Section 16.04.

   Subrogation    102

Section 16.05.

   Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    103

Section 16.06.

   Notice by the Company    104

Section 16.07.

   Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness    105

Section 16.08.

   Subordination May Not Be Impaired    105

Section 16.09.

   Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It    106
ARTICLE 17
G UARANTEE

Section 17.01.

   The Guarantee    106

Section 17.02.

   Ranking    106

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                              , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its junior subordinated unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), including, without limitation, Securities issued to evidence loans made to the Company of the proceeds from the issuance from time to time by one or more PartnerRe Trusts (as defined herein) of preferred beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Preferred Securities ”) and common beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Common Securities ” and, collectively with the Preferred Securities, the “ Trust Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

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

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

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


NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

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

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Act, ” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

 

2


Additional Interest ” means the interest, if any, that shall accrue on any interest on the Securities of any series the payment of which has not been made on the applicable Interest Payment Date and which shall accrue at the rate per annum specified or determined as specified in such Security.

Additional Sums ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided , however , that an Affiliate of the Company or the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include any PartnerRe Trust to which Securities and the Guarantee in respect thereof have been issued. For the purposes of this definition, “ control, ” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

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

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

 

3


Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

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

Business Day, ” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

 

4


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

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

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

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

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

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Direct Action ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.08.

 

5


Distributions, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, has the meaning specified in the applicable Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust.

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

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Extension Period ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.11.

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

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

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest (including Additional Interest, if any) on, and any Additional Amounts and Additional Sums with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

 

6


Guarantee Agreement ” means the Guarantee Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

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

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

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

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to

 

7


the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest, ” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity, (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts and (iii) unless the context otherwise requires, includes Additional Interest, if any.

 

8


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

Investment Company Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by the PartnerRe Trust of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a written change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental agency or regulatory authority (a “ Change in 1940 Act Law ”), there is more than an insubstantial risk that such PartnerRe Trust is or will be considered an “ investment company ” or a company “ controlled ” by an “ investment company ” that is required to be registered under the Investment Company Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after the date of original issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity, ” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

1940 Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Office ” or “ Agency, ” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

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

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

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

 

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

PartnerRe Trust ” means PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each a statutory business trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware, and any other similar trust created to issue Trust Securities and to use the proceeds from the sale thereof to purchase Securities issued under this Indenture or any indenture entered into by the Company to effect similar financing.

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

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

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

 

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Preferred Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Preferred Securities Guarantee ” means the guarantee by PartnerRe Ltd., in its capacity as guarantor with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, of Distributions on such Preferred Securities to the extent provided in the Guarantee Agreement.

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Property Trustee, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means the entity acting in the capacity of Property Trustee pursuant to the related Trust Agreement.

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

Redemption Price, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

 

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Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

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

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

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

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust; subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

 

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Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Event ” means either an Investment Company Event or a Tax Event.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

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

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Tax Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by such PartnerRe Trust or the Company of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations (including any change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any applicable taxing authority), which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, there is more than an insubstantial risk that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is, or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to United States Federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued on the corresponding series of

 

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Securities, (ii) interest payable by the Company on the corresponding series of Securities is not or will not be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States Federal income tax purposes or (iii) such PartnerRe Trust is or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to more than a de minimis amount of other taxes, duties or other governmental charges.

Trust Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1, dated March 27, 2009, among PartnerRe Finance II Inc., as depositor, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein or other such trust agreement relating to a PartnerRe Trust substantially in the form thereof, as amended by an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

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

Trust Securities, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means, collectively, the Common Securities and Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust.

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

United States, ” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the

 

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extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “ U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

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

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

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

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

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or

 

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covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

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

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders or by holders of Preferred Securities may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders or holders of Preferred Securities, as applicable, in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders or holders of Preferred Securities signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting.

 

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Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

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

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of

 

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

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

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

 

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Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

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

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

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

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

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

 

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

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

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. The Company and the Guarantor hereby acknowledge that, to the extent

 

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specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Indenture. The Company and the Guarantor further acknowledge that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Company and/or the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the Securities of the series held by such PartnerRe Trust, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Company and/or the Guarantor.

Section 1.13 . Benefits of Indenture. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein with respect to holders of Preferred Securities, nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and the holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.14 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.15 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.16 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

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Section 1.17 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.18 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.19 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any

 

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and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.20 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be

 

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outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 1.21 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.22 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

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

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK

MELLON, as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

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

 

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(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

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

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

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

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the rate or rates and the extent to which Additional Interest, if any, shall be payable in respect of such Securities, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, the right, pursuant to Section 3.11 hereof or as otherwise set forth therein, of the Company to defer or extend an interest payment period and the duration of any such Extension Period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice,

 

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if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

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

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

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the

 

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method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

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

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

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

(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

 

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(u) the form or forms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein, and Guarantee Agreement;

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

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

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

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of

 

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persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

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

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

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

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01

 

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and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

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

 

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No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

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

 

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Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

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

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

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any

 

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Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any

 

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time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in

 

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

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

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

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same

 

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series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

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

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in

 

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the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

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

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

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

 

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In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

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

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

 

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Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . Extension of Interest Payment Period. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series and subject to the terms, conditions and covenants, if any, so specified, the Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time during the term of such series, to defer the payment of interest on such Securities for such period or periods as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 (each, an “ Extension Period ”), during which Extension Periods the Company shall have the right to make partial payments of interest on any Interest Payment Date. No Extension Period shall end on a day other than an Interest Payment Date. At the end of any such Extension Period, the Company shall pay all interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) then accrued and unpaid on the Securities. Prior to the termination of any such Extension Period, the Company may further extend the interest payment period, provided that no Extension Period shall exceed the period or periods specified in such Securities or extend beyond the Stated Maturity of the principal of such Securities. Upon termination of any Extension Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest, the Company may elect to begin a new Extension Period, subject to the above requirements. No interest shall be due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof.

 

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The Company shall give the Holders of the Securities of such series and the Trustee written notice of its election to begin any such Extension Period at least one Business Day prior to the Interest Payment Date or, with respect to the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, prior to the earlier of (i) the date the Distributions on the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust are payable or (ii) the date the trustees of such PartnerRe Trust are required to give notice to any securities exchange or other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders of such Preferred Securities of the record date or the date such Distributions are payable, but in any event not less than one Business Day prior to such record date.

The Trustee shall promptly give notice of the Company’s election to begin any such Extension Period to the Holders of the outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 3.12 . Agreed Tax Treatment. Each Security issued hereunder shall provide that the Company and by its acceptance of a Security or a beneficial interest therein, the Holder of, and any Person that acquires a beneficial interest in, such Security agree that for United States Federal, state and local tax purposes it is intended that such Security constitute indebtedness.

Section 3.13 . Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series, the Company shall have the right to (a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series upon the liquidation of the applicable PartnerRe Trust and the exchange of such Securities for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, and (b) extend the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series; provided that, at the time any election to extend such Stated Maturity is made and at the time such extension commences, (i) no Event of Default on the Securities has occurred and is continuing, (ii) the applicable PartnerRe Trust is not in arrears on payments of Distributions on its Preferred Securities and no deferred Distributions thereon have accumulated, (iii) the Securities of such series are and immediately after such extension will be rated at least investment grade by either Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (currently BBB - or above), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (currently Baa3 or above) or any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization and (iv) the extended Stated Maturity is no later than the 49th anniversary of the initial issuance of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust; provided , further , that, if the Company exercises its right to liquidate the applicable PartnerRe Trust and exchange the Securities of such series for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as specified in clause (a) above, any changed Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series shall be no earlier than the date that is 15 years after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities and no later than the date 30 years (plus an extended term of up to an additional 19 years if the above-referenced conditions are satisfied) after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust.

 

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Section 3.14 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “ CUSIP, ” “ CINS ” and “ ISIN ” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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

 

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(A) have become due and payable,

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

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

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

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts

 

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payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

(a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due,

 

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and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

 

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(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(c) or

 

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(d) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

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

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or

 

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involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (a) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

 

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The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the

 

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Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default, ” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (subject to any deferral of any due date in the case of an Extension Period); or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

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(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(d) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(e) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable; provided that, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, if, upon an Event of Default, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series fail to declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be immediately due and payable, the holders of at least 25% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee; and upon any such declaration such principal or such lesser amount and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall become immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of principal and interest and all other amounts due with respect to such Securities shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in Article 16.

 

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If an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series (subject to, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of the holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

 

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In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, should the Holders of such Securities fail to rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by written notice to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee, subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth in clauses (a) and (b) above of this Section 5.02.

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

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee . The Company covenants that if:

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

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable and if the Securities are held by a PartnerRe Trust, without duplication of any other amounts paid to such PartnerRe Trust in respect thereof) upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

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

 

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or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

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

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

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

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

 

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

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

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

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

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

 

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

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

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

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, any holder of Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall have the right, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b) hereof, to institute directly a proceeding against the Company and/or the Guarantor for enforcement of payment to such holder of principal of, and any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities having a principal amount equal to the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities held by such holder (a “ Direct Action ”).

 

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Notwithstanding any payments made to a holder of Preferred Securities by the Company and/or the Guarantor in connection with a Direct Action, the Company and the Guarantor shall remain obligated to pay the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the related Securities, and the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the holder of such Preferred Securities with respect to payments on the Preferred Securities to the extent of any payments made by the Company to such holder in any Direct Action.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has, or the holders of Preferred Securities have, instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee, to such Holder or to the holders of such Preferred Securities, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon or of the holders of Preferred Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee, by such Holder or by such holders of Preferred Securities, as the case may be.

 

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Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

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

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

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

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, in the case of any Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of not less than a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

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

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

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

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not

 

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hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series or, if a series of Securities is held by a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of more than 10% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of that PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any Holder or any holder of Preferred Securities for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

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

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

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

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

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

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

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

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

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(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

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

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (a) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (b) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

 

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(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

 

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Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

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

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

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

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

 

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The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

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

 

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(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

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

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of

 

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himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

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

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

(a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with

 

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respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

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

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

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee

 

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hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

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

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

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such

 

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

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

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

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

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

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating

 

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

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

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

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

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

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

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of

 

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Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

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

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

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

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

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

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

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not

 

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constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

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(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Trust Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Trust Agreement; and

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

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee)

 

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supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Guarantee Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Guarantee Agreement; and

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

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

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

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

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

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

 

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(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

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

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture (and, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

 

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(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms; provided that, in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no such amendment shall be made that materially adversely affects the holders of such Preferred Securities, and no termination of this Indenture shall occur, and no waiver of any Event of Default or compliance with any covenant under this Indenture shall be effective, without the prior consent of the holders of at least a majority of the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full; and provided further that in the case of the Securities of a series

 

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issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no amendment shall be made to Section 5.08 of this Indenture without the prior consent of the holder of each Preferred Security then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full.

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

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

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

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Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this

 

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Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

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

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

 

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Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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Section 10.04 . [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults.

(a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

 

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(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Additional Sums. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 9.02(b) of the related Trust Agreement, in the event that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is the Holder of all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and (ii) such PartnerRe Trust is required to pay any taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, other than withholding taxes (including backup withholding taxes), imposed by the United States, or any other taxing authority, then the Company shall pay to such PartnerRe Trust (and its permitted successors or assigns under the related Trust Agreement), for so long as such PartnerRe Trust (or its permitted successor or assignee) is the registered holder of any Securities of such series, such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the amounts received and retained by such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with such Securities after paying any such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges will be not less than the amounts that such Capital Trust would have received had no such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges been imposed (the “ Additional Sums ”). Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on, or in respect of, any Security of any series or any Coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Sums provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, Additional Sums are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of Additional Sums (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Sums in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made, provided, however, that the extension of an interest payment period pursuant to Section 3.11 or the terms of the applicable Securities shall not extend the payment of any Additional Sums that may be due and payable during such interest payment period.

Section 10.09 . Prohibition Against Dividends, etc. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, the Company and the Guarantor each covenant and agree with each Holder of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust that it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Guarantor’s outstanding capital stock or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Company or the

 

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Guarantor, as the case may be, that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan of the Guarantor, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) indebtedness pursuant to the terms of the capital stock or indebtedness as originally issued, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Company has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default hereunder and (2) in respect of which the Company shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under the related Preferred Securities Guarantee or (C) the Company shall have given notice of its election to begin an Extension Period as provided herein with respect to the Securities of such series and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 10.10 . Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust. The Company and the Guarantor, each jointly and severally, covenant for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities to pay or cause to be paid all of the obligations, costs and expenses of each PartnerRe Trust (other than payments in respect of Trust Securities) in accordance with the provisions of its Trust Agreement and to pay the taxes of such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with the provisions of its Trust Agreement in order to permit such PartnerRe Trust to make distributions on and redemptions of its Preferred Securities in accordance with such Trust Agreement.

 

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Section 10.11 . Ownership of Common Securities. The Company covenants, as to each series of Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust in connection with the issuance of Preferred Securities and Common Securities by that PartnerRe Trust, (a) to maintain directly or indirectly 100% ownership of the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust; provided , however , that any permitted successor of the Company hereunder may succeed to the Company’s ownership of such Common Securities, (b) not to voluntarily dissolve, wind-up or liquidate such PartnerRe Trust, except in connection with (i) a distribution of the Securities of such series to the holders of Preferred Securities and Common Securities in liquidation of such PartnerRe Trust, (ii) the redemption of all of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust or (iii) certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust and (c) to take reasonable steps as necessary so that such PartnerRe Trust will not fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes.

Section 10.12 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days’ notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee). If the Securities of a series are held by a PartnerRe Trust, the Company shall also deliver a copy of such notice to the Property Trustee of such PartnerRe Trust.

 

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Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

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

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

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

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

 

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

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

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

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

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

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

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

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

 

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(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the

 

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United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided, further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such

 

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Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

Section 11.08 . Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust. In the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, if a Special Event in respect of such PartnerRe Trust shall occur and be continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Securities of such series within 90 days of the occurrence of such Special Event, in whole but not in part, subject to the provisions of this Section 11.08 and the other provisions of this Article 11. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, the redemption price for any Security so redeemed pursuant to this Section 11.08 shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Securities then Outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such

 

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series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

 

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ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

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

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations,

 

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the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth

 

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a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

 

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In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,

 

101


property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “ cash, property or securities ” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16, with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of

 

102


the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

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Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution,

 

104


winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this

 

105


Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d)exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Section 16.01, 16.02 and Section 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Section 6.02 and Section 6.03 of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

 

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[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

107


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

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE II INC.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

108

Exhibit 4.35

FORM OF SENIOR INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                 , 20    

Senior

Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

         P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION
Section 1.01.   Definitions    2
Section 1.02.   Compliance Certificates and Opinions    13
Section 1.03.   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    14
Section 1.04.   Acts of Holders    14
Section 1.05.   Notices, etc.    17
Section 1.06.   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    17
Section 1.07.   Language of Notices    18
Section 1.08.   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    18
Section 1.09.   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    18
Section 1.10.   Successors and Assigns    19
Section 1.11.   Separability Clause    19
Section 1.12.   Benefits of Indenture    19
Section 1.13.   Governing Law    19
Section 1.14.   Non-Business Days    19
Section 1.15.   Counterparts    19
Section 1.16.   Judgment Currency    19
Section 1.17.   No Security Interest Created    20
Section 1.18.   Limitation on Individual Liability    20
Section 1.19.   Submission to Jurisdiction    21
Section 1.20.   Waiver of Jury Trial    22
Section 1.21.   Force Majeure    22
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS
Section 2.01.   Forms Generally    22
Section 2.02.   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    23
Section 2.03.   Securities in Global Form    23
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES
Section 3.01.   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    24
Section 3.02.   Currency; Denominations    28
Section 3.03.   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    29
Section 3.04.   Temporary Securities    30
Section 3.05.   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    31
Section 3.06.   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    35


Section 3.07.    Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    36
Section 3.08.    Persons Deemed Owners    38
Section 3.09.    Cancellation    39
Section 3.10.    Computation of Interest    39
Section 3.11.    CUSIP Numbers    39
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE
Section 4.01.    Satisfaction and Discharge    40
Section 4.02.    Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance    41
Section 4.03.    Application of Trust Money    47
Section 4.04.    Reinstatement    47
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES
Section 5.01.    Events of Default    47
Section 5.02.    Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    50
Section 5.03.    Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    51
Section 5.04.    Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    52
Section 5.05.    Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons    53
Section 5.06.    Application of Money Collected    53
Section 5.07.    Limitations on Suits    54
Section 5.08.    Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    54
Section 5.09.    Restoration of Rights and Remedies    55
Section 5.10.    Rights and Remedies Cumulative    55
Section 5.11.    Delay or Omission Not Waiver    55
Section 5.12.    Control by Holders of Securities    55
Section 5.13.    Waiver of Past Defaults    56
Section 5.14.    Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    56
Section 5.15.    Undertaking for Costs    56
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE
Section 6.01.    Certain Rights of Trustee    57
Section 6.02.    Notice of Defaults    59
Section 6.03.    Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    60
Section 6.04.    May Hold Securities    60
Section 6.05.    Money Held in Trust    60

 

ii


Section 6.06.    Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    60
Section 6.07.    Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    61
Section 6.08.    Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    62
Section 6.09.    Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    64
Section 6.10.    Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    65
Section 6.11.    Appointment of Authenticating Agent    65
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY
Section 7.01.    Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    67
Section 7.02.    Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    68
Section 7.03.    Reports by Trustee    68
Section 7.04.    Reports by Company    68
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES
Section 8.01.    Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    69
Section 8.02.    Successor Person Substituted for Company    70
Section 8.03.    Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    71
Section 8.04.    Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor    72
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES
Section 9.01.    Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    72
Section 9.02.    Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    73
Section 9.03.    Execution of Supplemental Indentures    75
Section 9.04.    Effect of Supplemental Indentures    75
Section 9.05.    Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    75
Section 9.06.    Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    75
Section 9.07.    Notice of Supplemental Indenture    75
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS
Section 10.01.    Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    76
Section 10.02.    Maintenance of Office or Agency    76
Section 10.03.    Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    78
Section 10.04.    [Reserved]    79
Section 10.05.    Organizational Existence    79
Section 10.06.    Waiver of Certain Covenants    79

 

iii


Section 10.07.    Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults    80
Section 10.08.    Calculation of Original Issue Discount    80
ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES
Section 11.01.    Applicability of Article    81
Section 11.02.    Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    81
Section 11.03.    Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    81
Section 11.04.    Notice of Redemption    82
Section 11.05.    Deposit of Redemption Price    83
Section 11.06.    Securities Payable on Redemption Date    84
Section 11.07.    Securities Redeemed in Part    85
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS
Section 12.01.    Applicability of Article    85
Section 12.02.    Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    86
Section 12.03.    Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    86
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS
Section 13.01.    Applicability of Article    87
ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES
Section 14.01.    Applicability of Article    87
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES
Section 15.01.    Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    88
Section 15.02.    Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    88
Section 15.03.    Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    88
Section 15.04.    Quorum; Action    89
Section 15.05.    Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    89
Section 15.06.    Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    90

 

iv


ARTICLE 16
G UARANTEE
Section 16.01.    The Guarantee    91
Section 16.02.    Ranking    91

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                 , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

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

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

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

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

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

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


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

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

 

2


Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

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

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

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Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

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

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any

 

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other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

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

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

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

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

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

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

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

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or

 

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such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

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

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

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

 

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Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

 

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Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

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

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

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

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

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided

 

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in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

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

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

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

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

 

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principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

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

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

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

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

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

 

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Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

“Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement” means the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

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

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

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

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

Vice President ,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President.”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

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(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in

 

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person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

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(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

 

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(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

 

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In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in

 

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respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because

 

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of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.20. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

 

  By:  

 

    Authorized Officer

Dated:                     

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such

 

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exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

 

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(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities

 

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are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(s) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(t) the form or forms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

(u) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(v) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(w) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities; and

 

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(x) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver

 

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Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without

 

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unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

 

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At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or

 

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Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same

 

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series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

 

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No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing

 

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identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any

 

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Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

 

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(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities

 

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or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or

 

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within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common

 

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Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(s), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons

 

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appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or

 

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the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “insider”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

 

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(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be

 

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voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the

 

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Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the

 

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Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may

 

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prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third: The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

 

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(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any

 

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series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is

 

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satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

 

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(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with

 

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respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this

 

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Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such

 

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series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

 

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Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring

 

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Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

 

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Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

 

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The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

 

  By:  

 

    as Authenticating Agent
  By:  

 

    as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

 

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(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the

 

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foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

 

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(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such

 

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supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

 

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(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company

 

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(when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(d) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and

 

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solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

 

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ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or

 

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served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

 

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Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

 

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The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 10.04. [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for

 

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such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as

 

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of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that , the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

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Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional

 

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Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or

 

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with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing

 

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Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

 

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Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited.

Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each

 

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such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable

 

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record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or

 

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more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any

 

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meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the

 

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meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

G UARANTEE

Section 16.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 16.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall rank in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

92

Exhibit 4.36

FORM OF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                         , 20    

Subordinated Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

        

P AGE

ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01.

   Definitions   2

Section 1.02 .

   Compliance Certificates and Opinions   14

Section 1.03 .

   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee   14

Section 1.04.

   Acts of Holders   15

Section 1.05 .

   Notices, etc.   17

Section 1.06 .

   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver   18

Section 1.07 .

   Language of Notices   19

Section 1.08 .

   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act   19

Section 1.09 .

   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents   19

Section 1.10 .

   Successors and Assigns   19

Section 1.11 .

   Separability Clause   19

Section 1.12 .

   Benefits of Indenture   19

Section 1.13 .

   Governing Law   19

Section 1.14 .

   Non-Business Days   19

Section 1.15 .

   Counterparts   20

Section 1.16 .

   Judgment Currency   20

Section 1.17 .

   No Security Interest Created   20

Section 1.18 .

   Limitation on Individual Liability   21

Section 1.19 .

   Submission to Jurisdiction   21

Section 1.20 .

   Waiver of Jury Trial   22

Section 1.21 .

   Force Majeure   22
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 .

   Forms Generally   22

Section 2.02 .

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication   23

Section 2.03 .

   Securities in Global Form   23
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 .

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series   24

Section 3.02 .

   Currency; Denominations   29

Section 3.03 .

   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating   29

Section 3.04 .

   Temporary Securities   31

Section 3.05 .

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange   31

Section 3.06 .

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities   35

 

i


Section 3.07.

   Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved   37

Section 3.08 .

   Persons Deemed Owners   39

Section 3.09 .

   Cancellation   39

Section 3.10 .

   Computation of Interest   40

Section 3.11 .

   CUSIP Numbers   40
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 .

   Satisfaction and Discharge   40

Section 4.02 .

   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance   42

Section 4.03 .

   Application of Trust Money   47

Section 4.04 .

   Reinstatement   47
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 .

   Events of Default   48

Section 5.02 .

   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment   50

Section 5.03 .

   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee   51

Section 5.04 .

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim   52

Section 5.05 .

   Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons   53

Section 5.06 .

   Application of Money Collected   53

Section 5.07 .

   Limitations on Suits   54

Section 5.08 .

   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts   54

Section 5.09 .

   Restoration of Rights and Remedies   54

Section 5.10 .

   Rights and Remedies Cumulative   55

Section 5.11 .

   Delay or Omission Not Waiver   55

Section 5.12 .

   Control by Holders of Securities   55

Section 5.13 .

   Waiver of Past Defaults   56

Section 5.14 .

   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws   56

Section 5.15 .

   Undertaking for Costs   56
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 .

   Certain Rights of Trustee   57

Section 6.02 .

   Notice of Defaults   59

Section 6.03 .

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities   60

Section 6.04 .

   May Hold Securities   60

Section 6.05 .

   Money Held in Trust   60

Section 6.06.

   Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification   60

 

ii


Section 6.07.

   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility   61

Section 6.08 .

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor   61

Section 6.09 .

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor   63

Section 6.10 .

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business   65

Section 6.11 .

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent   65
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 .

   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders   67

Section 7.02 .

   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders   67

Section 7.03 .

   Reports by Trustee   68

Section 7.04 .

   Reports by Company   68
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 .

   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms   69

Section 8.02 .

   Successor Person Substituted for Company   70

Section 8.03 .

   Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms   70

Section 8.04 .

   Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor   71
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 .

   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders   72

Section 9.02 .

   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders   73

Section 9.03 .

   Execution of Supplemental Indentures   74

Section 9.04 .

   Effect of Supplemental Indentures   75

Section 9.05 .

   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures   75

Section 9.06 .

   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act   75

Section 9.07 .

   Effect on Senior Indebtedness   75

Section 9.08 .

   Notice of Supplemental Indenture   75
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 .

   Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts   75

Section 10.02 .

   Maintenance of Office or Agency   76

Section 10.03 .

   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust   77

Section 10.04 .

   [Reserved]   79

Section 10.05 .

   Organizational Existence   79

Section 10.06 .

   Waiver of Certain Covenants   79

Section 10.07 .

   Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults   79

Section 10.08 .

   Calculation of Original Issue Discount   80

 

iii


ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 .

   Applicability of Article   80

Section 11.02 .

   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee   80

Section 11.03 .

   Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed   81

Section 11.04 .

   Notice of Redemption   81

Section 11.05 .

   Deposit of Redemption Price   83

Section 11.06 .

   Securities Payable on Redemption Date   83

Section 11.07 .

   Securities Redeemed in Part   84
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS
Section 12.01 .    Applicability of Article   85
Section 12.02 .    Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities   85
Section 12.03 .    Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund   86
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS
Section 13.01 .    Applicability of Article   86
ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES
Section 14.01 .    Applicability of Article   87
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES
Section 15.01 .    Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called   87
Section 15.02 .    Call, Notice and Place of Meetings   87
Section 15.03 .    Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings   88
Section 15.04 .    Quorum; Action   88
Section 15.05 .    Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings   89
Section 15.06 .    Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings   90
ARTICLE 16
S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 .

   Agreement to Subordinate   90

Section 16.02 .

   Default on Senior Indebtedness   91

Section 16.03 .

   Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy   91

Section 16.04 .

   Subrogation   93

Section 16.05 .

   Trustee to Effectuate Subordination   94

 

iv


Section 16.06.

   Notice by the Company   94

Section 16.07 .

   Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness   95

Section 16.08 .

   Subordination May Not Be Impaired   96

Section 16.09 .

   Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It   96
ARTICLE 17
G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 .

   The Guarantee   97

Section 17.02 .

   Ranking   97

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                     , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its subordinated unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions . Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “or” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “A or B” means “A or B or both,” not “either A or B but not both”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

2


Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

 

3


Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

 

4


Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency ,” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

 

5


Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “Guarantor” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Guarantor” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

6


Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

 

7


Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

Interest Payment Date ,” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

 

8


Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding ,” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

 

9


provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment ,” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

10


Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Redemption Date ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “Regular Record Date”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

11


Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities,” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(f) and 5.01(g) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities, including those issued to PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III (or similar financing vehicles of the Guarantor); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity ,” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

 

12


Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Trustee ” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

 

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Vice President ,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President.”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and

 

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does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders . (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request,

 

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demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered

 

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Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

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Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

 

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Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of

 

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Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

 

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Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in

 

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any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 1.20 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the

 

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related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

 

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable,

 

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Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series

 

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pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and

 

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the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

 

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(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section

 

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4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(u) the form or forms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

(v) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(w) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(x) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’

 

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Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and

 

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deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its

 

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authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided, further, that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such

 

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reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they

 

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may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such

 

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interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on

 

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such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange

 

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therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

 

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The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the

 

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Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

 

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Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

 

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Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

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(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by

 

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the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of

 

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the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

 

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(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or Section 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91 st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

 

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(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91 st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

 

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(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after

 

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there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement,

 

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adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a

 

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judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second : To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any

 

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right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

 

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Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after

 

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the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

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(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

 

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(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d)

 

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with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “ default ” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification . The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

 

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(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

 

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(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a

 

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Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign,

 

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transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and

 

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certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

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Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

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THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

 

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(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for

 

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conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties

 

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and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

 

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(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment,

 

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Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

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Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer

 

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Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be

 

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made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on

 

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each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder

 

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of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 10.04 . [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

 

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(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms,

 

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the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

 

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Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

 

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(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on

 

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or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall

 

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authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund

 

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payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

 

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ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the

 

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Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution

 

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with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

 

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(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent

 

90


and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the relates Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the

 

91


Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16 with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the

 

92


liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article 8 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article 8 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

 

93


Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person

 

94


representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

 

95


Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 16.01, 16.02 and 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

 

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ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

97


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

PARTNERRE LTD.,
as Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

98

Exhibit 4.37

 

 

FORM OF JUNIOR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                              , 20    

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

 

 


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

      (a)(2)

   6.07

      (b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

      (b)

   7.02

      (c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

      (b)(2)

   7.03

      (c)

   7.03

      (d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

      (c)(1)

   1.02

      (c)(2)

   1.02

      (e)

   1.02

      (f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

      (a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

      (a)(1)(B)

   5.13

      (b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

      (a)(2)

   5.04

      (b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     P AGE
ARTICLE 1   
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION   

Section 1.01.     Definitions

   2

Section 1.02.     Compliance Certificates and Opinions

   16

Section 1.03.     Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

   16

Section 1.04.     Acts of Holders

   17

Section 1.05.     Notices, etc .

   19

Section 1.06.     Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver

   20

Section 1.07.     Language of Notices

   21

Section 1.08.     Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

   21

Section 1.09.     Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

   21

Section 1.10.     Successors and Assigns

   21

Section 1.11.     Separability Clause

   21

Section 1.12.     Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries

   21

Section 1.13.     Benefits of Indenture

   22

Section 1.14.     Governing Law

   22

Section 1.15.     Non-Business Days

   22

Section 1.16.     Counterparts

   22

Section 1.17.     Judgment Currency

   22

Section 1.18.     No Security Interest Created

   23

Section 1.19.     Limitation on Individual Liability

   23

Section 1.20.     Submission to Jurisdiction

   24

Section 1.21.     Waiver of Jury Trial

   25

Section 1.22.     Force Majeure

   25
ARTICLE 2   
S ECURITIES F ORMS   

Section 2.01.     Forms Generally

   25

Section 2.02.     Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

   26

Section 2.03.     Securities in Global Form

   26
ARTICLE 3   
T HE S ECURITIES   

Section 3.01.     Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

   27

Section 3.02.     Currency; Denominations

   32

Section 3.03.     Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

   32

Section 3.04.     Temporary Securities

   34

 

i


Section 3.05.     Registration, Transfer and Exchange

   34

Section 3.06.     Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

   39

Section 3.07.     Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved

   40

Section 3.08.     Persons Deemed Owners

   42

Section 3.09.     Cancellation

   42

Section 3.10.     Computation of Interest

   43

Section 3.11.     Extension of Interest Payment Period

   43

Section 3.12.     Agreed Tax Treatment

   44

Section 3.13.     Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange

   44

Section 3.14.     CUSIP Numbers

   44
ARTICLE 4   
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE   

Section 4.01.     Satisfaction and Discharge

   45

Section 4.02.     Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

   47

Section 4.03.     Application of Trust Money

   52

Section 4.04.     Reinstatement

   52
ARTICLE 5   
R EMEDIES   

Section 5.01.     Events of Default

   53

Section 5.02.     Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

   54

Section 5.03.     Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

   56

Section 5.04.     Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

   57

Section 5.05.     Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons

   58

Section 5.06.     Application of Money Collected

   58

Section 5.07.     Limitations on Suits

   58

Section 5.08.     Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   59

Section 5.09.     Restoration of Rights and Remedies

   60

Section 5.10.     Rights and Remedies Cumulative

   60

Section 5.11.     Delay or Omission Not Waiver

   60

Section 5.12.     Control by Holders of Securities

   60

Section 5.13.     Waiver of Past Defaults

   61

Section 5.14.     Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

   61

Section 5.15.     Undertaking for Costs

   62

 

ii


ARTICLE 6   
T HE T RUSTEE   

Section 6.01.     Certain Rights of Trustee

   62

Section 6.02.     Notice of Defaults

   65

Section 6.03.     Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

   65

Section 6.04.     May Hold Securities

   65

Section 6.05.     Money Held in Trust

   66

Section 6.06.     Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification

   66

Section 6.07.     Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

   67

Section 6.08.     Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

   67

Section 6.09.     Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

   69

Section 6.10.     Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

   70

Section 6.11.     Appointment of Authenticating Agent

   71
ARTICLE 7   
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY   

Section 7.01.     Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

   73

Section 7.02.     Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

   73

Section 7.03.     Reports by Trustee

   73

Section 7.04.     Reports by Company

   74
ARTICLE 8   
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES   

Section 8.01.     Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   75

Section 8.02.     Successor Person Substituted for Company

   76

Section 8.03.     Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   76

Section 8.04.     Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor

   77
ARTICLE 9   
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES   

Section 9.01.     Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

   78

Section 9.02.     Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

   79

Section 9.03.     Execution of Supplemental Indentures

   81

Section 9.04.     Effect of Supplemental Indentures

   81

Section 9.05.     Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

   81

Section 9.06.     Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

   82

Section 9.07.     Effect on Senior Indebtedness

   82

Section 9.08.     Notice of Supplemental Indenture

   82

 

iii


ARTICLE 10   
C OVENANTS   

Section 10.01.     Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   82

Section 10.02.     Maintenance of Office or Agency

   82

Section 10.03.     Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

   84

Section 10.04.     [Reserved]

   86

Section 10.05.     Organizational Existence

   86

Section 10.06.     Waiver of Certain Covenants

   86

Section 10.07.     Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults

   86

Section 10.08.     Additional Sums

   87

Section 10.09.     Prohibition Against Dividends, etc

   87

Section 10.10.     Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust

   88

Section 10.11.     Ownership of Common Securities

   89

Section 10.12.     Calculation of Original Issue Discount

   89
ARTICLE 11   
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES   

Section 11.01.     Applicability of Article

   89

Section 11.02.     Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

   89

Section 11.03.     Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

   90

Section 11.04.     Notice of Redemption

   90

Section 11.05.     Deposit of Redemption Price

   92

Section 11.06.     Securities Payable on Redemption Date

   92

Section 11.07.     Securities Redeemed in Part

   93

Section 11.08.     Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust

   94
ARTICLE 12   
S INKING F UNDS   

Section 12.01.     Applicability of Article

   94

Section 12.02.     Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

   94

Section 12.03.     Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

   95
ARTICLE 13   
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS   

Section 13.01.     Applicability of Article

   96

 

iv


ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES   

Section 14.01.     Applicability of Article

   96
ARTICLE 15   
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES   

Section 15.01.     Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

   97

Section 15.02.     Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

   97

Section 15.03.     Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

   97

Section 15.04.     Quorum; Action

   98

Section 15.05.     Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

   98

Section 15.06.     Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

   99
ARTICLE 16   
S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES   

Section 16.01.     Agreement to Subordinate

   100

Section 16.02.     Default on Senior Indebtedness

   100

Section 16.03.     Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy

   101

Section 16.04.     Subrogation

   102

Section 16.05.     Trustee to Effectuate Subordination

   103

Section 16.06.     Notice by the Company

   104

Section 16.07.     Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness

   105

Section 16.08.     Subordination May Not Be Impaired

   105

Section 16.09.     Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It

   106
ARTICLE 17   
G UARANTEE   

Section 17.01.     The Guarantee

   106

Section 17.02.     Ranking

   106

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                              , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its junior subordinated unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), including, without limitation, Securities issued to evidence loans made to the Company of the proceeds from the issuance from time to time by one or more PartnerRe Trusts (as defined herein) of preferred beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Preferred Securities ”) and common beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Common Securities ” and, collectively with the Preferred Securities, the “ Trust Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “ herein, ” “ hereof, ” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “ or ” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “ A or B ” means “ A or B or both, ” not “ either A or B but not both ”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act, ” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

 

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Additional Interest ” means the interest, if any, that shall accrue on any interest on the Securities of any series the payment of which has not been made on the applicable Interest Payment Date and which shall accrue at the rate per annum specified or determined as specified in such Security.

Additional Sums ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided , however , that an Affiliate of the Company or the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include any PartnerRe Trust to which Securities and the Guarantee in respect thereof have been issued. For the purposes of this definition, “ control, ” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

 

3


Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day, ” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “ Company ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Company ” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

 

4


Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency, ” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Direct Action ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.08.

Distributions, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, has the meaning specified in the applicable Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust.

 

5


Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Extension Period ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.11.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest (including Additional Interest, if any) on, and any Additional Amounts and Additional Sums with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Agreement ” means the Guarantee Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

6


Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “ Guarantor ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Guarantor ” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement

 

7


following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest, ” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity, (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts and (iii) unless the context otherwise requires, includes Additional Interest, if any.

Interest Payment Date, ” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

 

8


Investment Company Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by the PartnerRe Trust of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a written change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental agency or regulatory authority (a “ Change in 1940 Act Law ”), there is more than an insubstantial risk that such PartnerRe Trust is or will be considered an “ investment company ” or a company “ controlled ” by an “ investment company ” that is required to be registered under the Investment Company Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after the date of original issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity, ” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

1940 Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Office ” or “ Agency, ” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

9


Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding, ” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,

 

10


authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

PartnerRe Trust ” means PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each a statutory business trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware, and any other similar trust created to issue Trust Securities and to use the proceeds from the sale thereof to purchase Securities issued under this Indenture or any indenture entered into by the Company to effect similar financing.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment, ” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

11


Preferred Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Preferred Securities Guarantee ” means the guarantee by PartnerRe Ltd., in its capacity as guarantor with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, of Distributions on such Preferred Securities to the extent provided in the Guarantee Agreement.

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Property Trustee, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means the entity acting in the capacity of Property Trustee pursuant to the related Trust Agreement.

Redemption Date, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

 

12


Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “ Regular Record Date ”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “ Securities, ” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust (or similar financing vehicle of the Guarantor); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

 

13


Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Event ” means either an Investment Company Event or a Tax Event.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity, ” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Tax Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by such PartnerRe Trust or the Company of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations (including any change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any applicable taxing authority), which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, there is more than an insubstantial risk that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is, or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to United States Federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued on the corresponding series of Securities, (ii) interest payable by the Company on the corresponding series of Securities is not or will not be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States

 

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Federal income tax purposes or (iii) such PartnerRe Trust is or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to more than a de minimis amount of other taxes, duties or other governmental charges.

Trust Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1, dated             , 20    , among [PartnerRe Finance A LLC], as depositor, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein or other such trust agreement relating to a PartnerRe Trust substantially in the form thereof, as amended by an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trust Securities, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means, collectively, the Common Securities and Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “ Trustee ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Trustee ” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Trustee ” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

United States, ” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than

 

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one such Person, “ U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

Vice President, ” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “ Vice President .”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

 

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Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders or by holders of Preferred Securities may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders or holders of Preferred Securities, as applicable, in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders or holders of Preferred Securities signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act)

 

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conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever

 

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situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

 

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(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

 

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In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. The Company and the Guarantor hereby acknowledge that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Indenture. The Company and the Guarantor further acknowledge that, if an Event of Default has occurred

 

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and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Company and/or the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the Securities of the series held by such PartnerRe Trust, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Company and/or the Guarantor.

Section 1.13 . Benefits of Indenture. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein with respect to holders of Preferred Securities, nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and the holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.14 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.15 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.16 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.17 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts,

 

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if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.18 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.19 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the

 

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obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.20 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.21 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.22 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

 

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(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the rate or rates and the extent to which Additional Interest, if any, shall be payable in respect of such Securities, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, the right, pursuant to Section 3.11 hereof or as otherwise set forth therein, of the Company to defer or extend an interest payment period and the duration of any such Extension Period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

 

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(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

 

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(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(u) the form or forms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein, and Guarantee Agreement;

 

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(v) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(w) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(x) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the

 

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same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and

 

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any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive

 

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evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security

 

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Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the

 

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surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security

 

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are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and

 

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before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

 

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Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in

 

39


exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the

 

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Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to

 

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which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any

 

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time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . Extension of Interest Payment Period. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series and subject to the terms, conditions and covenants, if any, so specified, the Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time during the term of such series, to defer the payment of interest on such Securities for such period or periods as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 (each, an “ Extension Period ”), during which Extension Periods the Company shall have the right to make partial payments of interest on any Interest Payment Date. No Extension Period shall end on a day other than an Interest Payment Date. At the end of any such Extension Period, the Company shall pay all interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) then accrued and unpaid on the Securities. Prior to the termination of any such Extension Period, the Company may further extend the interest payment period, provided that no Extension Period shall exceed the period or periods specified in such Securities or extend beyond the Stated Maturity of the principal of such Securities. Upon termination of any Extension Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest, the Company may elect to begin a new Extension Period, subject to the above requirements. No interest shall be due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof.

The Company shall give the Holders of the Securities of such series and the Trustee written notice of its election to begin any such Extension Period at least one Business Day prior to the Interest Payment Date or, with respect to the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, prior to the earlier of (i) the date the Distributions on the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust are payable or (ii) the date the trustees of such PartnerRe Trust are required to give notice to any securities exchange or other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders of such Preferred Securities of the record date or the date such Distributions are payable, but in any event not less than one Business Day prior to such record date.

 

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The Trustee shall promptly give notice of the Company’s election to begin any such Extension Period to the Holders of the outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 3.12 . Agreed Tax Treatment. Each Security issued hereunder shall provide that the Company and by its acceptance of a Security or a beneficial interest therein, the Holder of, and any Person that acquires a beneficial interest in, such Security agree that for United States Federal, state and local tax purposes it is intended that such Security constitute indebtedness.

Section 3.13 . Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series, the Company shall have the right to (a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series upon the liquidation of the applicable PartnerRe Trust and the exchange of such Securities for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, and (b) extend the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series; provided that, at the time any election to extend such Stated Maturity is made and at the time such extension commences, (i) no Event of Default on the Securities has occurred and is continuing, (ii) the applicable PartnerRe Trust is not in arrears on payments of Distributions on its Preferred Securities and no deferred Distributions thereon have accumulated, (iii) the Securities of such series are and immediately after such extension will be rated at least investment grade by either Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (currently BBB—or above), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (currently Baa3 or above) or any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization and (iv) the extended Stated Maturity is no later than the 49th anniversary of the initial issuance of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust; provided , further , that, if the Company exercises its right to liquidate the applicable PartnerRe Trust and exchange the Securities of such series for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as specified in clause (a) above, any changed Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series shall be no earlier than the date that is 15 years after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities and no later than the date 30 years (plus an extended term of up to an additional 19 years if the above-referenced conditions are satisfied) after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust.

Section 3.14 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “ CUSIP, ” “ CINS ” and “ ISIN ” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as

 

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printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

 

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Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

(a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as

 

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contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with

 

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the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(c) or (d) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

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(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

 

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(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (a) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited

 

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pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default, ” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (subject to any deferral of any due date in the case of an Extension Period); or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

 

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(d) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(e) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable; provided that, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, if, upon an Event of Default, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series fail to declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be immediately due and payable, the holders of at least 25% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee; and upon any such declaration such principal or such lesser amount and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall become immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of principal and interest and all other amounts due with respect to such Securities shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in Article 16.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

 

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At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series (subject to, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of the holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, should the Holders of such Securities fail to rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred

 

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Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by written notice to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee, subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth in clauses (a) and (b) above of this Section 5.02.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee . The Company covenants that if:

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable and if the Securities are held by a PartnerRe Trust, without duplication of any other amounts paid to such PartnerRe Trust in respect thereof) upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its

 

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rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

 

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Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second : To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

 

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(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, any holder of Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall have the right, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b) hereof, to institute directly a proceeding against the Company and/or the Guarantor for enforcement of payment to such holder of principal of, and any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities having a principal amount equal to the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities held by such holder (a “ Direct Action ”).

 

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Notwithstanding any payments made to a holder of Preferred Securities by the Company and/or the Guarantor in connection with a Direct Action, the Company and the Guarantor shall remain obligated to pay the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the related Securities, and the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the holder of such Preferred Securities with respect to payments on the Preferred Securities to the extent of any payments made by the Company to such holder in any Direct Action.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has, or the holders of Preferred Securities have, instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee, to such Holder or to the holders of such Preferred Securities, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon or of the holders of Preferred Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee, by such Holder or by such holders of Preferred Securities, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right

 

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to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, in the case of any Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of not less than a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

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Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series or, if a series of Securities is held by a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of more than 10% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of that PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any Holder or any holder of Preferred Securities for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

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(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act

 

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requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (a) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (b) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

 

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(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

 

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Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

 

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The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

 

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(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of

 

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himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

(a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with

 

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respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee

 

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hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such

 

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Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating

 

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Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided, however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of

 

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Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not

 

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constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

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(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Trust Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Trust Agreement; and

(d) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee)

 

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supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Guarantee Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Guarantee Agreement; and

(d) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

 

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(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture (and, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

 

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(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms; provided that, in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no such amendment shall be made that materially adversely affects the holders of such Preferred Securities, and no termination of this Indenture shall occur, and no waiver of any Event of Default or compliance with any covenant under this Indenture shall be effective, without the prior consent of the holders of at least a majority of the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full; and provided further that in the case of the Securities of a series

 

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issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no amendment shall be made to Section 5.08 of this Indenture without the prior consent of the holder of each Preferred Security then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities or holders of Preferred Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

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Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this

 

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Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other

 

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Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

 

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(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

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Section 10.04 . [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults.

(a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

 

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(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Additional Sums. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 9.02(b) of the related Trust Agreement, in the event that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is the Holder of all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and (ii) such PartnerRe Trust is required to pay any taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, other than withholding taxes (including backup withholding taxes), imposed by the United States, or any other taxing authority, then the Company shall pay to such PartnerRe Trust (and its permitted successors or assigns under the related Trust Agreement), for so long as such PartnerRe Trust (or its permitted successor or assignee) is the registered holder of any Securities of such series, such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the amounts received and retained by such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with such Securities after paying any such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges will be not less than the amounts that such Capital Trust would have received had no such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges been imposed (the “ Additional Sums ”). Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on, or in respect of, any Security of any series or any Coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Sums provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, Additional Sums are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of Additional Sums (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Sums in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made, provided, however, that the extension of an interest payment period pursuant to Section 3.11 or the terms of the applicable Securities shall not extend the payment of any Additional Sums that may be due and payable during such interest payment period.

Section 10.09 . Prohibition Against Dividends, etc. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, the Company and the Guarantor each covenant and agree with each Holder of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust that it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire

 

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or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Guarantor’s outstanding capital stock or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan of the Guarantor, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) indebtedness pursuant to the terms of the capital stock or indebtedness as originally issued, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Company has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default hereunder and (2) in respect of which the Company shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under the related Preferred Securities Guarantee or (C) the Company shall have given notice of its election to begin an Extension Period as provided herein with respect to the Securities of such series and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 10.10 . Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust. The Company and the Guarantor, each jointly and severally, covenant for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities to pay or cause to be paid all of the obligations, costs and expenses of each PartnerRe Trust (other than payments in respect of Trust Securities) in accordance with the provisions of its Trust Agreement and to pay the taxes of such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with the

 

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provisions of its Trust Agreement in order to permit such PartnerRe Trust to make distributions on and redemptions of its Preferred Securities in accordance with such Trust Agreement.

Section 10.11 . Ownership of Common Securities. The Company covenants, as to each series of Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust in connection with the issuance of Preferred Securities and Common Securities by that PartnerRe Trust, (a) to maintain directly or indirectly 100% ownership of the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust; provided , however , that any permitted successor of the Company hereunder may succeed to the Company’s ownership of such Common Securities, (b) not to voluntarily dissolve, wind-up or liquidate such PartnerRe Trust, except in connection with (i) a distribution of the Securities of such series to the holders of Preferred Securities and Common Securities in liquidation of such PartnerRe Trust, (ii) the redemption of all of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust or (iii) certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust and (c) to take reasonable steps as necessary so that such PartnerRe Trust will not fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes.

Section 10.12 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of

 

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Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days’ notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee). If the Securities of a series are held by a PartnerRe Trust, the Company shall also deliver a copy of such notice to the Property Trustee of such PartnerRe Trust.

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

 

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Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer

 

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Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except

 

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as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided, further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such

 

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Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

Section 11.08 . Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust. In the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, if a Special Event in respect of such PartnerRe Trust shall occur and be continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Securities of such series within 90 days of the occurrence of such Special Event, in whole but not in part, subject to the provisions of this Section 11.08 and the other provisions of this Article 11. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, the redemption price for any Security so redeemed pursuant to this Section 11.08 shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Securities then Outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in

 

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respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

 

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ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations,

 

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the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth

 

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a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

 

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In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,

 

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property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “ cash, property or securities ” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16, with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of

 

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the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

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Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution,

 

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winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this

 

105


Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Section 16.01, 16.02 and Section 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

 

106


[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

107


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

108

Exhibit 4.38

FORM OF SENIOR INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of             , 20        

Senior

Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions

   2

Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions

   13

Section 1.03. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

   14

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders

   14

Section 1.05. Notices, etc.

   17

Section 1.06. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver

   17

Section 1.07. Language of Notices

   18

Section 1.08. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

   18

Section 1.09. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

   18

Section 1.10. Successors and Assigns

   19

Section 1.11. Separability Clause

   19

Section 1.12. Benefits of Indenture

   19

Section 1.13. Governing Law

   19

Section 1.14. Non-Business Days

   19

Section 1.15. Counterparts

   19

Section 1.16. Judgment Currency

   19

Section 1.17. No Security Interest Created

   20

Section 1.18. Limitation on Individual Liability

   20

Section 1.19. Submission to Jurisdiction

   21

Section 1.20. Waiver of Jury Trial

   22

Section 1.21. Force Majeure

   22
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01. Forms Generally

   22

Section 2.02. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

   23

Section 2.03. Securities in Global Form

   23
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

   24

Section 3.02. Currency; Denominations

   28

Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

   29

Section 3.04. Temporary Securities

   30

Section 3.05. Registration, Transfer and Exchange

   31

Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

   35


Section 3.07. Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved

   36

Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners

   38

Section 3.09. Cancellation

   39

Section 3.10. Computation of Interest

   39

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers

   39
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge

   40

Section 4.02. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

   41

Section 4.03. Application of Trust Money

   47

Section 4.04. Reinstatement

   47
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES

Section 5.01. Events of Default

   47

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

   50

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

   51

Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

   52

Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons

   53

Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected

   53

Section 5.07. Limitations on Suits

   54

Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   54

Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies

   55

Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative

   55

Section 5.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver

   55

Section 5.12. Control by Holders of Securities

   55

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults

   56

Section 5.14. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

   56

Section 5.15. Undertaking for Costs

   56
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01. Certain Rights of Trustee

   57

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults

   59

Section 6.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

   60

Section 6.04. May Hold Securities

   60

Section 6.05. Money Held in Trust

   60

 

ii


Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification

   60

Section 6.07. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

   61

Section 6.08. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

   62

Section 6.09. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

   64

Section 6.10. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

   65

Section 6.11. Appointment of Authenticating Agent

   65
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

   67

Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

   68

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee

   68

Section 7.04. Reports by Company

   68
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   69

Section 8.02. Successor Person Substituted for Company

   70

Section 8.03. Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   71

Section 8.04. Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor

   72
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

   72

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

   73

Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.04. Effect of Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.05. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

   75

Section 9.07. Notice of Supplemental Indenture

   75
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   76

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency

   76

Section 10.03. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

   78

Section 10.04. [Reserved]

   79

Section 10.05. Organizational Existence

   79

Section 10.06. Waiver of Certain Covenants

   79

 

iii


Section 10.07. Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults

   80

Section 10.08. Calculation of Original Issue Discount

   80
ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01. Applicability of Article

   81

Section 11.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

   81

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

   81

Section 11.04. Notice of Redemption

   82

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price

   83

Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date

   84

Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part

   85
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01. Applicability of Article

   85

Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

   86

Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

   86
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article

   87
ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01. Applicability of Article

   87
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

   88

Section 15.02. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

   88

Section 15.03. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

   88

Section 15.04. Quorum; Action

   89

Section 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

   89

Section 15.06. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

   90

 

iv


ARTICLE 16
G UARANTEE

Section 16.01. The Guarantee

   91

Section 16.02. Ranking

   91

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of             , 20         (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its senior unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ,” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “ or ” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “ A or B ” means “ A or B or both ,” not “ either A or B but not both ”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “ control ,” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

2


Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

3


Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any

 

4


other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency ,” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or

 

5


such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “Guarantor” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Guarantor” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

 

6


Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

 

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Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

Interest Payment Date ,” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding ,” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided

 

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in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment ,” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

 

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principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Redemption Date ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “Regular Record Date”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities,” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

 

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Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

“Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement” means the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity ,” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

Vice President ,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President.”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

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(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in

 

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person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

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(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

 

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(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

 

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In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in

 

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respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because

 

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of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.20. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

By:                                                      

      Authorized Officer

Dated:                             

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such

 

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exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

 

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(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities

 

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are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(s) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(t) the form or forms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

(u) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(v) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(w) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities; and

 

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(x) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver

 

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Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without

 

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unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

 

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At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or

 

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Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same

 

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series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

 

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No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing

 

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identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any

 

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Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

 

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(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities

 

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or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or

 

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within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common

 

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Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(s), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons

 

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appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or

 

44


the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “insider”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

 

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(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be

 

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voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the

 

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Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the

 

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Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may

 

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prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third: The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

 

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(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any

 

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series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is

 

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satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

 

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(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with

 

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respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this

 

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Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such

 

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series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

 

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Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring

 

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Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

 

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Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

 

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The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee   
By:  

 

    
  as Authenticating Agent     
By:  

 

    
  as Authorized Officer     

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

 

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(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the

 

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foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

 

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(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such

 

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supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

 

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(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company

 

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(when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(d) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and

 

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solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

 

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ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or

 

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served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

 

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Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

 

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The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 10.04. [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for

 

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such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as

 

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of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that , the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

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Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional

 

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Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or

 

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with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing

 

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Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

 

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Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited.

Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each

 

86


such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable

 

87


record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or

 

88


more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any

 

89


meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the

 

90


meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

G UARANTEE

Section 16.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 16.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall rank in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

91


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

92

Exhibit 4.39

FORM OF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of             , 20        

Subordinated Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    2

Section 1.02.

   Compliance Certificates and Opinions    14

Section 1.03.

   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    14

Section 1.04.

   Acts of Holders    15

Section 1.05.

   Notices, etc.    17

Section 1.06.

   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    18

Section 1.07.

   Language of Notices    19

Section 1.08.

   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    19

Section 1.09.

   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    19

Section 1.10.

   Successors and Assigns    19

Section 1.11.

   Separability Clause    19

Section 1.12.

   Benefits of Indenture    19

Section 1.13.

   Governing Law    19

Section 1.14.

   Non-Business Days    19

Section 1.15.

   Counterparts    20

Section 1.16.

   Judgment Currency    20

Section 1.17.

   No Security Interest Created    20

Section 1.18.

   Limitation on Individual Liability    21

Section 1.19.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    21

Section 1.20.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    22

Section 1.21.

   Force Majeure    22
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01.

   Forms Generally    22

Section 2.02.

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    23

Section 2.03.

   Securities in Global Form    23
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01.

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    24

Section 3.02.

   Currency; Denominations    29

Section 3.03.

   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    29

Section 3.04.

   Temporary Securities    31

Section 3.05.

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    31

Section 3.06.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    35

 

i


Section 3.07.

   Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    37

Section 3.08.

   Persons Deemed Owners    39

Section 3.09.

   Cancellation    39

Section 3.10.

   Computation of Interest    40

Section 3.11.

   CUSIP Numbers    40
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01.

   Satisfaction and Discharge    40

Section 4.02.

   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance    42

Section 4.03.

   Application of Trust Money    47

Section 4.04.

   Reinstatement    47
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES

Section 5.01.

   Events of Default    48

Section 5.02.

   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    50

Section 5.03.

   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    51

Section 5.04.

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    52

Section 5.05.

   Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons    53

Section 5.06.

   Application of Money Collected    53

Section 5.07.

   Limitations on Suits    54

Section 5.08.

   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    54

Section 5.09.

   Restoration of Rights and Remedies    54

Section 5.10.

   Rights and Remedies Cumulative    55

Section 5.11.

   Delay or Omission Not Waiver    55

Section 5.12.

   Control by Holders of Securities    55

Section 5.13.

   Waiver of Past Defaults    56

Section 5.14.

   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    56

Section 5.15.

   Undertaking for Costs    56
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01.

   Certain Rights of Trustee    57

Section 6.02.

   Notice of Defaults    59

Section 6.03.

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    60

Section 6.04.

   May Hold Securities    60

Section 6.05.

   Money Held in Trust    60

Section 6.06.

   Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    60

 

ii


Section 6.07.

   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    61

Section 6.08.

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    61

Section 6.09.

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    63

Section 6.10.

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    65

Section 6.11.

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent    65
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01.

   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    67

Section 7.02.

   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    67

Section 7.03.

   Reports by Trustee    68

Section 7.04.

   Reports by Company    68
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01.

   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    69

Section 8.02.

   Successor Person Substituted for Company    70

Section 8.03.

   Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    70

Section 8.04.

   Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor    71
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01.

   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    72

Section 9.02.

   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    73

Section 9.03.

   Execution of Supplemental Indentures    74

Section 9.04.

   Effect of Supplemental Indentures    75

Section 9.05.

   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    75

Section 9.06.

   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    75

Section 9.07.

   Effect on Senior Indebtedness    75

Section 9.08.

   Notice of Supplemental Indenture    75
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS

Section 10.01.

   Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    75

Section 10.02.

   Maintenance of Office or Agency    76

Section 10.03.

   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    77

Section 10.04.

   [Reserved]    79

Section 10.05.

   Organizational Existence    79

Section 10.06.

   Waiver of Certain Covenants    79

Section 10.07.

   Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults    79

Section 10.08.

   Calculation of Original Issue Discount    80

 

iii


ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01.

   Applicability of Article    80

Section 11.02.

   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    80

Section 11.03.

   Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    81

Section 11.04.

   Notice of Redemption    81

Section 11.05.

   Deposit of Redemption Price    83

Section 11.06.

   Securities Payable on Redemption Date    83

Section 11.07.

   Securities Redeemed in Part    84
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01.

   Applicability of Article    85

Section 12.02.

   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    85

Section 12.03.

   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    86
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01.

   Applicability of Article    86
ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01.

   Applicability of Article    87
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01.

   Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    87

Section 15.02.

   Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    87

Section 15.03.

   Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    88

Section 15.04.

   Quorum; Action    88

Section 15.05.

   Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    89

Section 15.06.

   Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    90
ARTICLE 16
S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01.

   Agreement to Subordinate    90

Section 16.02.

   Default on Senior Indebtedness    91

Section 16.03.

   Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy    91

Section 16.04.

   Subrogation    93

Section 16.05.

   Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    94

 

iv


Section 16.06.

   Notice by the Company    94

Section 16.07.

   Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness    95

Section 16.08.

   Subordination May Not Be Impaired    96

Section 16.09.

   Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It    96
ARTICLE 17
G UARANTEE

Section 17.01.

   The Guarantee    97

Section 17.02.

   Ranking    97

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of             , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its subordinated unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions . Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “or” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “A or B” means “A or B or both,” not “either A or B but not both”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

2


Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

 

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Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

 

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Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency ,” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

 

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Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “Guarantor” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Guarantor” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

 

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Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

Interest Payment Date ,” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

 

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Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding ,” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

 

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provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment ,” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Redemption Date ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “Regular Record Date”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

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Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities,” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(f) and 5.01(g) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities, including those issued to PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III (or similar financing vehicles of the Guarantor); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity ,” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

 

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Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Trustee ” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

 

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Vice President ,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President.”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and

 

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does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders . (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request,

 

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demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered

 

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Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

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Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

 

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Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of

 

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Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

 

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Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in

 

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any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 1.20 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the

 

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related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

 

Authorized Officer

Dated:  

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable,

 

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Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series

 

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pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and

 

25


the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

 

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(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section

 

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4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(u) the form or forms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

(v) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(w) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(x) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’

 

28


Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and

 

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deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its

 

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authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided, further, that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such

 

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reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they

 

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may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such

 

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interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on

 

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such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange

 

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therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

 

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The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the

 

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Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

 

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Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

 

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Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

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(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by

 

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the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of

 

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the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

 

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(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or Section 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91 st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

 

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(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91 st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

 

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(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after

 

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there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement,

 

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adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a

 

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judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second : To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any

 

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right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

 

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Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after

 

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the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

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(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

 

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(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d)

 

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with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “ default ” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification . The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

 

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(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

 

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(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a

 

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Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign,

 

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transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and

 

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certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

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Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

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THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

 

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(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for

 

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conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties

 

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and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

 

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(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment,

 

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Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

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Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer

 

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Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be

 

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made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on

 

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each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder

 

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of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 10.04 . [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

 

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(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms,

 

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the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

 

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Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

 

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(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on

 

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or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall

 

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authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund

 

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payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

 

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ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the

 

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Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution

 

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with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

 

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(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent

 

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and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the relates Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the

 

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Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16 with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the

 

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liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article 8 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article 8 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

 

93


Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person

 

94


representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

 

95


Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 16.01, 16.02 and 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

 

96


ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

97


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

PARTNERRE LTD.,

as Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

98

Exhibit 4.40

 

 

FORM OF JUNIOR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                  , 20    

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

 

 


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

         P AGE

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01.

  Definitions    2

Section 1.02.

  Compliance Certificates and Opinions    16

Section 1.03.

  Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    16

Section 1.04.

  Acts of Holders    17

Section 1.05.

  Notices, etc.    19

Section 1.06.

  Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    20

Section 1.07.

  Language of Notices    21

Section 1.08.

  Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    21

Section 1.09.

  Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    21

Section 1.10.

  Successors and Assigns    21

Section 1.11.

  Separability Clause    21

Section 1.12.

  Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries    21

Section 1.13.

  Benefits of Indenture    22

Section 1.14.

  Governing Law    22

Section 1.15.

  Non-Business Days    22

Section 1.16.

  Counterparts    22

Section 1.17.

  Judgment Currency    22

Section 1.18.

  No Security Interest Created    23

Section 1.19.

  Limitation on Individual Liability    23

Section 1.20.

  Submission to Jurisdiction    24

Section 1.21.

  Waiver of Jury Trial    25

Section 1.22.

  Force Majeure    25

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01.

  Forms Generally    25

Section 2.02.

  Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    26

Section 2.03.

  Securities in Global Form    26

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01.

  Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    27

Section 3.02.

  Currency; Denominations    32

Section 3.03.

  Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    32

Section 3.04.

  Temporary Securities    34

 

i


Section 3.05.

  Registration, Transfer and Exchange    34

Section 3.06.

  Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    39

Section 3.07.

  Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    40

Section 3.08.

  Persons Deemed Owners    42

Section 3.09.

  Cancellation    42

Section 3.10.

  Computation of Interest    43

Section 3.11.

  Extension of Interest Payment Period    43

Section 3.12.

  Agreed Tax Treatment    44

Section 3.13.

  Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange    44

Section 3.14.

  CUSIP Numbers    44

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01.

  Satisfaction and Discharge    45

Section 4.02.

  Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance    47

Section 4.03.

  Application of Trust Money    52

Section 4.04.

  Reinstatement    52

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01.

  Events of Default    53

Section 5.02.

  Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    54

Section 5.03.

  Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    56

Section 5.04.

  Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    57

Section 5.05.

  Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons    58

Section 5.06.

  Application of Money Collected    58

Section 5.07.

  Limitations on Suits    58

Section 5.08.

  Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    59

Section 5.09.

  Restoration of Rights and Remedies    60

Section 5.10.

  Rights and Remedies Cumulative    60

Section 5.11.

  Delay or Omission Not Waiver    60

Section 5.12.

  Control by Holders of Securities    60

Section 5.13.

  Waiver of Past Defaults    61

Section 5.14.

  Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    61

Section 5.15.

  Undertaking for Costs    62

 

ii


ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01.

  Certain Rights of Trustee    62

Section 6.02.

  Notice of Defaults    65

Section 6.03.

  Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    65

Section 6.04.

  May Hold Securities    65

Section 6.05.

  Money Held in Trust    66

Section 6.06.

  Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    66

Section 6.07.

  Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    67

Section 6.08.

  Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    67

Section 6.09.

  Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    69

Section 6.10.

  Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    70

Section 6.11.

  Appointment of Authenticating Agent    71

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01.

  Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    73

Section 7.02.

  Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    73

Section 7.03.

  Reports by Trustee    73

Section 7.04.

  Reports by Company    74

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01.

  Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    75

Section 8.02.

  Successor Person Substituted for Company    76

Section 8.03.

  Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    76

Section 8.04.

  Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor    77

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01.

  Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    78

Section 9.02.

  Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    79

Section 9.03.

  Execution of Supplemental Indentures    81

Section 9.04.

  Effect of Supplemental Indentures    81

Section 9.05.

  Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    81

Section 9.06.

  Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    82

Section 9.07.

  Effect on Senior Indebtedness    82

Section 9.08.

  Notice of Supplemental Indenture    82

 

iii


ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01.

  Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    82

Section 10.02.

  Maintenance of Office or Agency    82

Section 10.03.

  Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    84

Section 10.04.

  [Reserved]    86

Section 10.05.

  Organizational Existence    86

Section 10.06.

  Waiver of Certain Covenants    86

Section 10.07.

  Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults    86

Section 10.08.

  Additional Sums    87

Section 10.09.

  Prohibition Against Dividends, etc    87

Section 10.10.

  Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust    88

Section 10.11.

  Ownership of Common Securities    89

Section 10.12.

  Calculation of Original Issue Discount    89

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01.

  Applicability of Article    89

Section 11.02.

  Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    89

Section 11.03.

  Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    90

Section 11.04.

  Notice of Redemption    90

Section 11.05.

  Deposit of Redemption Price    92

Section 11.06.

  Securities Payable on Redemption Date    92

Section 11.07.

  Securities Redeemed in Part    93

Section 11.08.

  Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust    94

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01.

  Applicability of Article    94

Section 12.02.

  Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    94

Section 12.03.

  Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    95

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01.

  Applicability of Article    96

 

iv


ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01.

  Applicability of Article    96

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01.

  Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    97

Section 15.02.

  Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    97

Section 15.03.

  Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    97

Section 15.04.

  Quorum; Action    98

Section 15.05.

  Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    98

Section 15.06.

  Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    99

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01.

  Agreement to Subordinate    100

Section 16.02.

  Default on Senior Indebtedness    100

Section 16.03.

  Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy    101

Section 16.04.

  Subrogation    102

Section 16.05.

  Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    103

Section 16.06.

  Notice by the Company    104

Section 16.07.

  Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness    105

Section 16.08.

  Subordination May Not Be Impaired    105

Section 16.09.

  Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It    106

ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01.

  The Guarantee    106

Section 17.02.

  Ranking    106

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                  , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its junior subordinated unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), including, without limitation, Securities issued to evidence loans made to the Company of the proceeds from the issuance from time to time by one or more PartnerRe Trusts (as defined herein) of preferred beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Preferred Securities ”) and common beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Common Securities ” and, collectively with the Preferred Securities, the “ Trust Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “ herein, ” “ hereof, ” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “ or ” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “ A or B ” means “ A or B or both, ” not “ either A or B but not both ”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act, ” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

 

2


Additional Interest ” means the interest, if any, that shall accrue on any interest on the Securities of any series the payment of which has not been made on the applicable Interest Payment Date and which shall accrue at the rate per annum specified or determined as specified in such Security.

Additional Sums ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided , however , that an Affiliate of the Company or the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include any PartnerRe Trust to which Securities and the Guarantee in respect thereof have been issued. For the purposes of this definition, “ control, ” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

 

3


Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day, ” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “ Company ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Company ” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

 

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Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency, ” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Direct Action ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.08.

Distributions, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, has the meaning specified in the applicable Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust.

 

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Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Extension Period ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.11.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest (including Additional Interest, if any) on, and any Additional Amounts and Additional Sums with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Agreement ” means the Guarantee Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

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Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “ Guarantor ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Guarantor ” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement

 

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following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest, ” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity, (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts and (iii) unless the context otherwise requires, includes Additional Interest, if any.

Interest Payment Date, ” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

 

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Investment Company Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by the PartnerRe Trust of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a written change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental agency or regulatory authority (a “ Change in 1940 Act Law ”), there is more than an insubstantial risk that such PartnerRe Trust is or will be considered an “ investment company ” or a company “ controlled ” by an “ investment company ” that is required to be registered under the Investment Company Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after the date of original issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity, ” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

1940 Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Office ” or “ Agency, ” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding, ” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,

 

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authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

PartnerRe Trust ” means PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each a statutory business trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware, and any other similar trust created to issue Trust Securities and to use the proceeds from the sale thereof to purchase Securities issued under this Indenture or any indenture entered into by the Company to effect similar financing.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment, ” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Preferred Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Preferred Securities Guarantee ” means the guarantee by PartnerRe Ltd., in its capacity as guarantor with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, of Distributions on such Preferred Securities to the extent provided in the Guarantee Agreement.

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Property Trustee, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means the entity acting in the capacity of Property Trustee pursuant to the related Trust Agreement.

Redemption Date, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

 

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Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “ Regular Record Date ”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “ Securities, ” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust (or similar financing vehicle of the Guarantor); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

 

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Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Event ” means either an Investment Company Event or a Tax Event.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity, ” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Tax Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by such PartnerRe Trust or the Company of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations (including any change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any applicable taxing authority), which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, there is more than an insubstantial risk that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is, or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to United States Federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued on the corresponding series of Securities, (ii) interest payable by the Company on the corresponding series of Securities is not or will not be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States

 

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Federal income tax purposes or (iii) such PartnerRe Trust is or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to more than a de minimis amount of other taxes, duties or other governmental charges.

Trust Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1, dated                  , 20    , among [PartnerRe Finance B LLC], as depositor, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein or other such trust agreement relating to a PartnerRe Trust substantially in the form thereof, as amended by an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trust Securities, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means, collectively, the Common Securities and Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “ Trustee ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Trustee ” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Trustee ” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

United States, ” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than

 

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one such Person, “ U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

Vice President, ” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “ Vice President .”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

 

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Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders or by holders of Preferred Securities may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders or holders of Preferred Securities, as applicable, in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders or holders of Preferred Securities signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act)

 

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conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever

 

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situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

 

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(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

 

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In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. The Company and the Guarantor hereby acknowledge that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Indenture. The Company and the Guarantor further acknowledge that, if an Event of Default has occurred

 

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and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Company and/or the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the Securities of the series held by such PartnerRe Trust, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Company and/or the Guarantor.

Section 1.13 . Benefits of Indenture. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein with respect to holders of Preferred Securities, nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and the holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.14 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.15 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.16 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.17 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts,

 

22


if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.18 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.19 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the

 

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obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.20 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.21 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.22 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:

 

 

  Authorized Officer

Dated:

 

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

 

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(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the rate or rates and the extent to which Additional Interest, if any, shall be payable in respect of such Securities, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, the right, pursuant to Section 3.11 hereof or as otherwise set forth therein, of the Company to defer or extend an interest payment period and the duration of any such Extension Period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

 

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(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

 

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(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(u) the form or forms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein, and Guarantee Agreement;

 

30


(v) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(w) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(x) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the

 

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same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and

 

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any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive

 

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evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security

 

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Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the

 

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surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security

 

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are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and

 

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before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

 

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Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in

 

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exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the

 

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Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to

 

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which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any

 

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time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . Extension of Interest Payment Period. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series and subject to the terms, conditions and covenants, if any, so specified, the Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time during the term of such series, to defer the payment of interest on such Securities for such period or periods as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 (each, an “ Extension Period ”), during which Extension Periods the Company shall have the right to make partial payments of interest on any Interest Payment Date. No Extension Period shall end on a day other than an Interest Payment Date. At the end of any such Extension Period, the Company shall pay all interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) then accrued and unpaid on the Securities. Prior to the termination of any such Extension Period, the Company may further extend the interest payment period, provided that no Extension Period shall exceed the period or periods specified in such Securities or extend beyond the Stated Maturity of the principal of such Securities. Upon termination of any Extension Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest, the Company may elect to begin a new Extension Period, subject to the above requirements. No interest shall be due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof.

The Company shall give the Holders of the Securities of such series and the Trustee written notice of its election to begin any such Extension Period at least one Business Day prior to the Interest Payment Date or, with respect to the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, prior to the earlier of (i) the date the Distributions on the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust are payable or (ii) the date the trustees of such PartnerRe Trust are required to give notice to any securities exchange or other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders of such Preferred Securities of the record date or the date such Distributions are payable, but in any event not less than one Business Day prior to such record date.

 

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The Trustee shall promptly give notice of the Company’s election to begin any such Extension Period to the Holders of the outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 3.12 . Agreed Tax Treatment. Each Security issued hereunder shall provide that the Company and by its acceptance of a Security or a beneficial interest therein, the Holder of, and any Person that acquires a beneficial interest in, such Security agree that for United States Federal, state and local tax purposes it is intended that such Security constitute indebtedness.

Section 3.13 . Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series, the Company shall have the right to (a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series upon the liquidation of the applicable PartnerRe Trust and the exchange of such Securities for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, and (b) extend the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series; provided that, at the time any election to extend such Stated Maturity is made and at the time such extension commences, (i) no Event of Default on the Securities has occurred and is continuing, (ii) the applicable PartnerRe Trust is not in arrears on payments of Distributions on its Preferred Securities and no deferred Distributions thereon have accumulated, (iii) the Securities of such series are and immediately after such extension will be rated at least investment grade by either Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (currently BBB - or above), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (currently Baa3 or above) or any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization and (iv) the extended Stated Maturity is no later than the 49th anniversary of the initial issuance of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust; provided , further , that, if the Company exercises its right to liquidate the applicable PartnerRe Trust and exchange the Securities of such series for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as specified in clause (a) above, any changed Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series shall be no earlier than the date that is 15 years after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities and no later than the date 30 years (plus an extended term of up to an additional 19 years if the above-referenced conditions are satisfied) after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust.

Section 3.14 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “ CUSIP, ” “ CINS ” and “ ISIN ” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as

 

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printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

 

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Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

(a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as

 

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contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with

 

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the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(c) or (d) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

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(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

 

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(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (a) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited

 

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pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default, ” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (subject to any deferral of any due date in the case of an Extension Period); or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

 

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(d) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(e) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable; provided that, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, if, upon an Event of Default, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series fail to declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be immediately due and payable, the holders of at least 25% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee; and upon any such declaration such principal or such lesser amount and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall become immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of principal and interest and all other amounts due with respect to such Securities shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in Article 16.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

 

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At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series (subject to, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of the holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, should the Holders of such Securities fail to rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred

 

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Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by written notice to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee, subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth in clauses (a) and (b) above of this Section 5.02.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee . The Company covenants that if:

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable and if the Securities are held by a PartnerRe Trust, without duplication of any other amounts paid to such PartnerRe Trust in respect thereof) upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its

 

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rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

 

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Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second : To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

 

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(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, any holder of Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall have the right, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b) hereof, to institute directly a proceeding against the Company and/or the Guarantor for enforcement of payment to such holder of principal of, and any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities having a principal amount equal to the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities held by such holder (a “ Direct Action ”).

 

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Notwithstanding any payments made to a holder of Preferred Securities by the Company and/or the Guarantor in connection with a Direct Action, the Company and the Guarantor shall remain obligated to pay the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the related Securities, and the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the holder of such Preferred Securities with respect to payments on the Preferred Securities to the extent of any payments made by the Company to such holder in any Direct Action.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has, or the holders of Preferred Securities have, instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee, to such Holder or to the holders of such Preferred Securities, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon or of the holders of Preferred Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee, by such Holder or by such holders of Preferred Securities, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right

 

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to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, in the case of any Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of not less than a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

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Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series or, if a series of Securities is held by a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of more than 10% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of that PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any Holder or any holder of Preferred Securities for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

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(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act

 

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requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (a) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (b) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

 

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(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

 

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Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

 

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The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

 

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(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of

 

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himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

(a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with

 

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respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee

 

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hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such

 

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Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating

 

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Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided, however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of

 

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Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not

 

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constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

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(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Trust Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Trust Agreement; and

(d) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee)

 

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supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Guarantee Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Guarantee Agreement; and

(d) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

 

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(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture (and, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

 

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(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms; provided that, in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no such amendment shall be made that materially adversely affects the holders of such Preferred Securities, and no termination of this Indenture shall occur, and no waiver of any Event of Default or compliance with any covenant under this Indenture shall be effective, without the prior consent of the holders of at least a majority of the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full; and provided further that in the case of the Securities of a series

 

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issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no amendment shall be made to Section 5.08 of this Indenture without the prior consent of the holder of each Preferred Security then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities or holders of Preferred Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

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Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this

 

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Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other

 

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Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

 

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(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

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Section 10.04 . [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults.

(a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

 

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(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Additional Sums. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 9.02(b) of the related Trust Agreement, in the event that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is the Holder of all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and (ii) such PartnerRe Trust is required to pay any taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, other than withholding taxes (including backup withholding taxes), imposed by the United States, or any other taxing authority, then the Company shall pay to such PartnerRe Trust (and its permitted successors or assigns under the related Trust Agreement), for so long as such PartnerRe Trust (or its permitted successor or assignee) is the registered holder of any Securities of such series, such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the amounts received and retained by such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with such Securities after paying any such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges will be not less than the amounts that such Capital Trust would have received had no such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges been imposed (the “ Additional Sums ”). Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on, or in respect of, any Security of any series or any Coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Sums provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, Additional Sums are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of Additional Sums (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Sums in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made, provided, however, that the extension of an interest payment period pursuant to Section 3.11 or the terms of the applicable Securities shall not extend the payment of any Additional Sums that may be due and payable during such interest payment period.

Section 10.09 . Prohibition Against Dividends, etc. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, the Company and the Guarantor each covenant and agree with each Holder of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust that it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire

 

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or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Guarantor’s outstanding capital stock or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan of the Guarantor, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) indebtedness pursuant to the terms of the capital stock or indebtedness as originally issued, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Company has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default hereunder and (2) in respect of which the Company shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under the related Preferred Securities Guarantee or (C) the Company shall have given notice of its election to begin an Extension Period as provided herein with respect to the Securities of such series and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 10.10 . Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust. The Company and the Guarantor, each jointly and severally, covenant for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities to pay or cause to be paid all of the obligations, costs and expenses of each PartnerRe Trust (other than payments in respect of Trust Securities) in accordance with the provisions of its Trust Agreement and to pay the taxes of such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with the

 

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provisions of its Trust Agreement in order to permit such PartnerRe Trust to make distributions on and redemptions of its Preferred Securities in accordance with such Trust Agreement.

Section 10.11 . Ownership of Common Securities. The Company covenants, as to each series of Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust in connection with the issuance of Preferred Securities and Common Securities by that PartnerRe Trust, (a) to maintain directly or indirectly 100% ownership of the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust; provided , however , that any permitted successor of the Company hereunder may succeed to the Company’s ownership of such Common Securities, (b) not to voluntarily dissolve, wind-up or liquidate such PartnerRe Trust, except in connection with (i) a distribution of the Securities of such series to the holders of Preferred Securities and Common Securities in liquidation of such PartnerRe Trust, (ii) the redemption of all of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust or (iii) certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust and (c) to take reasonable steps as necessary so that such PartnerRe Trust will not fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes.

Section 10.12 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of

 

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Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days’ notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee). If the Securities of a series are held by a PartnerRe Trust, the Company shall also deliver a copy of such notice to the Property Trustee of such PartnerRe Trust.

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

 

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Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer

 

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Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except

 

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as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided, further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such

 

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Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

Section 11.08 . Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust. In the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, if a Special Event in respect of such PartnerRe Trust shall occur and be continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Securities of such series within 90 days of the occurrence of such Special Event, in whole but not in part, subject to the provisions of this Section 11.08 and the other provisions of this Article 11. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, the redemption price for any Security so redeemed pursuant to this Section 11.08 shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Securities then Outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in

 

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respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

 

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ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations,

 

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the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth

 

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a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

 

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In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,

 

101


property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “ cash, property or securities ” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16, with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of

 

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the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

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Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution,

 

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winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this

 

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Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Section 16.01, 16.02 and Section 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

 

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[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE B LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

108

Exhibit 4.41

FORM OF SENIOR INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of             , 20    

Senior

Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

     P AGE

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

  

Section 1.01. Definitions

   2

Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions

   13

Section 1.03. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

   14

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders

   14

Section 1.05. Notices, etc.

   17

Section 1.06. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver

   17

Section 1.07. Language of Notices

   18

Section 1.08. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

   18

Section 1.09. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

   18

Section 1.10. Successors and Assigns

   19

Section 1.11. Separability Clause

   19

Section 1.12. Benefits of Indenture

   19

Section 1.13. Governing Law

   19

Section 1.14. Non-Business Days

   19

Section 1.15. Counterparts

   19

Section 1.16. Judgment Currency

   19

Section 1.17. No Security Interest Created

   20

Section 1.18. Limitation on Individual Liability

   20

Section 1.19. Submission to Jurisdiction

   21

Section 1.20. Waiver of Jury Trial

   22

Section 1.21. Force Majeure

   22
ARTICLE 2   
S ECURITIES F ORMS   

Section 2.01. Forms Generally

   22

Section 2.02. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

   23

Section 2.03. Securities in Global Form

   23
ARTICLE 3   
T HE S ECURITIES   

Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

   24

Section 3.02. Currency; Denominations

   28

Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

   29

Section 3.04. Temporary Securities

   30

Section 3.05. Registration, Transfer and Exchange

   31

Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

   35


Section 3.07. Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved

   36

Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners

   38

Section 3.09. Cancellation

   39

Section 3.10. Computation of Interest

   39

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers

   39
ARTICLE 4   
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE   

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge

   40

Section 4.02. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

   41

Section 4.03. Application of Trust Money

   47

Section 4.04. Reinstatement

   47
ARTICLE 5   
R EMEDIES   

Section 5.01. Events of Default

   47

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

   50

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

   51

Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

   52

Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons

   53

Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected

   53

Section 5.07. Limitations on Suits

   54

Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   54

Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies

   55

Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative

   55

Section 5.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver

   55

Section 5.12. Control by Holders of Securities

   55

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults

   56

Section 5.14. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

   56

Section 5.15. Undertaking for Costs

   56
ARTICLE 6   
T HE T RUSTEE   

Section 6.01. Certain Rights of Trustee

   57

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults

   59

Section 6.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

   60

Section 6.04. May Hold Securities

   60

Section 6.05. Money Held in Trust

   60

 

ii


Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification

   60

Section 6.07. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

   61

Section 6.08. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

   62

Section 6.09. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

   64

Section 6.10. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

   65

Section 6.11. Appointment of Authenticating Agent

   65
ARTICLE 7   
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY   

Section 7.01. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

   67

Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

   68

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee

   68

Section 7.04. Reports by Company

   68
ARTICLE 8   
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES   

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   69

Section 8.02. Successor Person Substituted for Company

   70

Section 8.03. Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   71

Section 8.04. Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor

   72
ARTICLE 9   
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES   

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

   72

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

   73

Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.04. Effect of Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.05. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

   75

Section 9.07. Notice of Supplemental Indenture

   75
ARTICLE 10   
C OVENANTS   

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   76

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency

   76

Section 10.03. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

   78

Section 10.04. [Reserved]

   79

Section 10.05. Organizational Existence

   79

Section 10.06. Waiver of Certain Covenants

   79

 

iii


Section 10.07. Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults

   80

Section 10.08. Calculation of Original Issue Discount

   80
ARTICLE 11   
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES   

Section 11.01. Applicability of Article

   81

Section 11.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

   81

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

   81

Section 11.04. Notice of Redemption

   82

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price

   83

Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date

   84

Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part

   85
ARTICLE 12   
S INKING F UNDS   

Section 12.01. Applicability of Article

   85

Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

   86

Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

   86
ARTICLE 13   
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS   

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article

   87
ARTICLE 14   
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES   

Section 14.01. Applicability of Article

   87
ARTICLE 15   
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES   

Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

   88

Section 15.02. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

   88

Section 15.03. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

   88

Section 15.04. Quorum; Action

   89

Section 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

   89

Section 15.06. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

   90

 

iv


ARTICLE 16   
G UARANTEE   

Section 16.01. The Guarantee

   91

Section 16.02. Ranking

   91

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of             , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its senior unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ,” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “ or ” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “ A or B ” means “ A or B or both ,” not “ either A or B but not both ”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “ control ,” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

2


Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

3


Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any

 

4


other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency ,” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or

 

5


such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “Guarantor” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Guarantor” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

 

6


Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

 

7


Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

Interest Payment Date ,” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

8


Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding ,” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided

 

9


in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment ,” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

 

10


principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Redemption Date ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “Regular Record Date”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities,” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

 

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Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

“Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement” means the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity ,” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

Vice President ,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President.”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

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(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in

 

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person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

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(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

 

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(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

 

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In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in

 

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respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because

 

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of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.20. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee   
By:  

 

     
  Authorized Officer      
Dated:  

 

       

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such

 

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exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

 

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(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities

 

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are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(s) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(t) the form or forms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

(u) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(v) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(w) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities; and

 

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(x) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver

 

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Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without

 

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unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

 

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At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or

 

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Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same

 

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series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

 

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No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing

 

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identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any

 

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Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

 

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(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities

 

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or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

A RTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or

 

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within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common

 

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Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(s), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons

 

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appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or

 

44


the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “insider”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

 

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(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

46


Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

A RTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be

 

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voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the

 

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Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the

 

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Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may

 

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prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third: The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

 

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(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any

 

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series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is

 

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satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

 

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(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with

 

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respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this

 

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Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such

 

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series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

 

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Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring

 

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Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

 

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Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

 

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The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

   THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee  
   By:  

 

   
     as Authenticating Agent    
   By:  

 

   
     as Authorized Officer    

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

 

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(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the

 

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foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

 

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(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such

 

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supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

 

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(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company

 

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(when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(d) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and

 

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solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

 

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ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or

 

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served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

 

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Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

 

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The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 10.04. [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for

 

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such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as

 

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of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that , the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

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Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional

 

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Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or

 

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with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing

 

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Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

 

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Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited.

Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each

 

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such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable

 

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record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or

 

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more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any

 

89


meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the

 

90


meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

G UARANTEE

Section 16.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 16.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall rank in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

91


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

92

Exhibit 4.42

FORM OF SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                     , 20    

Subordinated Debt Securities


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

          P AGE

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    2

Section 1.02.

   Compliance Certificates and Opinions    14

Section 1.03.

   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee    14

Section 1.04.

   Acts of Holders    15

Section 1.05.

   Notices, etc.    17

Section 1.06.

   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver    18

Section 1.07.

   Language of Notices    19

Section 1.08.

   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act    19

Section 1.09.

   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents    19

Section 1.10.

   Successors and Assigns    19

Section 1.11.

   Separability Clause    19

Section 1.12.

   Benefits of Indenture    19

Section 1.13.

   Governing Law    19

Section 1.14.

   Non-Business Days    19

Section 1.15.

   Counterparts    20

Section 1.16.

   Judgment Currency    20

Section 1.17.

   No Security Interest Created    20

Section 1.18.

   Limitation on Individual Liability    21

Section 1.19.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    21

Section 1.20.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    22

Section 1.21.

   Force Majeure    22

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01.

   Forms Generally    22

Section 2.02.

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    23

Section 2.03.

   Securities in Global Form    23

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01.

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    24

Section 3.02.

   Currency; Denominations    29

Section 3.03.

   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating    29

Section 3.04.

   Temporary Securities    31

Section 3.05.

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    31

Section 3.06.

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    35

 

i


Section 3.07.

   Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved    37

Section 3.08.

   Persons Deemed Owners    39

Section 3.09.

   Cancellation    39

Section 3.10.

   Computation of Interest    40

Section 3.11.

   CUSIP Numbers    40

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01.

   Satisfaction and Discharge    40

Section 4.02.

   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance    42

Section 4.03.

   Application of Trust Money    47

Section 4.04.

   Reinstatement    47

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01.

   Events of Default    48

Section 5.02.

   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    50

Section 5.03.

   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee    51

Section 5.04.

   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    52

Section 5.05.

   Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons    53

Section 5.06.

   Application of Money Collected    53

Section 5.07.

   Limitations on Suits    54

Section 5.08.

   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    54

Section 5.09.

   Restoration of Rights and Remedies    54

Section 5.10.

   Rights and Remedies Cumulative    55

Section 5.11.

   Delay or Omission Not Waiver    55

Section 5.12.

   Control by Holders of Securities    55

Section 5.13.

   Waiver of Past Defaults    56

Section 5.14.

   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws    56

Section 5.15.

   Undertaking for Costs    56

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01.

   Certain Rights of Trustee    57

Section 6.02.

   Notice of Defaults    59

Section 6.03.

   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities    60

Section 6.04.

   May Hold Securities    60

Section 6.05.

   Money Held in Trust    60

Section 6.06.

   Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification    60

 

ii


Section 6.07.

   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility    61

Section 6.08.

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor    61

Section 6.09.

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor    63

Section 6.10.

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business    65

Section 6.11.

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent    65

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01.

   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders    67

Section 7.02.

   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders    67

Section 7.03.

   Reports by Trustee    68

Section 7.04.

   Reports by Company    68

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01.

   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    69

Section 8.02.

   Successor Person Substituted for Company    70

Section 8.03.

   Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms    70

Section 8.04.

   Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor    71

ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01.

   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders    72

Section 9.02.

   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders    73

Section 9.03.

   Execution of Supplemental Indentures    74

Section 9.04.

   Effect of Supplemental Indentures    75

Section 9.05.

   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures    75

Section 9.06.

   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act    75

Section 9.07.

   Effect on Senior Indebtedness    75

Section 9.08.

   Notice of Supplemental Indenture    75

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01.

   Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts    75

Section 10.02.

   Maintenance of Office or Agency    76

Section 10.03.

   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust    77

Section 10.04.

   [Reserved]    79

Section 10.05.

   Organizational Existence    79

Section 10.06.

   Waiver of Certain Covenants    79

Section 10.07.

   Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults    79

Section 10.08.

   Calculation of Original Issue Discount    80

 

iii


  

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

  

Section 11.01.

   Applicability of Article    80

Section 11.02.

   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee    80

Section 11.03.

   Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed    81

Section 11.04.

   Notice of Redemption    81

Section 11.05.

   Deposit of Redemption Price    83

Section 11.06.

   Securities Payable on Redemption Date    83

Section 11.07.

   Securities Redeemed in Part    84

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01.

   Applicability of Article    85

Section 12.02.

   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities    85

Section 12.03.

   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund    86

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01.

   Applicability of Article    86

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01.

   Applicability of Article    87

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01.

   Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called    87

Section 15.02.

   Call, Notice and Place of Meetings    87

Section 15.03.

   Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings    88

Section 15.04.

   Quorum; Action    88

Section 15.05.

   Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings    89

Section 15.06.

   Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings    90

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01.

   Agreement to Subordinate    90

Section 16.02.

   Default on Senior Indebtedness    91

Section 16.03.

   Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy    91

Section 16.04.

   Subrogation    93

Section 16.05.

   Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    94

 

iv


Section 16.06.

   Notice by the Company    94

Section 16.07.

   Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness    95

Section 16.08.

   Subordination May Not Be Impaired    96

Section 16.09.

   Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It    96

ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01.

   The Guarantee    97

Section 17.02.

   Ranking    97

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                     , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its subordinated unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01. Definitions . Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “or” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “A or B” means “A or B or both,” not “either A or B but not both”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

2


Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

 

3


Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

 

4


Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency ,” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

 

5


Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “Guarantor” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Guarantor” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

6


Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

 

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Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts.

Interest Payment Date ,” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

 

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Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding ,” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

 

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provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment ,” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Redemption Date ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “Regular Record Date”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.16.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

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Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities,” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(f) and 5.01(g) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities, including those issued to PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III (or similar financing vehicles of the Guarantor); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity ,” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

 

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Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Trustee ” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

 

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Vice President ,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President.”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and

 

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does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders . (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request,

 

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demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered

 

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Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

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Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

 

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Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of

 

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Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

 

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Section 1.18 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.19 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in

 

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any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 1.20 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the

 

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related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable,

 

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Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series

 

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pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and

 

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the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

 

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(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section

 

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4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(u) the form or forms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

(v) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(w) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(x) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’

 

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Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and

 

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deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its

 

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authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided, further, that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such

 

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reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they

 

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may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such

 

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interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on

 

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such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange

 

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therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

 

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The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the

 

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Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

 

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Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

 

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Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

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(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by

 

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the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of

 

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the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

 

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(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or Section 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91 st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

 

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(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91 st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

 

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(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after

 

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there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement,

 

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adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03 . Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a

 

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judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second : To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any

 

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right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

 

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Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after

 

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the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

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(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

 

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(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d)

 

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with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “ default ” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification . The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

 

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(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a)  No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

 

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(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a

 

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Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a)   Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign,

 

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transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and

 

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certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

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Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

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THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a)  Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

 

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(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for

 

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conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties

 

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and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

 

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(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment,

 

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Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

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Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer

 

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Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be

 

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made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on

 

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each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder

 

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of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 10.04. [Reserved] .

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a)   The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

 

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(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms,

 

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the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

 

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Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

 

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(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price . On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date . Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on

 

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or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part . Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall

 

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authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01. Applicability of Article . The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities . The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund

 

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payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund . Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article . Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

 

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ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01. Applicability of Article . Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called . A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings . (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the

 

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Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings . To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 15.04. Quorum; Action . The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution

 

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with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings . (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

 

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(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings . The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01. Agreement to Subordinate . The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent

 

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and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the relates Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02. Default on Senior Indebtedness . In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03. Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy . Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the

 

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Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16 with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the

 

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liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article 8 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article 8 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04. Subrogation . Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

 

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Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination . Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Section 16.06. Notice by the Company . The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person

 

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representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07. Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness . The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

 

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Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08. Subordination May Not Be Impaired . No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09. Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited With It . Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 16.01, 16.02 and 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

 

96


ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01. The Guarantee . The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02. Ranking . Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

97


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
as Guarantor

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

98

Exhibit 4.43

 

 

FORM OF JUNIOR SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of                 , 20    

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

 

 


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(§)(§)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(§)(§)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(§)(§)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(§)(§)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(§)(§)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

   5.02,
5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(§)(§)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03

(§)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION
Section 1.01.   

Definitions

   2
Section 1.02.   

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

   16
Section 1.03.   

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

   16
Section 1.04.   

Acts of Holders

   17
Section 1.05.   

Notices, etc.

   19
Section 1.06.   

Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver

   20
Section 1.07.   

Language of Notices

   21
Section 1.08.   

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

   21
Section 1.09.   

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

   21
Section 1.10.   

Successors and Assigns

   21
Section 1.11.   

Separability Clause

   21
Section 1.12.   

Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries

   21
Section 1.13.   

Benefits of Indenture

   22
Section 1.14.   

Governing Law

   22
Section 1.15.   

Non-Business Days

   22
Section 1.16.   

Counterparts

   22
Section 1.17.   

Judgment Currency

   22
Section 1.18.   

No Security Interest Created

   23
Section 1.19.   

Limitation on Individual Liability

   23
Section 1.20.   

Submission to Jurisdiction

   24
Section 1.21.   

Waiver of Jury Trial

   25
Section 1.22.   

Force Majeure

   25
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS
Section 2.01.   

Forms Generally

   25
Section 2.02.   

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

   26
Section 2.03.   

Securities in Global Form

   26
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES
Section 3.01.   

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

   27
Section 3.02.   

Currency; Denominations

   32
Section 3.03.   

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

   32
Section 3.04.   

Temporary Securities

   34

 

i


Section 3.05.   

Registration, Transfer and Exchange

   34
Section 3.06.   

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

   39
Section 3.07.   

Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved

   40
Section 3.08.   

Persons Deemed Owners

   42
Section 3.09.   

Cancellation

   42
Section 3.10.   

Computation of Interest

   43
Section 3.11.   

Extension of Interest Payment Period

   43
Section 3.12.   

Agreed Tax Treatment

   44
Section 3.13.   

Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange

   44
Section 3.14.   

CUSIP Numbers

   44

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE
Section 4.01.   

Satisfaction and Discharge

   45
Section 4.02.   

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

   47
Section 4.03.   

Application of Trust Money

   52
Section 4.04.   

Reinstatement

   52
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES
Section 5.01.   

Events of Default

   53
Section 5.02.   

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

   54
Section 5.03.   

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

   56
Section 5.04.   

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

   57
Section 5.05.   

Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons

   58
Section 5.06.   

Application of Money Collected

   58
Section 5.07.   

Limitations on Suits

   58
Section 5.08.   

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   59
Section 5.09.   

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

   60
Section 5.10.   

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

   60
Section 5.11.   

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

   60
Section 5.12.   

Control by Holders of Securities

   60
Section 5.13.   

Waiver of Past Defaults

   61
Section 5.14.   

Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

   61
Section 5.15.   

Undertaking for Costs

   62

 

ii


ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE
Section 6.01.   

Certain Rights of Trustee

   62
Section 6.02.   

Notice of Defaults

   65
Section 6.03.   

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

   65
Section 6.04.   

May Hold Securities

   65
Section 6.05.   

Money Held in Trust

   66
Section 6.06.   

Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification

   66
Section 6.07.   

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

   67
Section 6.08.   

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

   67
Section 6.09.   

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

   69
Section 6.10.   

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

   70
Section 6.11.   

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

   71
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY
Section 7.01.   

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

   73
Section 7.02.   

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

   73
Section 7.03.   

Reports by Trustee

   73
Section 7.04.   

Reports by Company

   74
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES
Section 8.01.   

Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   75
Section 8.02.   

Successor Person Substituted for Company

   76
Section 8.03.   

Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   76
Section 8.04.   

Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor

   77
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES
Section 9.01.   

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

   78
Section 9.02.   

Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

   79
Section 9.03.   

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

   81
Section 9.04.   

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

   81
Section 9.05.   

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

   81
Section 9.06.   

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

   82
Section 9.07.   

Effect on Senior Indebtedness

   82
Section 9.08.   

Notice of Supplemental Indenture

   82

 

iii


ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS
Section 10.01.   

Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   82
Section 10.02.   

Maintenance of Office or Agency

   82
Section 10.03.   

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

   84
Section 10.04.   

[Reserved].

   86
Section 10.05.   

Organizational Existence

   86
Section 10.06.   

Waiver of Certain Covenants

   86
Section 10.07.   

Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults.

   86
Section 10.08.   

Additional Sums

   87
Section 10.09.   

Prohibition Against Dividends, etc

   87
Section 10.10.   

Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust

   88
Section 10.11.   

Ownership of Common Securities

   89
Section 10.12.   

Calculation of Original Issue Discount

   89
ARTICLE 11
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES
Section 11.01.   

Applicability of Article

   89
Section 11.02.   

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

   89
Section 11.03.   

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

   90
Section 11.04.   

Notice of Redemption

   90
Section 11.05.   

Deposit of Redemption Price

   92
Section 11.06.   

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

   92
Section 11.07.   

Securities Redeemed in Part

   93
Section 11.08.   

Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust

   94
ARTICLE 12
S INKING F UNDS
Section 12.01.   

Applicability of Article

   94
Section 12.02.   

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

   94
Section 12.03.   

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

   95
ARTICLE 13
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS
Section 13.01.   

Applicability of Article

   96

 

iv


ARTICLE 14
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES
Section 14.01.   

Applicability of Article

   96
ARTICLE 15
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES
Section 15.01.   

Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

   97
Section 15.02.   

Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

   97
Section 15.03.   

Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

   97
Section 15.04.   

Quorum; Action

   98
Section 15.05.   

Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

   98
Section 15.06.   

Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

   99
ARTICLE 16
S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES
Section 16.01.   

Agreement to Subordinate

   100
Section 16.02.   

Default on Senior Indebtedness

   100
Section 16.03.   

Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy

   101
Section 16.04.   

Subrogation

   102
Section 16.05.   

Trustee to Effectuate Subordination

   103
Section 16.06.   

Notice by the Company

   104
Section 16.07.   

Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness

   105
Section 16.08.   

Subordination May Not Be Impaired

   105
Section 16.09.   

Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It

   106
ARTICLE 17
G UARANTEE
Section 17.01.   

The Guarantee

   106
Section 17.02.   

Ranking

   106

 

v


INDENTURE, dated as of                  , 20     (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its junior subordinated unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), including, without limitation, Securities issued to evidence loans made to the Company of the proceeds from the issuance from time to time by one or more PartnerRe Trusts (as defined herein) of preferred beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Preferred Securities ”) and common beneficial interests in the assets of such Trusts (the “ Common Securities ” and, collectively with the Preferred Securities, the “ Trust Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.


NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “ herein, ” “ hereof, ” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “ or ” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “ A or B ” means “ A or B or both, ” not “ either A or B but not both ”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act, ” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by any Security, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Security, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

 

2


Additional Interest ” means the interest, if any, that shall accrue on any interest on the Securities of any series the payment of which has not been made on the applicable Interest Payment Date and which shall accrue at the rate per annum specified or determined as specified in such Security.

Additional Sums ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided , however , that an Affiliate of the Company or the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include any PartnerRe Trust to which Securities and the Guarantee in respect thereof have been issued. For the purposes of this definition, “ control, ” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

 

3


Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day, ” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “ Company ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Company ” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

 

4


Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York Mellon, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency, ” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Direct Action ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.08.

Distributions, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, has the meaning specified in the applicable Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust.

 

5


Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Extension Period ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.11.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest (including Additional Interest, if any) on, and any Additional Amounts and Additional Sums with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as more fully set forth in the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Agreement ” means the Guarantee Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

6


Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “ Guarantor ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Guarantor ” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement

 

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following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest, ” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity, (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security, includes such Additional Amounts and (iii) unless the context otherwise requires, includes Additional Interest, if any.

Interest Payment Date, ” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

 

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Investment Company Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by the PartnerRe Trust of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a written change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental agency or regulatory authority (a “ Change in 1940 Act Law ”), there is more than an insubstantial risk that such PartnerRe Trust is or will be considered an “ investment company ” or a company “ controlled ” by an “ investment company ” that is required to be registered under the Investment Company Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after the date of original issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity, ” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

1940 Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Office ” or “ Agency, ” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding, ” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided, however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand,

 

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authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

PartnerRe Trust ” means PartnerRe Capital Trust II or PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each a statutory business trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware, and any other similar trust created to issue Trust Securities and to use the proceeds from the sale thereof to purchase Securities issued under this Indenture or any indenture entered into by the Company to effect similar financing.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment, ” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

 

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Preferred Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture.

Preferred Securities Guarantee ” means the guarantee by PartnerRe Ltd., in its capacity as guarantor with respect to the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust, of Distributions on such Preferred Securities to the extent provided in the Guarantee Agreement.

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Property Trustee, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means the entity acting in the capacity of Property Trustee pursuant to the related Trust Agreement.

Redemption Date, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price, ” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

 

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Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “ Regular Record Date ”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “ Securities, ” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Senior Indebtedness ” means, with respect to the Securities of any particular series, all Indebtedness of the Company outstanding at any time, except (a) the Securities of such series, (b) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities of such series or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (c) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Company referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Company in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (d) trade accounts payable, (e) any liability for income, franchise, real estate or other taxes owed or owing and (f) any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust (or similar financing vehicle of the Guarantor); subject to, if provided in the supplemental indenture under which a series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series, any modifications to this definition of Senior Indebtedness, including additional obligations that the Company may determine to include within this definition and obligations that may be excluded from this definition, pursuant to Section 3.01 hereof.

 

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Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Event ” means either an Investment Company Event or a Tax Event.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity, ” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Tax Event ” means, in respect of a PartnerRe Trust, the receipt by such PartnerRe Trust or the Company of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by an independent law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations (including any change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any applicable taxing authority), which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, there is more than an insubstantial risk that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is, or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to United States Federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued on the corresponding series of Securities, (ii) interest payable by the Company on the corresponding series of Securities is not or will not be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States

 

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Federal income tax purposes or (iii) such PartnerRe Trust is or will be, within 90 days of delivery of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to more than a de minimis amount of other taxes, duties or other governmental charges.

Trust Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1, dated                  , 20    , among [PartnerRe Finance C LLC], as depositor, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein or other such trust agreement relating to a PartnerRe Trust substantially in the form thereof, as amended by an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement substantially in such form as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, in each case as amended from time to time.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trust Securities, ” with respect to any PartnerRe Trust, means, collectively, the Common Securities and Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “ Trustee ” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Trustee ” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Trustee ” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

United States, ” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than

 

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one such Person, “ U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

Vice President, ” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “ Vice President .”

Section 1.02 . Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 . Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

 

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Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04 . Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders or by holders of Preferred Securities may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders or holders of Preferred Securities, as applicable, in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders or holders of Preferred Securities signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act)

 

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conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever

 

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situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 . Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

 

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(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06 . Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

 

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In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 . Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08 . Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09 . Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10 . Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.11 . Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. The Company and the Guarantor hereby acknowledge that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Indenture. The Company and the Guarantor further acknowledge that, if an Event of Default has occurred

 

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and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Company and/or the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the Securities of the series held by such PartnerRe Trust, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Company and/or the Guarantor.

Section 1.13 . Benefits of Indenture. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein with respect to holders of Preferred Securities, nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and the holders of Senior Indebtedness, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.14 . Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.15 . Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.16 . Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.17 . Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts,

 

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if any, on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.18 . No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.19 . Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the

 

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obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

Section 1.20 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.21 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.22 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Officer
Dated:  

                     

 

Section 2.03 . Securities in Global Form. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The Securities of each series shall be subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness with respect to such series as provided in Article 16.

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

 

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(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the rate or rates and the extent to which Additional Interest, if any, shall be payable in respect of such Securities, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, the right, pursuant to Section 3.11 hereof or as otherwise set forth therein, of the Company to defer or extend an interest payment period and the duration of any such Extension Period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

 

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(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

 

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(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) the relative degree, if any, to which Securities of such series and the guarantee in respect thereof shall be senior to or be subordinated to other series of Securities and the guarantee in respect thereof or other Indebtedness of the Company in right of payment, whether such other series of Securities or other Indebtedness is outstanding or not;

(s) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(t) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(u) the form or forms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein, and Guarantee Agreement;

 

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(v) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(w) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(x) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

(y) any modifications, including additions to or exclusions from, the definition of Senior Indebtedness; and

(z) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the

 

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same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02 . Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03 . Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and

 

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any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive

 

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evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security

 

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Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the

 

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surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security

 

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are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and

 

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before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

 

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Section 3.06 . Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in

 

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exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07 . Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the

 

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Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to

 

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which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08 . Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Section 3.05 and Section 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09 . Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any

 

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time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10 . Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11 . Extension of Interest Payment Period. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series and subject to the terms, conditions and covenants, if any, so specified, the Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time during the term of such series, to defer the payment of interest on such Securities for such period or periods as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 (each, an “ Extension Period ”), during which Extension Periods the Company shall have the right to make partial payments of interest on any Interest Payment Date. No Extension Period shall end on a day other than an Interest Payment Date. At the end of any such Extension Period, the Company shall pay all interest (including, without limitation, any Additional Interest) then accrued and unpaid on the Securities. Prior to the termination of any such Extension Period, the Company may further extend the interest payment period, provided that no Extension Period shall exceed the period or periods specified in such Securities or extend beyond the Stated Maturity of the principal of such Securities. Upon termination of any Extension Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest, the Company may elect to begin a new Extension Period, subject to the above requirements. No interest shall be due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof.

The Company shall give the Holders of the Securities of such series and the Trustee written notice of its election to begin any such Extension Period at least one Business Day prior to the Interest Payment Date or, with respect to the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, prior to the earlier of (i) the date the Distributions on the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust are payable or (ii) the date the trustees of such PartnerRe Trust are required to give notice to any securities exchange or other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders of such Preferred Securities of the record date or the date such Distributions are payable, but in any event not less than one Business Day prior to such record date.

 

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The Trustee shall promptly give notice of the Company’s election to begin any such Extension Period to the Holders of the outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 3.12 . Agreed Tax Treatment. Each Security issued hereunder shall provide that the Company and by its acceptance of a Security or a beneficial interest therein, the Holder of, and any Person that acquires a beneficial interest in, such Security agree that for United States Federal, state and local tax purposes it is intended that such Security constitute indebtedness.

Section 3.13 . Extension of Stated Maturity; Adjustment of Stated Maturity Upon an Exchange. If specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of a particular series, the Company shall have the right to (a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series upon the liquidation of the applicable PartnerRe Trust and the exchange of such Securities for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust, and (b) extend the Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series; provided that, at the time any election to extend such Stated Maturity is made and at the time such extension commences, (i) no Event of Default on the Securities has occurred and is continuing, (ii) the applicable PartnerRe Trust is not in arrears on payments of Distributions on its Preferred Securities and no deferred Distributions thereon have accumulated, (iii) the Securities of such series are and immediately after such extension will be rated at least investment grade by either Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (currently BBB—or above), Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (currently Baa3 or above) or any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization and (iv) the extended Stated Maturity is no later than the 49th anniversary of the initial issuance of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust; provided , further , that, if the Company exercises its right to liquidate the applicable PartnerRe Trust and exchange the Securities of such series for the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as specified in clause (a) above, any changed Stated Maturity of the principal of the Securities of such series shall be no earlier than the date that is 15 years after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities and no later than the date 30 years (plus an extended term of up to an additional 19 years if the above-referenced conditions are satisfied) after the initial issue date of the Preferred Securities of the applicable PartnerRe Trust.

Section 3.14 . CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “ CUSIP, ” “ CINS ” and “ ISIN ” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as

 

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printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

 

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Section 4.02 . Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

(a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as

 

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contemplated by the terms of such Securities (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(t), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “ Outstanding ” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with

 

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the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(c) or (d) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

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(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “ insider ”).

 

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(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (a) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited

 

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pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03 . Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04 . Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01 . Events of Default. Event of Default, ” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (subject to any deferral of any due date in the case of an Extension Period); or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

 

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(d) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(e) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02 . Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable; provided that, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, if, upon an Event of Default, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series fail to declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be immediately due and payable, the holders of at least 25% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by a notice in writing to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee; and upon any such declaration such principal or such lesser amount and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall become immediately due and payable, provided that the payment of principal and interest and all other amounts due with respect to such Securities shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in Article 16.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (c) or (d) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

 

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At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series (subject to, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of the holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, should the Holders of such Securities fail to rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred

 

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Securities of such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding shall have such right by written notice to the Company, the Trustee and the Property Trustee, subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth in clauses (a) and (b) above of this Section 5.02.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee . The Company covenants that if:

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable and if the Securities are held by a PartnerRe Trust, without duplication of any other amounts paid to such PartnerRe Trust in respect thereof) upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its

 

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rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04 . Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

 

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Section 5.05 . Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06 . Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First : To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second : To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third : The balance, if any, to the Company or its successors as evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 5.07 . Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

 

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(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08 . Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, any holder of Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall have the right, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in Section 5.01(a) or Section 5.01(b) hereof, to institute directly a proceeding against the Company and/or the Guarantor for enforcement of payment to such holder of principal of, and any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05, 3.07 and 3.11) interest on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities having a principal amount equal to the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities held by such holder (a “ Direct Action ”).

 

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Notwithstanding any payments made to a holder of Preferred Securities by the Company and/or the Guarantor in connection with a Direct Action, the Company and the Guarantor shall remain obligated to pay the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the related Securities, and the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the holder of such Preferred Securities with respect to payments on the Preferred Securities to the extent of any payments made by the Company to such holder in any Direct Action.

Section 5.09 . Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has, or the holders of Preferred Securities have, instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee, to such Holder or to the holders of such Preferred Securities, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder or the holders of such Preferred Securities shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 . Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 . Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon or of the holders of Preferred Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon or to the holders of Preferred Securities may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee, by such Holder or by such holders of Preferred Securities, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right

 

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to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

Section 5.13 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, in the case of any Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of not less than a majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 . Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

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Section 5.15 . Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series or, if a series of Securities is held by a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of more than 10% in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of that PartnerRe Trust then outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any Holder or any holder of Preferred Securities for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

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(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act

 

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requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(j) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(k) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

(l) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(m) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(n) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(o) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;

(p) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (a) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (b) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series and such notice references this Indenture;

 

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(q) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder; and

(r) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Company deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 6.02 . Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 . Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

 

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Section 6.05 . Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06 . Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “ Trustee ” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

 

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The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07 . Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

 

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(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (A) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (B) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of

 

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himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

(a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with

 

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respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.03 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee

 

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hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such

 

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Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Trustee

By:  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating

 

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Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01 . Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided, however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 . Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03 . Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of

 

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Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04 . Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not

 

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constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01 . Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

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(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Trust Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Trust Agreement; and

(d) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02 . Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03 . Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee)

 

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supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, such transaction is permitted under the related Guarantee Agreement and does not give rise to any breach or violation of such Guarantee Agreement; and

(d) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04 . Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

 

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(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon or, in the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust and for so long as any of the Preferred Securities issued by such PartnerRe Trust shall remain outstanding, the holders of such Preferred Securities, in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02 . Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture (and, in the case of any series of Securities held as assets of a PartnerRe Trust, such consent of holders of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust as may be required under the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

 

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(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to the terms of such Security (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture relating to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to Holders of Securities, or

(d) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(e) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms; provided that, in the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no such amendment shall be made that materially adversely affects the holders of such Preferred Securities, and no termination of this Indenture shall occur, and no waiver of any Event of Default or compliance with any covenant under this Indenture shall be effective, without the prior consent of the holders of at least a majority of the liquidation amount of such Preferred Securities then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full; and provided further that in the case of the Securities of a series

 

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issued to a PartnerRe Trust, so long as any of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust remain outstanding, no amendment shall be made to Section 5.08 of this Indenture without the prior consent of the holder of each Preferred Security then outstanding unless and until the principal of, any premium or, subject to Section 3.07, interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series have been paid in full.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities or holders of Preferred Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 . Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04 . Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05 . Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

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Section 9.06 . Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07 . Effect on Senior Indebtedness. No supplemental indenture shall directly or indirectly modify or eliminate the provisions of Article 16 in any manner which might terminate or impair the subordination of the Securities of any series to Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness without the prior written consent of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 9.08 . Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01 . Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02 . Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this

 

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Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other

 

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Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03 . Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

 

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(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

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Section 10.04 . [Reserved].

Section 10.05 . Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (constitutive and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06 . Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07 . Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults.

(a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

 

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(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08 . Additional Sums. In the case of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 9.02(b) of the related Trust Agreement, in the event that (i) such PartnerRe Trust is the Holder of all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and (ii) such PartnerRe Trust is required to pay any taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, other than withholding taxes (including backup withholding taxes), imposed by the United States, or any other taxing authority, then the Company shall pay to such PartnerRe Trust (and its permitted successors or assigns under the related Trust Agreement), for so long as such PartnerRe Trust (or its permitted successor or assignee) is the registered holder of any Securities of such series, such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the amounts received and retained by such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with such Securities after paying any such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges will be not less than the amounts that such Capital Trust would have received had no such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges been imposed (the “ Additional Sums ”). Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on, or in respect of, any Security of any series or any Coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Sums provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, Additional Sums are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of Additional Sums (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Sums in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made, provided, however, that the extension of an interest payment period pursuant to Section 3.11 or the terms of the applicable Securities shall not extend the payment of any Additional Sums that may be due and payable during such interest payment period.

Section 10.09 . Prohibition Against Dividends, etc. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, the Company and the Guarantor each covenant and agree with each Holder of Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust that it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire

 

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or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Guarantor’s outstanding capital stock or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Securities of such series or the Guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan of the Guarantor, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any subsidiary’s) indebtedness pursuant to the terms of the capital stock or indebtedness as originally issued, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Company has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default hereunder and (2) in respect of which the Company shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under the related Preferred Securities Guarantee or (C) the Company shall have given notice of its election to begin an Extension Period as provided herein with respect to the Securities of such series and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 10.10 . Payment of Expenses of Each PartnerRe Trust. The Company and the Guarantor, each jointly and severally, covenant for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities to pay or cause to be paid all of the obligations, costs and expenses of each PartnerRe Trust (other than payments in respect of Trust Securities) in accordance with the provisions of its Trust Agreement and to pay the taxes of such PartnerRe Trust in accordance with the

 

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provisions of its Trust Agreement in order to permit such PartnerRe Trust to make distributions on and redemptions of its Preferred Securities in accordance with such Trust Agreement.

Section 10.11 . Ownership of Common Securities. The Company covenants, as to each series of Securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust in connection with the issuance of Preferred Securities and Common Securities by that PartnerRe Trust, (a) to maintain directly or indirectly 100% ownership of the Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust; provided , however , that any permitted successor of the Company hereunder may succeed to the Company’s ownership of such Common Securities, (b) not to voluntarily dissolve, wind-up or liquidate such PartnerRe Trust, except in connection with (i) a distribution of the Securities of such series to the holders of Preferred Securities and Common Securities in liquidation of such PartnerRe Trust, (ii) the redemption of all of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities of such PartnerRe Trust or (iii) certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Trust Agreement of such PartnerRe Trust and (c) to take reasonable steps as necessary so that such PartnerRe Trust will not fail or cease to qualify as a “grantor trust” for United States Federal income tax purposes.

Section 10.12 . Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01 . Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02 . Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of

 

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Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that, the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days’ notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee). If the Securities of a series are held by a PartnerRe Trust, the Company shall also deliver a copy of such notice to the Property Trustee of such PartnerRe Trust.

Section 11.03 . Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04 . Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

 

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Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer

 

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Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Clearstream reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 . Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 . Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except

 

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as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided, further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07 . Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such

 

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Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

Section 11.08 . Right of Redemption of Securities Issued to a PartnerRe Trust. In the case of the Securities of a series issued to a PartnerRe Trust, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, if a Special Event in respect of such PartnerRe Trust shall occur and be continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Securities of such series within 90 days of the occurrence of such Special Event, in whole but not in part, subject to the provisions of this Section 11.08 and the other provisions of this Article 11. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, the redemption price for any Security so redeemed pursuant to this Section 11.08 shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Securities then Outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

Section 12.02 . Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in

 

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respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03 . Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

 

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ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01 . Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01 . Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01 . Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02 . Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03 . Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 15.04 . Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05 . Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations,

 

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the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06 . Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth

 

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a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

S UBORDINATION OF S ECURITIES

Section 16.01 . Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder and under any indenture supplemental hereto or pursuant to a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate (“ Additional Provisions ”) by such Holder’s acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article 16; and each Holder of a Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder and under any Additional Provisions shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth and subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Indebtedness of the Company that constitutes Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article 16 shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of Default hereunder.

All references in this Article 16 to Holders of Securities shall be deemed to include Holders of Coupons.

Section 16.02 . Default on Senior Indebtedness. In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other amount due on any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption and sinking fund payments) of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series or to acquire such Securities (other than pursuant to the conversion of such Securities).

 

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In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 16.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 16.03 . Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any total or partial dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshaling of assets of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other similar proceedings relating to the Company or its assets, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on account of the principal of, premium or interest on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such series; and in any such case, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee (on behalf of Holders with respect to the principal of, premium or interest on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, the Securities of such Series) would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article 16, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders having equal seniority on the basis of the respective amounts of such Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money’s worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Securities of such series or to the Trustee.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,

 

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property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing shall be received by the Trustee before all such Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all such Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article 16, the words “ cash, property or securities ” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article 16, with respect to the Securities of the relevant series to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation or amalgamation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.03 if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Section 8.01 and Section 8.02 of this Indenture.

Section 16.04 . Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article 16, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16 to or for the benefit of

 

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the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities of such series or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of such Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article 16 are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article 16 or elsewhere in this Indenture, any Additional Provisions or in the Securities of any series is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series, and the Holders of the Securities of such series, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities of such series the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series and creditors of the Company, other than the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security of such series from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article 16 of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purposes of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.05 . Trustee to Effectuate Subordination. Each Holder of Securities by such Holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article 16 and appoints the Trustee such Holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

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Section 16.06 . Notice by the Company. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article 16 or any other provision of this Indenture or any Additional Provisions, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article 16, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series or from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided , however , that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.06 at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series (or a trustee on behalf of such holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 16, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 16, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article 16, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution,

 

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winding-up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities of any series, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of such series and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 16.

Section 16.07 . Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 16 in respect of any Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of such Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture or any Additional Provisions shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article 16, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture or any Additional Provisions against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Article 6 of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of the Securities of such series, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 16 or otherwise.

Nothing in this Article 16 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.

Section 16.08 . Subordination May Not Be Impaired. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company, or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness with respect to the Securities of any series may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of Securities of such series, without incurring responsibility to such Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this

 

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Article 16 or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities of such series to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (a) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (b) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (c) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (d) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

Section 16.09 . Application by Trustee of Assets Deposited with It. Amounts deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, including without limitation pursuant to Article 4 hereof, shall be for the sole benefit of the Holders of the Securities and, to the extent allocated for the payment of Securities, shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of this Article 16. Otherwise, any deposit of assets with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (whether or not in trust) for the payment of any Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Section 16.01, 16.02 and Section 16.03; provided that, if prior to two Business Days preceding the date on which by the terms of this Indenture any such assets may become distributable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of any amount due on any Security) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall not have received with respect to such assets the written notice provided for in Section 16.06, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have full power and authority to receive such assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such date.

ARTICLE 17

G UARANTEE

Section 17.01 . The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 17.02 . Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall be subordinate in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

 

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[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE C LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Trustee

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

108

Exhibit 4.44

 

 

 

FORM OF

PREFERRED SECURITIES

GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                      , 20__

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS
Section 1.01.    Definitions    2
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT
Section 2.01.    Trust Indenture Act: Application    5
Section 2.02.    List of Holders    6
Section 2.03.    Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    6
Section 2.04.    Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    6
Section 2.05.    Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    6
Section 2.06.    Events of Default; Waiver    7
Section 2.07.    Event of Default; Notice    7
Section 2.08.    Conflicting Interests    7
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE
Section 3.01.    Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    7
Section 3.02.    Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    9
Section 3.03.    Indemnity    11
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE
Section 4.01.    Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    11
Section 4.02.    Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    12
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE
Section 5.01.    Guarantee    13
Section 5.02.    Waiver of Notice and Demand    13
Section 5.03.    Obligations Not Affected    13
Section 5.04.    Rights of Holders    14
Section 5.05.    Guarantee of Payment    14
Section 5.06.    Subrogation    14
Section 5.07.    Independent Obligations    15

 

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ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING
Section 6.01.    [Reserved]    15

Section 6.02.

   Ranking    15

Section 6.03.

   Pari Passu Guarantees    15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION
Section 7.01.    Termination    15
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.01.    Successors and Assigns    16

Section 8.02.

   Amendments    16

Section 8.03.

   Notices    16

Section 8.04.

   Benefit    18

Section 8.05.

   Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries    18

Section 8.06.

   Governing Law    18

Section 8.07.

   Interpretation    18

Section 8.08.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    19

Section 8.09.

   Judgment Currency    19

Section 8.10.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    20

Section 8.11.

   Force Majeure    20

 

ii


GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20__, is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of PartnerRe Capital Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of                   , 20__, among the Trustees named therein, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware Trustee, [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe], a Delaware entity, as depositor (in such capacity, the “ Depositor ”), and the Holders from time to time of undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the Issuer (the “ Trust Agreement ”), the Issuer is issuing $                  aggregate liquidation preference of its          % Preferred Securities (liquidation preference $      per preferred security) (the “ Preferred Securities ”) representing preferred undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer and having the terms set forth in the Trust Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities will be issued by the Issuer and the proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds from the issuance of the Issuer’s Common Securities (as defined herein), will be used to purchase the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities (as defined herein) of [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe] (in its capacity as issuer of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities, the “ Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issuer ”), which will be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement, as trust assets; and

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of the Preferred Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Preferred Securities.


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however , that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Common Securities ” means the securities representing common undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Payments ” means the following payments or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not paid or made by or on behalf of the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Trust Agreement) that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption (the “ Redemption Price ”) with respect to Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time and (iii) upon a voluntary

 

2


or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer, other than in connection with the distribution of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities to the Holders, the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation preference of $      per Preferred Security plus accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand available to make such payment and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining available for distribution to Holders of the Preferred Securities upon liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the “ Liquidation Distribution ”).

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Preferred Securities or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Preferred Securities or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to the Trust (or similar financing vehicle of the Guarantor).

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Holder ” shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of the Issuer, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however , that, in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, “ Holder ” shall not include the Guarantor, the Depositor, the Guarantee Trustee or any Affiliate of the Guarantor, the Depositor, or the Guarantee Trustee.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations

 

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with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of                   , 20      among the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issuer, the Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities are to be issued to the Property Trustee of the Issuer.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities ” means the $                  aggregate principal amount of unsecured junior subordinated debt securities issued by the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issuer pursuant to the Indenture.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee ” means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, dated as of                   , 20__, between the Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, for the benefit of the Holders (as defined therein) from time to time of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities ” means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s), voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation preference of all then outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Issuer.

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

 

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(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01 . Trust Indenture Act: Application. (a)   This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

 

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(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02 . List of Holders. (a)   Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after                  15 of each year commencing with                  15, 20__, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

 

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Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The Holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 2.07 . Event of Default; Notice. (a)   The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment of a Guarantee Payment, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Trust Agreement shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01 . Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. (a)   This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(a) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

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(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02 . Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee. (a)   Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

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(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

 

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(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities, (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01 . Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. (a)  There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Depositor; and

 

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(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02 . Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees. (a)   Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by or on behalf of the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert, except the defense of payment. The Guarantor’s obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal obligor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period on the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities or so provided by the Indenture);

(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of

 

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creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred Securities; or

(f) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the Holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (d) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) or upon distribution of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities to Holders as provided in the Trust Agreement.

Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however , that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this

 

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Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Preferred Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (f), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01. [Reserved].

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a junior subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (a) subordinate and junior in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “Securities” appearing in such Article 16, (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “Senior Indebtedness” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “Company” appearing in such Article 16, and (b) senior to the Guarantor’s common shares.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of preferred securities of any other trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor or any subsidiary of the Guarantor in connection with the issuance by such entity of preferred securities or other securities which are similar to preferred securities that are guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to an instrument that ranks pari passu with or junior in right of payment to this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred Securities, (b) the distribution of the Junior Subordinated Debt

 

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Securities to all Holders in exchange for the Preferred Securities or (c) full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Preferred Securities or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Preferred Securities then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities. The provisions of Article 6 of the Trust Agreement concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

 

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(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Capital Trust II

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

 

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Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.

Section 8.05 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. The Guarantor hereby acknowledges that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 8.06 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.07 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Trust Agreement, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

(c) all references to “the Agreement” or “this Guarantee Agreement” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

 

18


Section 8.08 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Preferred Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.09 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any Guarantee Payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking

 

19


procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.10 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

Section 8.11 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,

    as Guarantor

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Guarantee Trustee

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

21

Exhibit 4.45

 

 

 

FORM OF

PREFERRED SECURITIES

GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

  

Definitions

   2
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

  

Trust Indenture Act: Application

   5

Section 2.02.

  

List of Holders

   6

Section 2.03.

  

Reports by the Guarantee Trustee

   6

Section 2.04.

  

Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee

   6

Section 2.05.

  

Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

   6

Section 2.06.

  

Events of Default; Waiver

   7

Section 2.07.

  

Event of Default; Notice

   7

Section 2.08.

  

Conflicting Interests

   7
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

  

Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee

   7

Section 3.02.

  

Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee

   9

Section 3.03.

  

Indemnity

   11
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

  

Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility

   11

Section 4.02.

  

Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees

   12
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

  

Guarantee

   13

Section 5.02.

  

Waiver of Notice and Demand

   13

Section 5.03.

  

Obligations Not Affected

   13

Section 5.04.

  

Rights of Holders

   14

Section 5.05.

  

Guarantee of Payment

   14

Section 5.06.

  

Subrogation

   14

Section 5.07.

  

Independent Obligations

   15

 

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ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

  

[Reserved].

   15

Section 6.02.

  

Ranking

   15

Section 6.03.

  

Pari Passu Guarantees

   15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

  

Termination

   15
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

  

Successors and Assigns

   16

Section 8.02.

  

Amendments

   16

Section 8.03.

  

Notices

   16

Section 8.04.

  

Benefit

   18

Section 8.05.

  

Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries

   18

Section 8.06.

  

Governing Law

   18

Section 8.07.

  

Interpretation

   18

Section 8.08.

  

Submission to Jurisdiction

   19

Section 8.09.

  

Judgment Currency

   19

Section 8.10.

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

   20

Section 8.11.

  

Force Majeure

   20

 

ii


GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of PartnerRe Capital Trust III, a Delaware statutory trust (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of                   , 20      , among the Trustees named therein, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware Trustee, [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe], a Delaware entity, as depositor (in such capacity, the “ Depositor ”), and the Holders from time to time of undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the Issuer (the “ Trust Agreement ”), the Issuer is issuing $              aggregate liquidation preference of its      % Preferred Securities (liquidation preference $      per preferred security) (the “ Preferred Securities ”) representing preferred undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer and having the terms set forth in the Trust Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities will be issued by the Issuer and the proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds from the issuance of the Issuer’s Common Securities (as defined herein), will be used to purchase the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities (as defined herein) of [a finance subsidiary of PartnerRe] (in its capacity as issuer of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities, the “ Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issuer ”), which will be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement, as trust assets; and

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of the Preferred Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Preferred Securities.


ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however , that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Common Securities ” means the securities representing common undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Payments ” means the following payments or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not paid or made by or on behalf of the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Trust Agreement) that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption (the “ Redemption Price ”) with respect to Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time and (iii) upon a voluntary

 

2


or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer, other than in connection with the distribution of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities to the Holders, the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation preference of $      per Preferred Security plus accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds on hand available to make such payment and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining available for distribution to Holders of the Preferred Securities upon liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the “ Liquidation Distribution ”).

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Preferred Securities or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Preferred Securities or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to the Trust (or similar financing vehicle of the Guarantor).

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Holder ” shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of the Issuer, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however , that, in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, “ Holder ” shall not include the Guarantor, the Depositor, the Guarantee Trustee or any Affiliate of the Guarantor, the Depositor, or the Guarantee Trustee.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations

 

3


with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of                   , 20      among the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issuer, the Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities are to be issued to the Property Trustee of the Issuer.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities ” means the $              aggregate principal amount of unsecured junior subordinated debt securities issued by the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Issuer pursuant to the Indenture.

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee ” means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, dated as of                   , 20      , between the Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, for the benefit of the Holders (as defined therein) from time to time of the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities ” means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s), voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation preference of all then outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Issuer.

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

 

4


(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01 . Trust Indenture Act: Application. (a)  This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

 

5


(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02 . List of Holders. (a)   Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

 

6


Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The Holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 2.07 . Event of Default; Notice. (a)   The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment of a Guarantee Payment, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Trust Agreement shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01 . Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. (a)   This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(a) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

7


(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

8


(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02 . Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee. (a)  Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

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(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

 

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(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities, (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01 . Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. (a)   There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Depositor; and

 

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(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02 . Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees. (a)   Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by or on behalf of the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert, except the defense of payment. The Guarantor’s obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal obligor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period on the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities or so provided by the Indenture);

(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

 

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(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred Securities; or

(f) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the Holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (d) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) or upon distribution of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities to Holders as provided in the Trust Agreement.

Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however , that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this

 

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Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Preferred Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (f), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01. [Reserved].

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a junior subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (a) subordinate and junior in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “Securities” appearing in such Article 16, (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “Senior Indebtedness” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “Company” appearing in such Article 16, and (b) senior to the Guarantor’s common shares.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of preferred securities of any other trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor or any subsidiary of the Guarantor in connection with the issuance by such entity of preferred securities or other securities which are similar to preferred securities that are guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to an instrument that ranks pari passu with or junior in right of payment to this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred Securities, (b) the distribution of the Junior Subordinated Debt

 

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Securities to all Holders in exchange for the Preferred Securities or (c) full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Preferred Securities or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Preferred Securities then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities. The provisions of Article 6 of the Trust Agreement concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

 

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(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Capital Trust III

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

 

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Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.

Section 8.05 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. The Guarantor hereby acknowledges that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 8.06 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.07 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Trust Agreement, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

(c) all references to “the Agreement” or “this Guarantee Agreement” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

 

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Section 8.08 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Preferred Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.09 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any Guarantee Payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking

 

19


procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.10 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

Section 8.11 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

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Exhibit 4.46

FORM OF

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS
Section 1.01.    Definitions    1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT
Section 2.01.    Trust Indenture Act: Application    3
Section 2.02.    List of Holders    3
Section 2.03.    Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    4
Section 2.04.    Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    4
Section 2.05.    Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    4
Section 2.06.    Events of Default; Waiver    4
Section 2.07.    Event of Default; Notice    5
Section 2.08.    Conflicting Interests    5
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE
Section 3.01.    Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    5
Section 3.02.    Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    7
Section 3.03.    Indemnity    9
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE
Section 4.01.    Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    10
Section 4.02.    Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    10
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE
Section 5.01.    Guarantee    11
Section 5.02.    Waiver of Notice and Demand    11
Section 5.03.    Obligations Not Affected    11
Section 5.04.    Rights of Holders    12
Section 5.05.    Guarantee of Payment    12
Section 5.06.    Subrogation    13

Section 5.07.

   Independent Obligations    13


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING
Section 6.01.    Limitation of Transactions    13
Section 6.02.    Ranking    14
Section 6.03.    Pari Passu Guarantees    14
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION
Section 7.01.    Termination    14
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.01.    Successors and Assigns    14
Section 8.02.    Amendments    15
Section 8.03.    Notices    15
Section 8.04.    Benefit    16
Section 8.05.    Governing Law    16
Section 8.06.    Interpretation    16
Section 8.07.    Submission to Jurisdiction    17
Section 8.08.    Judgment Currency    18
Section 8.09.    Waiver of Jury Trial    18
Section 8.10.    Force Majeure    19

 

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SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Senior Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue senior unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to

 

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the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

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(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

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(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

 

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(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

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(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

 

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Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other

 

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acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a senior unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank equally with all senior unsecured indebtedness of the Guarantor from time to time outstanding.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of senior unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

 

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Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

 

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(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.06 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

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(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the

 

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name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

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Section 8.10 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,

        as Guarantor

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

        as Guarantee Trustee

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Exhibit 4.47

FORM OF

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                          , 20     


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

   Trust Indenture Act: Application    4

Section 2.02.

   List of Holders    5

Section 2.03.

   Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.04.

   Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.05.

   Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    5

Section 2.06.

   Events of Default; Waiver    5

Section 2.07.

   Event of Default; Notice    6

Section 2.08.

   Conflicting Interests    6
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

   Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    6

Section 3.02.

   Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    8

Section 3.03.

   Indemnity    10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

   Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    11

Section 4.02.

   Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

   Guarantee    12

Section 5.02.

   Waiver of Notice and Demand    12

Section 5.03.

   Obligations Not Affected    12

Section 5.04.

   Rights of Holders    13

Section 5.05.

   Guarantee of Payment    13

Section 5.06.

   Subrogation    14

Section 5.07.

   Independent Obligations    14


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

   Limitation of Transactions    14

Section 6.02.

   Ranking    15

Section 6.03.

   Pari Passu Guarantees    15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

   Termination    15
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

   Successors and Assigns    16

Section 8.02.

   Amendments    16

Section 8.03.

   Notices    16

Section 8.04.

   Benefit    17

Section 8.05.

   Governing Law    17

Section 8.06.

   Interpretation    18

Section 8.07.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    18

Section 8.08.

   Judgment Currency    19

Section 8.09.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    20

Section 8.10.

   Force Majeure    20

 

ii


SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                           , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                      , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(f) and Section 5.01(g) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

 

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Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

 

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Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after                      15 of each year commencing with                      15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

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(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

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(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

 

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(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

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(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

 

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Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for

 

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another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (i) subordinate in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “ Securities ” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “ Senior Indebtedness ” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “ Company ” appearing in such Article 16 and (ii) senior to the Guarantor’s common and preferred shares and any guarantees in respect of junior subordinated debt securities and trust preferred securities.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of subordinated unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

 

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Section 8.06 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of

 

18


this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected

 

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by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

Section 8.10 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
        as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
        as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

EXHIBIT 4.48

 

 

 

FORM OF

JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

   Trust Indenture Act: Application    5

Section 2.02.

   List of Holders    5

Section 2.03.

   Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.04.

   Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.05.

   Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    6

Section 2.06.

   Events of Default; Waiver    6

Section 2.07.

   Event of Default; Notice    6

Section 2.08.

   Conflicting Interests    7
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

   Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    7

Section 3.02.

   Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    8

Section 3.03.

   Indemnity    10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

   Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    11

Section 4.02.

   Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

   Guarantee    12

Section 5.02.

   Waiver of Notice and Demand    12

Section 5.03.

   Obligations Not Affected    13

Section 5.04.

   Rights of Holders    13

Section 5.05.

   Guarantee of Payment    14

Section 5.06.

   Subrogation    14

Section 5.07.

   Independent Obligations    14

 

i


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

   Limitation of Transactions    14

Section 6.02.

   Ranking    15

Section 6.03.

   Pari Passu Guarantees    15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

   Termination    16
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

   Successors and Assigns    16

Section 8.02.

   Amendments    16

Section 8.03.

   Notices    17

Section 8.04.

   Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries    18

Section 8.05.

   Benefit    18

Section 8.06.

   Governing Law    18

Section 8.07.

   Interpretation    18

Section 8.08.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    19

Section 8.09.

   Judgment Currency    20

Section 8.10.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    20

Section 8.11.

   Force Majeure    21


JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer may issue junior subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”), which may from time to time be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as property trustee (the “ Property Trustee ”), as trust assets of [PartnerRe Capital Trust II] [PartnerRe Capital Trust III] (the “ Trust ”) pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 dated as of March 27, 2009 (the “ Trust Agreement ”) among PartnerRe Finance II Inc., as depositor (the “ Depositor ”), the Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees therein named.

WHEREAS, as incentive for the holder(s) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the holder(s) thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions . As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.


Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim

 

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enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the principal of and any premium and interest on (i) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (ii) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (b) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (c) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (d) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (a) through (c) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (e) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (d) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (f) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (e) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (g) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (a) through (f) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities ” means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Preferred Security Holder(s), voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation preference of all then outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Trust.

 

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Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Preferred Securities Holder ” shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however , that, in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, “Preferred Securities Holder” shall not include the Guarantor, the Depositor, the Guarantee Trustee or any Affiliate of the Guarantor, the Depositor, or the Guarantee Trustee.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

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ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application. (a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02. List of Holders. (a) From and after the date that the Property Trustee is no longer the sole Holder, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04. Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

 

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Section 2.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06. Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice. (a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08. Conflicting Interests. In the event that the Debentures of a series are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. (a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(d) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

 

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(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

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(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

 

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(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures or a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities (if applicable), (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03. Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of

 

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any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. (a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees. (a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01. Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on, any Additional Amounts (if applicable) and any Additional Sums (if applicable) with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

 

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Section 5.03. Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04. Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (d) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

 

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Section 5.05. Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

Section 5.06. Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the

 

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implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (2) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement or (C) the Issuer shall have given notice of election to begin an Extension Period with respect to the Debentures as provided in the Indenture and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a junior subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (a) subordinate and junior in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “Securities” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “Senior Indebtedness” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “Company” appearing in such Article 16 and (b) senior to the Guarantor’s common shares.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of junior subordinated unsecured debentures issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor, including to any other entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor in connection with the issuance by such other entity of preferred securities or other securities which are similar to preferred securities, which junior subordinated debentures are guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to an instrument that ranks pari passu in right of payment to this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture and (b) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, each holder of the Preferred Securities then outstanding), this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities). The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

 

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Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. In the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Guarantor hereby acknowledges that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor further acknowledges that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to the Debentures, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Guarantor.

Section 8.05 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.06 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.07 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

18


(c) all references to “the Agreement” or “this Guarantee Agreement” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.08 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address

 

19


of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.09 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.10 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

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Section 8.11 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
as Guarantor

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
as Guarantee Trustee

By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

22

Exhibit 4.49

FORM OF

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

  

Definitions

   1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

  

Trust Indenture Act: Application

   3

Section 2.02.

  

List of Holders

   3

Section 2.03.

  

Reports by the Guarantee Trustee

   4

Section 2.04.

  

Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee

   4

Section 2.05.

  

Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

   4

Section 2.06.

  

Events of Default; Waiver

   4

Section 2.07.

  

Event of Default; Notice

   5

Section 2.08.

  

Conflicting Interests

   5
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

  

Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 3.02.

  

Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee

   7

Section 3.03.

  

Indemnity

   9
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

  

Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility

   10

Section 4.02.

  

Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees

   10
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

  

Guarantee

   11

Section 5.02.

  

Waiver of Notice and Demand

   11

Section 5.03.

  

Obligations Not Affected

   11

Section 5.04.

  

Rights of Holders

   12

Section 5.05.

  

Guarantee of Payment

   12

Section 5.06.

  

Subrogation

   12

Section 5.07.

  

Independent Obligations

   13


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

  

Limitation of Transactions

   13

Section 6.02.

  

Ranking

   14

Section 6.03.

  

Pari Passu Guarantees

   14
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

  

Termination

   14
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

  

Successors and Assigns

   14

Section 8.02.

  

Amendments

   15

Section 8.03.

  

Notices

   15

Section 8.04.

  

Benefit

   16

Section 8.05.

  

Governing Law

   16

Section 8.06.

  

Interpretation

   16

Section 8.07.

  

Submission to Jurisdiction

   17

Section 8.08.

  

Judgment Currency

   18

Section 8.09.

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

   18

Section 8.10.

  

Force Majeure

   19

 

ii


SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Senior Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue senior unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to

 

3


the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

4


Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

 

5


(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

6


(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

7


(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

 

8


(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

 

9


ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

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(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided,

 

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however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other

 

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acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a senior unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank equally with all senior unsecured indebtedness of the Guarantor from time to time outstanding.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of senior unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

 

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Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

 

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(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.06 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

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(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the

 

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name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

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Section 8.10 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

Exhibit 4.50

FORM OF

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                          , 20     


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

   Trust Indenture Act: Application    4

Section 2.02.

   List of Holders    5

Section 2.03.

   Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.04.

   Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.05.

   Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    5

Section 2.06.

   Events of Default; Waiver    5

Section 2.07.

   Event of Default; Notice    6

Section 2.08.

   Conflicting Interests    6
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

   Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    6

Section 3.02.

   Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    8

Section 3.03.

   Indemnity    10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

   Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    11

Section 4.02.

   Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

   Guarantee    12

Section 5.02.

   Waiver of Notice and Demand    12

Section 5.03.

   Obligations Not Affected    12

Section 5.04.

   Rights of Holders    13

Section 5.05.

   Guarantee of Payment    13

Section 5.06.

   Subrogation    14

Section 5.07.

   Independent Obligations    14


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

   Limitation of Transactions    14

Section 6.02.

   Ranking    15

Section 6.03.

   Pari Passu Guarantees    15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

   Termination    15
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

   Successors and Assigns    16

Section 8.02.

   Amendments    16

Section 8.03.

   Notices    16

Section 8.04.

   Benefit    17

Section 8.05.

   Governing Law    17

Section 8.06.

   Interpretation    18

Section 8.07.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    18

Section 8.08.

   Judgment Currency    19

Section 8.09.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    20

Section 8.10.

   Force Majeure    20

 

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SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                           , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                           , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(f) and Section 5.01(g) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

 

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Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

 

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Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after                      15 of each year commencing with                      15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04. Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06. Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08. Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

 

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(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein

 

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specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

 

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(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03. Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01. Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03. Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

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(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04. Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05. Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

 

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Section 5.06. Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07. Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01. Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for

 

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another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02. Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (i) subordinate in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “ Securities ” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “ Senior Indebtedness ” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “ Company ” appearing in such Article 16 and (ii) senior to the Guarantor’s common and preferred shares and any guarantees in respect of junior subordinated debt securities and trust preferred securities.

Section 6.03. Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of subordinated unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01. Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01. Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02. Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03. Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04. Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05. Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

 

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Section 8.06. Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of

 

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this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08. Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected

 

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by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

Section 8.10. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

EXHIBIT 4.51

 

 

 

FORM OF

JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

  Definitions    1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

  Trust Indenture Act: Application    5

Section 2.02.

  List of Holders    5

Section 2.03.

  Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.04.

  Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.05.

  Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    6

Section 2.06.

  Events of Default; Waiver    6

Section 2.07.

  Event of Default; Notice    6

Section 2.08.

  Conflicting Interests    6
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

  Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    7

Section 3.02.

  Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    8

Section 3.03.

  Indemnity    10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

  Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    11

Section 4.02.

  Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

  Guarantee    12

Section 5.02.

  Waiver of Notice and Demand    12

Section 5.03.

  Obligations Not Affected    13

Section 5.04.

  Rights of Holders    13

Section 5.05.

  Guarantee of Payment    14

Section 5.06.

  Subrogation    14

Section 5.07.

  Independent Obligations    14

 

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ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

   Limitation of Transactions    14

Section 6.02.

   Ranking    15

Section 6.03.

   Pari Passu Guarantees    15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

   Termination    16
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

   Successors and Assigns    16

Section 8.02.

   Amendments    16

Section 8.03.

   Notices    17

Section 8.04.

   Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries    18

Section 8.05.

   Benefit    18

Section 8.06.

   Governing Law    18

Section 8.07.

   Interpretation    18

Section 8.08.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    19

Section 8.09.

   Judgment Currency    20

Section 8.10.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    20

Section 8.11.

   Force Majeure    21


JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer may issue junior subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”), which may from time to time be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as property trustee (the “ Property Trustee ”), as trust assets of [PartnerRe Capital Trust II] [PartnerRe Capital Trust III] (the “ Trust ”) pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Trust Agreement ”) among [PartnerRe Finance A LLC], as depositor (the “ Depositor ”), the Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees therein named.

WHEREAS, as incentive for the holder(s) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the holder(s) thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.


Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim

 

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enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the principal of and any premium and interest on (i) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (ii) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (b) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (c) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (d) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (a) through (c) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (e) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (d) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (f) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (e) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (g) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (a) through (f) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities ” means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Preferred Security Holder(s), voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation preference of all then outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Trust.

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

 

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(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Preferred Securities Holder ” shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however , that, in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, “Preferred Securities Holder” shall not include the Guarantor, the Depositor, the Guarantee Trustee or any Affiliate of the Guarantor, the Depositor, or the Guarantee Trustee.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

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ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application. (a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02 . List of Holders. (a)   From and after the date that the Property Trustee is no longer the sole Holder, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

 

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Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice. (a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. In the event that the Debentures of a series are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. (a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(d) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

 

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(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

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(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

 

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(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures or a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities (if applicable), (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of

 

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any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. (a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees. (a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on, any Additional Amounts (if applicable) and any Additional Sums (if applicable) with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

 

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Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (d) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

 

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Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the

 

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implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (2) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement or (C) the Issuer shall have given notice of election to begin an Extension Period with respect to the Debentures as provided in the Indenture and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a junior subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (a) subordinate and junior in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “Securities” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “Senior Indebtedness” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “Company” appearing in such Article 16 and (b) senior to the Guarantor’s common shares.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of junior subordinated unsecured debentures issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor, including to any other entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor in connection with the issuance by such other entity of preferred securities or other securities which are similar to preferred securities, which junior subordinated debentures are guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to an instrument that ranks pari passu in right of payment to this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture and (b) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, each holder of the Preferred Securities then outstanding), this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities). The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

 

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Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. In the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Guarantor hereby acknowledges that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor further acknowledges that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to the Debentures, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Guarantor.

Section 8.05 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.06 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.07 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

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(c) all references to “the Agreement” or “this Guarantee Agreement” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.08 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address

 

19


of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.09 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.10 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

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Section 8.11 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

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Exhibit 4.52

FORM OF

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                      , 20__


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS
Section 1.01.    Definitions    1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT
Section 2.01.    Trust Indenture Act: Application    3
Section 2.02.    List of Holders    3
Section 2.03.    Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    4
Section 2.04.    Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    4
Section 2.05.    Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    4
Section 2.06.    Events of Default; Waiver    4
Section 2.07.    Event of Default; Notice    5
Section 2.08.    Conflicting Interests    5
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE
Section 3.01.    Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    5
Section 3.02.    Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    7
Section 3.03.    Indemnity    9
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE
Section 4.01.    Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    10
Section 4.02.    Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    10
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE
Section 5.01.    Guarantee    11
Section 5.02.    Waiver of Notice and Demand    11
Section 5.03.    Obligations Not Affected    11
Section 5.04.    Rights of Holders    12
Section 5.05.    Guarantee of Payment    12
Section 5.06.    Subrogation    13
Section 5.07.    Independent Obligations    13


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING
Section 6.01.    Limitation of Transactions    13
Section 6.02.    Ranking    14
Section 6.03.    Pari Passu Guarantees    14
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION
Section 7.01.    Termination    14
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.01.    Successors and Assigns    14
Section 8.02.    Amendments    15
Section 8.03.    Notices    15
Section 8.04.    Benefit    16
Section 8.05.    Governing Law    16
Section 8.06.    Interpretation    16
Section 8.07.    Submission to Jurisdiction    17
Section 8.08.    Judgment Currency    18
Section 8.09.    Waiver of Jury Trial    18
Section 8.10.    Force Majeure    19

 

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SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                           , 20__, is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance B LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Senior Indenture, dated as of                           , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue senior unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to

 

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the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee . Within 60 days after                      15 of each year commencing with                      15, 20__, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

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(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

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(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

 

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(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

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(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

 

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Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other

 

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acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a senior unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank equally with all senior unsecured indebtedness of the Guarantor from time to time outstanding.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of senior unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

 

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Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

 

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(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.06 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

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(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the

 

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name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

18


Section 8.10 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

19


THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,

    as Guarantor

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

    as Guarantee Trustee

By:

   
 

Name:

 

Title:

Exhibit 4.53

FORM OF

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20__


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     PAGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.     Definitions

   1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.     Trust Indenture Act: Application

   4

Section 2.02.     List of Holders

   5

Section 2.03.     Reports by the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 2.04.     Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 2.05.     Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

   5

Section 2.06.     Events of Default; Waiver

   5

Section 2.07.     Event of Default; Notice

   6

Section 2.08.     Conflicting Interests

   6
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.     Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee

   6

Section 3.02.     Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee

   8

Section 3.03.     Indemnity

   10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.     Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility

   11

Section 4.02.     Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees

   11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.     Guarantee

   12

Section 5.02.     Waiver of Notice and Demand

   12

Section 5.03.     Obligations Not Affected

   12

Section 5.04.     Rights of Holders

   13

Section 5.05.     Guarantee of Payment

   14

Section 5.06.     Subrogation

   14

Section 5.07.     Independent Obligations

   14


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.     Limitation of Transactions

   14

Section 6.02.     Ranking

   15

Section 6.03.     Pari Passu Guarantees

   16
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.     Termination

   15
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.     Successors and Assigns

   16

Section 8.02.     Amendments

   16

Section 8.03.     Notices

   16

Section 8.04.     Benefit

   17

Section 8.05.     Governing Law

   17

Section 8.06.     Interpretation

   18

Section 8.07.     Submission to Jurisdiction

   18

Section 8.08.     Judgment Currency

   19

Section 8.09.     Waiver of Jury Trial

   20

Section 8.10.     Force Majeure

   20

 

ii


SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20__, is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance B LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(f) and Section 5.01(g) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

 

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Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

3


(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

 

4


Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20__, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

5


Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

6


(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

 

7


(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein

 

8


specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

 

9


(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

10


The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

12


(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

 

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Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for

 

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another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (i) subordinate in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “ Securities ” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “ Senior Indebtedness ” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “ Company ” appearing in such Article 16 and (ii) senior to the Guarantor’s common and preferred shares and any guarantees in respect of junior subordinated debt securities and trust preferred securities.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of subordinated unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

 

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Section 8.06 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of

 

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this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected

 

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by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

Section 8.10 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

EXHIBIT 4.54

 

 

 

FORM OF

JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

  

Definitions

   1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

  

Trust Indenture Act: Application

   5

Section 2.02.

  

List of Holders

   5

Section 2.03.

  

Reports by the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 2.04.

  

Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 2.05.

  

Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

   6

Section 2.06.

  

Events of Default; Waiver

   6

Section 2.07.

  

Event of Default; Notice

   6

Section 2.08.

  

Conflicting Interests

   6
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

  

Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee

   7

Section 3.02.

  

Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee

   8

Section 3.03.

  

Indemnity

   10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

  

Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility

   11

Section 4.02.

  

Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees

   11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

  

Guarantee

   12

Section 5.02.

  

Waiver of Notice and Demand

   12

Section 5.03.

  

Obligations Not Affected

   13

Section 5.04.

  

Rights of Holders

   13

Section 5.05.

  

Guarantee of Payment

   14

Section 5.06.

  

Subrogation

   14

Section 5.07.

  

Independent Obligations

   14

 

i


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

  

Limitation of Transactions

   14

Section 6.02.

  

Ranking

   15

Section 6.03.

  

Pari Passu Guarantees

   15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

  

Termination

   16
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

  

Successors and Assigns

   16

Section 8.02.

  

Amendments

   16

Section 8.03.

  

Notices

   17

Section 8.04.

  

Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries

   18

Section 8.05.

  

Benefit

   18

Section 8.06.

  

Governing Law

   18

Section 8.07.

  

Interpretation

   18

Section 8.08.

  

Submission to Jurisdiction

   19

Section 8.09.

  

Judgment Currency

   20

Section 8.10.

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

   20

Section 8.11.

  

Force Majeure

   21


JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance B LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer may issue junior subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”), which may from time to time be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as property trustee (the “ Property Trustee ”), as trust assets of [PartnerRe Capital Trust II] [PartnerRe Capital Trust III] (the “ Trust ”) pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Trust Agreement ”) among [PartnerRe Finance B LLC], as depositor (the “ Depositor ”), the Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees therein named.

WHEREAS, as incentive for the holder(s) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the holder(s) thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.


Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim

 

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enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the principal of and any premium and interest on (i) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (ii) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (b) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (c) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (d) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (a) through (c) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (e) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (d) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (f) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (e) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (g) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (a) through (f) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities ” means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Preferred Security Holder(s), voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation preference of all then outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Trust.

 

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Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Preferred Securities Holder ” shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however , that, in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, “Preferred Securities Holder” shall not include the Guarantor, the Depositor, the Guarantee Trustee or any Affiliate of the Guarantor, the Depositor, or the Guarantee Trustee.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

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ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01 . Trust Indenture Act: Application. (a)   This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02 . List of Holders. (a)   From and after the date that the Property Trustee is no longer the sole Holder, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

 

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Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 2.07 . Event of Default; Notice. (a)   The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. In the event that the Debentures of a series are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01 . Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. (a)   This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(d) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

 

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(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02 . Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee. (a)   Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

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(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

 

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(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures or a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities (if applicable), (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of

 

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any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01 . Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. (a)   There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02 . Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees. (a)   Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on, any Additional Amounts (if applicable) and any Additional Sums (if applicable) with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

 

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Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (d) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

 

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Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the

 

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implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (2) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement or (C) the Issuer shall have given notice of election to begin an Extension Period with respect to the Debentures as provided in the Indenture and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a junior subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (a) subordinate and junior in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “Securities” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “Senior Indebtedness” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “Company” appearing in such Article 16 and (b) senior to the Guarantor’s common shares.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of junior subordinated unsecured debentures issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor, including to any other entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor in connection with the issuance by such other entity of preferred securities or other securities which are similar to preferred securities, which junior subordinated debentures are guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to an instrument that ranks pari passu in right of payment to this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture and (b) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, each holder of the Preferred Securities then outstanding), this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities). The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

 

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Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. In the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Guarantor hereby acknowledges that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor further acknowledges that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to the Debentures, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Guarantor.

Section 8.05 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.06 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.07 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

18


(c) all references to “the Agreement” or “this Guarantee Agreement” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.08 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address

 

19


of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.09 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.10 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

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Section 8.11 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

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Exhibit 4.55

FORM OF

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                          , 20     


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     PAGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.     Definitions

   1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.     Trust Indenture Act: Application

   3

Section 2.02.     List of Holders

   3

Section 2.03.     Reports by the Guarantee Trustee

   4

Section 2.04.     Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee

   4

Section 2.05.     Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

   4

Section 2.06.     Events of Default; Waiver

   4

Section 2.07.     Event of Default; Notice

   5

Section 2.08.     Conflicting Interests

   5
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.     Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 3.02.     Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee

   7

Section 3.03.     Indemnity

   9
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.     Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility

   10

Section 4.02.     Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees

   10
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.     Guarantee

   11

Section 5.02.     Waiver of Notice and Demand

   11

Section 5.03.     Obligations Not Affected

   11

Section 5.04.     Rights of Holders

   12

Section 5.05.     Guarantee of Payment

   12

Section 5.06.     Subrogation

   13

Section 5.07.     Independent Obligations

   13


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.     Limitation of Transactions

   13

Section 6.02.     Ranking

   14

Section 6.03.     Pari Passu Guarantees

   14
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.     Termination

   14
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.     Successors and Assigns

   14

Section 8.02.     Amendments

   15

Section 8.03.     Notices

   15

Section 8.04.     Benefit

   16

Section 8.05.     Governing Law

   16

Section 8.06.     Interpretation

   16

Section 8.07.     Submission to Jurisdiction

   17

Section 8.08.     Judgment Currency

   18

Section 8.09.     Waiver of Jury Trial

   18

Section 8.10.     Force Majeure

   19

 

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SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                           , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance C LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Senior Indenture, dated as of                           , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue senior unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to

 

3


the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after                      15 of each year commencing with                      15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04. Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06. Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08. Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

6


(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

7


(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

 

8


(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03. Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01. Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03. Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

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(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04. Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05. Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

 

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Section 5.06. Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07. Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01. Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other

 

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acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02. Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a senior unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank equally with all senior unsecured indebtedness of the Guarantor from time to time outstanding.

Section 6.03. Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of senior unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01. Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01. Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

 

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Section 8.02. Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03. Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

 

15


(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04. Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05. Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.06. Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

16


(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the

 

17


name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08. Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

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Section 8.10. Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:
  Title:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

Exhibit 4.56

FORM OF

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

  

Definitions

   1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

  

Trust Indenture Act: Application

   4

Section 2.02.

  

List of Holders

   5

Section 2.03.

  

Reports by the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 2.04.

  

Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee

   5

Section 2.05.

  

Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

   5

Section 2.06.

  

Events of Default; Waiver

   5

Section 2.07.

  

Event of Default; Notice

   6

Section 2.08.

  

Conflicting Interests

   6
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

  

Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee

   6

Section 3.02.

  

Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee

   8

Section 3.03.

  

Indemnity

   10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

  

Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility

   11

Section 4.02.

  

Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees

   11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

  

Guarantee

   12

Section 5.02.

  

Waiver of Notice and Demand

   12

Section 5.03.

  

Obligations Not Affected

   12

Section 5.04.

  

Rights of Holders

   13

Section 5.05.

  

Guarantee of Payment

   13

Section 5.06.

  

Subrogation

   14

Section 5.07.

  

Independent Obligations

   14


ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01.

  

Limitation of Transactions

   14

Section 6.02.

  

Ranking

   15

Section 6.03.

  

Pari Passu Guarantees

   15
ARTICLE 7
T ERMINATION

Section 7.01.

  

Termination

   15
ARTICLE 8
M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01.

  

Successors and Assigns

   16

Section 8.02.

  

Amendments

   16

Section 8.03.

  

Notices

   16

Section 8.04.

  

Benefit

   17

Section 8.05.

  

Governing Law

   17

Section 8.06.

  

Interpretation

   18

Section 8.07.

  

Submission to Jurisdiction

   18

Section 8.08.

  

Judgment Currency

   19

Section 8.09.

  

Waiver of Jury Trial

   20

Section 8.10.

  

Force Majeure

   20

 

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SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance C LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.


Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(f) and Section 5.01(g) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

 

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Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

3


(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

 

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Section 2.02. List of Holders.

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee or the Indenture, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(iv) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

 

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(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

 

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(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

 

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(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

 

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(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

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(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

 

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(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (ii) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (iii) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (iv) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

 

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Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for

 

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another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (i) subordinate in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “ Securities ” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “ Senior Indebtedness ” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “ Company ” appearing in such Article 16 and (ii) senior to the Guarantor’s common and preferred shares and any guarantees in respect of junior subordinated debt securities and trust preferred securities.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of subordinated unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.05 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

 

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Section 8.06 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of

 

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this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected

 

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by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

Section 8.10 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

EXHIBIT 4.57

 

 

 

FORM OF

JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

                  , 20     

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01.

   Definitions    1
ARTICLE 2
T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01.

   Trust Indenture Act: Application    5

Section 2.02.

   List of Holders    5

Section 2.03.

   Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.04.

   Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 2.05.

   Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    6

Section 2.06.

   Events of Default; Waiver    6

Section 2.07.

   Event of Default; Notice    6

Section 2.08.

   Conflicting Interests    6
ARTICLE 3
P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01.

   Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    7

Section 3.02.

   Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    8

Section 3.03.

   Indemnity    10
ARTICLE 4
G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01.

   Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    11

Section 4.02.

   Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    11
ARTICLE 5
G UARANTEE

Section 5.01.

   Guarantee    12

Section 5.02.

   Waiver of Notice and Demand    12

Section 5.03.

   Obligations Not Affected    13

Section 5.04.

   Rights of Holders    13

Section 5.05.

   Guarantee of Payment    14

Section 5.06.

   Subrogation    14

Section 5.07.

   Independent Obligations    14

 

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ARTICLE 6
L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING   

Section 6.01.

   Limitation of Transactions    14

Section 6.02.

   Ranking    15

Section 6.03.

   Pari Passu Guarantees    15
ARTICLE 7   
T ERMINATION   

Section 7.01.

   Termination    16
ARTICLE 8   
M ISCELLANEOUS   

Section 8.01.

   Successors and Assigns    16

Section 8.02.

   Amendments    16

Section 8.03.

   Notices    17

Section 8.04.

   Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries    18

Section 8.05.

   Benefit    18

Section 8.06.

   Governing Law    18

Section 8.07.

   Interpretation    18

Section 8.08.

   Submission to Jurisdiction    19

Section 8.09.

   Judgment Currency    20

Section 8.10.

   Waiver of Jury Trial    20

Section 8.11.

   Force Majeure    21


JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of                   , 20      , is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Debentures (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance C LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Indenture ”), among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer may issue junior subordinated unsecured debt securities (the “ Debentures ”), which may from time to time be deposited with The Bank of New York Mellon, as property trustee (the “ Property Trustee ”), as trust assets of [PartnerRe Capital Trust II] [PartnerRe Capital Trust III] (the “ Trust ”) pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1 dated as of                   , 20      (the “ Trust Agreement ”) among [PartnerRe Finance C LLC], as depositor (the “ Depositor ”), the Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees therein named.

WHEREAS, as incentive for the holder(s) to purchase such Debentures, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Debentures by the holder(s) thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.


Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required by the terms of the Debentures, under circumstances specified in the terms of such Debentures, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however, that an Affiliate of the Guarantor shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Debentures ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York Mellon, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Guarantor Senior Indebtedness ” means all Indebtedness of the Guarantor outstanding at any time, except (a) Indebtedness as to which, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same, it is provided that such Indebtedness is subordinated to or pari passu with the Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or any other Indebtedness ranking pari passu therewith, (b) interest accruing after the filing of a petition initiating any proceeding relating to the Guarantor referred to in Section 5.01(c) and Section 5.01(d) of the Indenture unless such interest is an allowed claim

 

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enforceable against the Guarantor in a proceeding under federal or state bankruptcy laws, (c) trade accounts payable, (d) the Guarantor’s obligations (x) under this Guarantee in respect of the Debentures or (y) pursuant to its guarantee of any junior subordinated debt securities issued to a PartnerRe Trust.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the principal of and any premium and interest on (i) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (ii) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (b) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (c) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (d) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (a) through (c) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (e) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (d) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and (f) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (a) through (e) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (g) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (a) through (f) above.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities ” means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Preferred Security Holder(s), voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation preference of all then outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Trust.

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

 

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(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Preferred Securities Holder ” shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however , that, in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, “Preferred Securities Holder” shall not include the Guarantor, the Depositor, the Guarantee Trustee or any Affiliate of the Guarantor, the Depositor, or the Guarantee Trustee.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

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ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application. (a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02. List of Holders. (a) From and after the date that the Property Trustee is no longer the sole Holder, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after              15 of each year commencing with              15, 20      , the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such documents, reports and information to the Guarantee Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Guarantee Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Guarantee Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

 

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Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 2.07 . Event of Default; Notice. (a)   The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice and such notice references this Guarantee, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. In the event that the Debentures of a series are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. (a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(d) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

 

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(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent or engaged in willful misconduct;

(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential loss or damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; and

(v) the Guarantee Trustee may request that the Guarantor deliver a certificate and/or Board Resolutions, as the Guarantor deems appropriate, setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Guarantee.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

 

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(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

 

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(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures or a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities (if applicable), (B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of

 

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any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel, except to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Guarantee Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01 . Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. (a)   There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02 . Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees. (a)   Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

 

11


(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 90 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01 . Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on, any Additional Amounts (if applicable) and any Additional Sums (if applicable) with respect to any Debenture held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Debenture and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Debentures guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Debentures guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02 . Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

 

12


Section 5.03 . Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Debentures to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Debentures, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Debentures; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04 . Rights of Holders. The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (d) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

 

13


Section 5.05 . Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Debentures.

Section 5.06 . Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07 . Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Debentures, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Debentures pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01 . Limitation of Transactions. The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Debentures remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Debentures or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the

 

14


implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (vi) any inter-company payments, other than dividend payments by the Company or its direct parent, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation; and (vii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (A) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (1) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (2) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, (B) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement or (C) the Issuer shall have given notice of election to begin an Extension Period with respect to the Debentures as provided in the Indenture and shall not have rescinded such notice, or such Extension Period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing.

Section 6.02 . Ranking. This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a junior subordinated unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank (a) subordinate and junior in right of payment to Guarantor Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the terms of Article 16 of the Indenture shall apply to the obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement as if (w) such Article 16 were set forth herein in full, (x) such guarantee obligations provided were substituted for the term “Securities” appearing in such Article 16 (y) Guarantor Senior Indebtedness were substituted for the term “Senior Indebtedness” appearing in such Article 16 and (z) the Guarantor were substituted for the term “Company” appearing in such Article 16 and (b) senior to the Guarantor’s common shares.

Section 6.03 . Pari Passu Guarantees. This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of junior subordinated unsecured debentures issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor, including to any other entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor in connection with the issuance by such other entity of preferred securities or other securities which are similar to preferred securities, which junior subordinated debentures are guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to an instrument that ranks pari passu in right of payment to this Guarantee Agreement.

 

15


ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01 . Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Debentures and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture and (b) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Debentures or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01 . Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Debentures then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02 . Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Section 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder of the Debentures then outstanding (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, each holder of the Preferred Securities then outstanding), this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures (or in the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the holders of a Majority in liquidation preference of the Preferred Securities). The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

 

16


Section 8.03 . Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

17


with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04 . Holders of Preferred Securities as Third Party Beneficiaries. In the event that any series of the Debentures are issued to a PartnerRe Trust, the Guarantor hereby acknowledges that, to the extent specifically set forth herein, the holders of the Preferred Securities of a PartnerRe Trust shall expressly be third party beneficiaries of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor further acknowledges that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and is attributable to the failure of the Guarantor to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to the Debentures, any holder of the Preferred Securities of such PartnerRe Trust may institute a Direct Action against the Guarantor.

Section 8.05 . Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Debentures.

Section 8.06 . Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.07 . Interpretation. In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

 

18


(c) all references to “the Agreement” or “this Guarantee Agreement” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.08 . Submission to Jurisdiction. The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address

 

19


of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Debentures or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.09 . Judgment Currency. The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.10 . Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

 

20


Section 8.11 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

21


THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,
  as Guarantor
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Guarantee Trustee
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

22

Exhibit 4.60

INDENTURE

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, Issuer

And

PARTNERRE LTD., Guarantor

To

THE BANK OF NEW YORK, Trustee

INDENTURE

 

 

Dated as of May 27, 2008

Debt Securities


Exhibit 4.60

Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”)

and Indenture

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture
Section

(S)(S)310(a)(1)

   6.07

(a)(2)

   6.07

(b)

   6.08

(S)(S)312(a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.02

(c)

   7.02

(S)(S)313(a)

   7.03

(b)(2)

   7.03

(c)

   7.03

(d)

   7.03

(S)(S)314(a)

   7.04

(c)(1)

   1.02

(c)(2)

   1.02

(e)

   1.02

(f)

   1.02

(S)(S)316(a) (last sentence)

   1.01

(a)(1)(A)

            5.02, 5.12

(a)(1)(B)

   5.13

(b)

   5.08

(S)(S)317(a)(1)

   5.03

(a)(2)

   5.04

(b)

   10.03  

(S)(S)318(a)

   1.08

 

Note:     This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


Exhibit 4.60

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

     P AGE
ARTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions

   2

Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions

   13

Section 1.03. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

   14

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders

   14

Section 1.05. Notices, etc .

   17

Section 1.06. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver

   17

Section 1.07. Language of Notices

   18

Section 1.08. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

   18

Section 1.09. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

   18

Section 1.10. Successors and Assigns

   18

Section 1.11. Separability Clause

   19

Section 1.12. Benefits of Indenture

   19

Section 1.13. Governing Law

   19

Section 1.14. Non-Business Days

   19

Section 1.15. Counterparts

   19

Section 1.16. Judgment Currency

   19

Section 1.17. No Security Interest Created

   20

Section 1.18. Limitation on Individual Liability

   20

Section 1.19. Submission to Jurisdiction

   21

Section 1.20 . Waiver Of Jury Trial

   22

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure

   22
ARTICLE 2
S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01. Forms Generally

   22

Section 2.02. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

   23

Section 2.03. Securities in Global Form

   23
ARTICLE 3
T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

   24

Section 3.02. Currency; Denominations

   28

Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

   28

Section 3.04. Temporary Securities

   30

Section 3.05. Registration, Transfer and Exchange

   31

Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

   35


Section 3.07. Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved

   36

Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners

   38

Section 3.09. Cancellation

   39

Section 3.10. Computation of Interest

   39

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers

   39
ARTICLE 4
S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge

   40

Section 4.02. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

   41

Section 4.03. Application of Trust Money

   47

Section 4.04. Reinstatement

   47
ARTICLE 5
R EMEDIES

Section 5.01. Events of Default

   47

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

   50

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

   51

Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

   52

Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons

   53

Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected

   53

Section 5.07. Limitations on Suits

   54

Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   54

Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies

   55

Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative

   55

Section 5.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver

   55

Section 5.12. Control by Holders of Securities

   55

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults

   56

Section 5.14. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

   56

Section 5.15. Undertaking for Costs

   56
ARTICLE 6
T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01. Certain Rights of Trustee

   57

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults

   59

Section 6.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

   60

Section 6.04.  May Hold Securities

   60

Section 6.05. Money Held in Trust

   60

 

ii


Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification

   60

Section 6.07. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

   61

Section 6.08. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

   61

Section 6.09. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

   63

Section 6.10. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

   65

Section 6.11. Appointment of Authenticating Agent

   65
ARTICLE 7
H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

   67

Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

   68

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee

   68

Section 7.04. Reports by Company

   68
ARTICLE 8
C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   69

Section 8.02. Successor Person Substituted for Company

   70

Section 8.03. Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   70

Section 8.04. Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor

   71
ARTICLE 9
S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

   72

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

   73

Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures

   74

Section 9.04. Effect of Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.05. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

   75

Section 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

   75

Section 9.07. Notice of Supplemental Indenture

   75
ARTICLE 10
C OVENANTS

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts

   75

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency

   76

Section 10.03. Money for Securities Payments To Be Held in Trust

   77

Section 10.04. Additional Amounts

   79

Section 10.05. Organizational Existence

   81

Section 10.06. Waiver of Certain Covenants

   81

 

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Section 10.07. Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults

   82

Section 10.08. Calculation of Original Issue Discount

   82
ARTICLE 11   
R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES   

Section 11.01. Applicability of Article

   83

Section 11.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

   83

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities To Be Redeemed

   83

Section 11.04. Notice of Redemption

   84

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price

   85

Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date

   86

Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part

   87
ARTICLE 12   
S INKING FUNDS   

Section 12.01. Applicability of Article

   87

Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

   88

Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

   88
ARTICLE 13   
R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS   

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article

   89
ARTICLE 14   
S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES   

Section 14.01. Applicability of Article

   89
ARTICLE 15   
M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES   

Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

   90

Section 15.02. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

   90

Section 15.03. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

   90

Section 15.04. Quorum; Action

   91

Section 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

   91

Section 15.06. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

   92

 

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ARTICLE 16   
G UARANTEE   

Section 16.01. The Guarantee

   93

Section 16.02. Ranking

   93

 

v


Exhibit 4.60

INDENTURE, dated as of May 27, 2008 (the “ Indenture ”), among PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC, a limited liability company duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called the “ Company ”), having its principal executive office located at One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830-6352, PARTNERRE LTD., a company duly organized and existing under the laws of Bermuda (hereinafter called the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive office located at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York, a New York banking corporation (hereinafter called the “ Trustee ”), having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286.

RECITALS

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured and unsubordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “ Securities ”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

For value received, the Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Guarantee and the indemnity provided for herein. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.


NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS AND O THER P ROVISIONS OF G ENERAL A PPLICATION

Section 1.01 . Definitions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the terms “ generally accepted accounting principles ” or “ GAAP ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date or time of such computation;

(d) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ,” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(e) the word “ or ” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “ A or B ” means “ A or B or both ,” not “ either A or B but not both ”).

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holders, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company or the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “ control ,” when used with respect to any specified Person, means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have the meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

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Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.11 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Company, the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company.

Bearer Security ” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is payable to bearer.

Board of Directors ” means (i) the board of directors of the Company or, if none, of the sole member of the Company or any committee of that board or (ii) any authorized officers of the Company, in each case that are duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company (or its sole member) or the Guarantor, as applicable, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, as the case may be, and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ,” with respect to any Place of Payment or other location, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in such Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

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Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means an obligation under a lease that is required to be capitalized for financial reporting purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with such principles.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

Common Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which has no preference as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, and which is not subject to redemption by such Corporation.

Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person, and any other obligor upon the Securities.

Company Request ” and “ Company Order ” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer, and delivered to the Trustee.

Conversion Event ” means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of original execution of this Indenture is located at The Bank of New York, 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration or at any other time at

 

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such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the parties hereto or at the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee as to which such successor trustee may notify the parties hereto in writing.

Corporation ” includes corporations, limited liability companies, incorporated associations, companies and business trusts.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

Currency ,” with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

CUSIP number ” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, CUSIP Service Bureau.

Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” means the Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

Foreign Currency ” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such governments.

Government Obligations ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments or confederation or association of governments which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or confederation or association of governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally

 

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guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments or confederation or association of governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Guarantee ” means the unconditional guarantee of the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities by the Guarantor, as set forth in the Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Guarantor ” means the Person named as the “Guarantor” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Guarantor” shall mean such successor Person.

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Guarantor hereunder.

Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Guarantor Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Guarantor by the Chairman of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

Holder ,” in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

 

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Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) the principal of and any premium and interest on (a) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (b) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable; (ii) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person; (iii) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business); (iv) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in (i) through (iii) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit); (v) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, the amount thereof being deemed to be the lesser of the stated recourse, if limited, and the amount of the obligation or dividends of the other Person, (vi) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of other Persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the value of such property or assets or the amount of the obligation so secured; and (vii) any amendments, modifications, refundings, renewals or extensions of any indebtedness or obligation described as Indebtedness in clauses (i) through (vi) above.

Indenture ” means this instrument as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 3.01 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof).

Independent Public Accountants ” means accountants or a firm of accountants that, with respect to the Company, the Guarantor and any other obligor under the Securities or the Coupons, are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, who may be the independent public accountants regularly retained by the Company or the Guarantor or who may be other independent public accountants. Such accountants or firm shall be entitled to rely upon any Opinion of Counsel as to the interpretation of any legal matters relating to this Indenture or certificates required to be provided hereunder.

 

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Indexed Security ” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity or upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02 may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

interest ,” on the Security of any series (i) with respect to any Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity and (ii) when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 10.04, includes such Additional Amounts.

Interest Payment Date ,” with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Judgment Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Local Business Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02(e).

Maturity ,” with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption or repurchase, notice of option to elect repayment or otherwise, and includes any Redemption Date and the date of any required repurchase or repayment.

New York Banking Day ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Office ” or “ Agency ,” with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated as a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 10.02 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 10.02 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel, that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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Original Issue Discount Security ” means a Security issued pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization which provides for declaration of an amount less than the principal face amount thereof to be due and payable upon acceleration pursuant to Section 5.02.

Outstanding ,” when used with respect to any Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 4.02) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own, or authorize the Guarantor to act as, Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(c) any such Security with respect to which the Company or the Guarantor has effected defeasance pursuant to the terms hereof, except to the extent provided in Section 4.02;

(d) any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

(e) any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Stock of the Company or other securities of the Guarantor of another issuer, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 3.01;

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the principal amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided

 

9


in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (ii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the then current principal amount) of such Security, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and (iii) Securities owned by the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate of the Company, the Guarantor or such other obligor.

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

Person ” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment ,” with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Predecessor Security ” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or any Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed, mutilated or stolen Security or the Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

Preferred Stock ” in respect of any Corporation means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Corporation, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Corporation.

 

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principal ” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Securities of any series, (i) in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or an Indexed Security, the amount due and payable with respect to principal upon an acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 at such time and (ii) in all other cases, par or the stated face amount of the related Security.

Redemption Date ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Redemption Price ,” with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, exclusive of accrued interest and any Additional Amounts with respect to accrued interest.

Registered Security ” means any Security established pursuant to Section 2.01 which is registered in a Security Register.

Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the “Regular Record Date”.

Required Currency ” has the meaning specified in Section 1.17.

Responsible Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Security ” or “ Securities ” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of Indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities,” with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

 

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Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

Series Authorization ” means, with respect to any series or class of Securities, (i) a Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or (ii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, establishing such series or class of Securities and setting forth the terms thereof, including, in either case, a form of note or notes representing such Securities.

Special Record Date ” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Registered Security means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 3.07.

Stated Maturity ,” with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

Subsidiary ” means, in respect of any Person, any Corporation, limited or general partnership or other business entity of which at the time of determination more than 50% of the voting power of the shares of its Capital Stock or other interests (including partnership interests) entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (i) such Person, (ii) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (iii) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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United States ,” except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories and possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

U.S. Depository ” or “ Depository ” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as U.S. Depository or Depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, which Person must be, to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, if so provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “U.S. Depository” or “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the qualifying entity which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

Vice President ,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “Vice President.”

Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that the individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or the Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, provided that such officer, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based is erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or the Guarantor stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, provided that such counsel, after reasonable inquiry, has no reason to believe and does not believe that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture or any Security, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04. Acts of Holders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of

 

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Article 15, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and any agent of the Trustee, the Company or the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.

(b) Without limiting the generality of this Section 1.04, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, a Holder, including a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a U.S. Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such U.S. Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

(c) The Company shall fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons who are beneficial owners of interest in any permanent global Security held by a U.S. Depository entitled under the procedures of such U.S. Depository to make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization to be made, given or taken by Holders. If such a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date or their duly appointed proxy or proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to make, give or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. No such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act shall be valid or effective if made, given or taken more than 90 days after such record date.

(d) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing referred to in this Section 1.04 may be proved in any reasonable manner; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof, including written proof, with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

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(e) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

(f) The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (ii) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (iii) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.

(h) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act by the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder

 

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of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such Act is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05. Notices, etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

(b) the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Treasurer, with a copy to the attention of its General Counsel, at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver. Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

(a) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

(b) such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee in writing that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of

 

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such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed in writing with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07. Language of Notices. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.08. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.09. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.10. Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

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Section 1.11. Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.12. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.13. Governing Law. This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said state.

Section 1.14. Non-Business Days. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security, or the last date on which a Holder has the right to convert or exchange Securities of a series that are convertible or exchangeable, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon other than a provision in any Security or Coupon that specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu hereof) payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, and such Securities need not be converted or exchanged on such date but such payment may be made, and such Securities may be converted or exchanged, on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on such last day for conversion or exchange, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or last day for conversion or exchange, as the case may be, to such next succeeding Business Day.

Section 1.15. Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.16. Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts on the Securities of any series (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking

 

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procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 1.17. No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect in any jurisdiction where property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is or may be located.

Section 1.18. Limitation on Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, either directly or through the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the incorporators, shareholders, officers or directors, as such, of the Company, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of such Security.

 

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Section 1.19. Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Indenture, the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Company also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Indenture. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons for the term of this Indenture, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 1.05 and to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Company to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Company shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor by the Company located in New York or Connecticut and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Company further agrees for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and the Coupons to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of PartnerRe U.S. Corporation as its agent in full force and effect so long as any of the Securities or Coupons or the obligations of the Company hereunder shall be outstanding. The Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Company to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

 

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Section 1.20 . Waiver Of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE.

Section 1.21 . Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES F ORMS

Section 2.01. Forms Generally. Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by their execution of such Security or Coupon.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons and shall not be issuable upon the exercise of warrants.

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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Section 2.02. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein

referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

  THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee
  By:  

 

    Authorized Officer
  Dated:  

 

Section 2.03. Securities in Global Form . Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, the Securities of a series shall not be issuable in temporary or permanent global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver, in each case at the Company’s expense, any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon written instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing and, with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2.03, need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.08 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

 

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ARTICLE 3

T HE S ECURITIES

Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in the related Series Authorization, the following:

(a) the title of such Securities and the series in which such Securities shall be included;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such title or the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 3.05, Section 3.06, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07, upon repayment in part of any Registered Security of such series pursuant to Article 13, upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion into Common Stock of the Company or exchange for other securities pursuant to its terms, or pursuant to or as contemplated by the terms of such Securities);

(c) if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

(d) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 3.05, and (iii) the name of the Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, with respect to any such global Security;

 

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(e) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities or in global form, the date as of which any such Bearer Security or global Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

(f) if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

(g) the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal of such Securities is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable on a cash basis and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, whether and under what circumstances Additional Amounts on such Securities or any of them shall be payable, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(i) if in addition to or other than the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the place or places where the principal of, any premium and interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payment or Additional Amounts on a global Security on an Interest Payment Date, will be paid and the manner in which any principal of or premium, if any, on any global Security will be paid;

(j) whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

 

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(k) whether the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

(l) the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(m) whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company and/or exchangeable for other securities, whether or not issued by the Company, and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

(n) if other than the principal face amount thereof, the portion of the par or stated face amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion is to be determined or, in the case of Indexed Securities, the portion of the principal face amount that shall be payable upon Stated Maturity or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

(o) if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

(p) if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

 

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(q) whether the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity securities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

(r) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to any of such Securities, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(s) whether either or both of Section 4.02(b) relating to defeasance or Section 4.02(c) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, or any covenants in addition to those specified in Section 4.02(c) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article 4 in respect of the Securities of such series;

(t) the form or forms of the Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, if different from the Debt Securities Agreement contemplated hereby and defined herein;

(u) whether any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(v) if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(w) if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities; and

(x) any other terms of such Securities and any other deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

 

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If any terms or provisions set forth in the related Series Authorization pursuant to this Section 3.01 conflict or are otherwise inconsistent with other terms or provisions set forth in this Indenture (regardless of whether this Indenture otherwise provides that such other terms or provisions are subject to the provisions of the related Series Authorization), the terms and provisions of the related Series Authorization shall control.

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest thereon, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of persons designated in the Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture and that such persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Officers’ Certificate or any applicable supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise so provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Board Resolution shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

Section 3.02. Currency; Denominations. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer. Coupons,

 

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if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons or did not hold such offices at the date of original issuance of such Securities or Coupons.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 3.01 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in, and may conclusively rely upon,

(a) an Opinion or Opinions of Counsel that comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act; and

(b) an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution, authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, have been complied with and that, to the best knowledge of the Persons executing such certificate, no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time would become, an Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Authorized Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Authorized Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with.

 

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The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, nor will it be liable for its refusal to authenticate or cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities, if the issue of such Securities will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or may expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or others.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization.

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 2.02 or Section 6.11 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 3.06 or Section 3.07, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

Section 3.04. Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 3.03, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any

 

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temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee upon Company Order shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided , however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to a temporary global Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05. Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “ Security Register ”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “ Security Registrar ” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Trustee shall be the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment by the Company. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

 

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At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

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If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any global Security shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities only if (i) the Depository is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so informed in writing, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Security shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities. If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding sentence, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the U.S. Depository or such other Depository as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto, and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the U.S. Depository or such other Depository, as the case may be (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive

 

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Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided , however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided , further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository or the U.S. Depository, as the case may be, or such other Depository or U.S. Depository referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt and entitling the Holders thereof to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Registered Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange or redemption shall (if so required by the Company or the Security Registrar for such Security) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar for such Security duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, or redemption of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge and any other expenses (including fees and expenses of the Trustee) that may be

 

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imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, Section 9.05 or Section 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of like tenor and the same series under Section 11.04 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be immediately surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 3.06, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.06, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided , however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and expenses of the Trustee’s counsel) connected therewith.

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 3.06, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

Section 3.07. Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

 

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Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed by the Company in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security, the Special Record Date therefor and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust in a segregated trust account pursuant to express written instructions of the Company for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. The Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after notification to the Trustee of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company, cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. If such Defaulted Interest relates to Securities of a series that are issued as Bearer Securities, the Trustee shall, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be

 

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required by such exchange, if, after written notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any particular series pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

In the case of any Registered Security of any series that is convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company or exchangeable for other securities, which Registered Security is converted or exchanged after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Registered Security with respect to which the Stated Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion or exchange, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Registered Security (or one or more predecessor Registered Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Registered Security which is converted or exchanged, interest with respect to which the Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion or exchange of such Registered Security shall not be payable.

Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the

 

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absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No Holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09. Cancellation. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner and the Trustee shall deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that the cancelled Securities and Coupons be returned to it.

Section 3.10. Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP,” “CINS” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and the Trustee shall use CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers, as the case may be, in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP, CINS or ISIN numbers.

 

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ARTICLE 4

S ATISFACTION AND D ISCHARGE OF I NDENTURE

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge. Upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (A) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 3.05, (B) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, (C) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 11.07, and (D) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of (A) or (B) below, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable,

(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company or pursuant to the operation of a sinking fund, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

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and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

In the event there are Securities of two or more series hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.06 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 4.03, 10.02 and 10.03, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Securities as contemplated by Section 10.04 (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(ii)), and with respect to any rights to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or other securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. (a) Unless pursuant to Section 3.01, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or

 

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within a series under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 4.02 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 4.02(b) or Section 4.02(c) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 4.02.

(b) Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 4.02(b) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, respectively, on the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company or the Guarantor shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of clause (e) of this Section 4.02 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and under the Guarantee in respect thereof, and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company and the Guarantor, shall execute proper instruments provided to it acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 and as more fully set forth in such clause, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, and any rights of such Holder to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (ii) the obligations of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by Section 10.04 (but only to the extent that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) below), and with respect to any rights to convert such Securities into Common Stock of the

 

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Company or exchange such Securities for securities of the Guarantor or another issuer, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, the compensation, reimbursement and indemnities provided in Section 6.06 herein and (iv) this Section 4.02. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 4.02(b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

(c) Upon the Company’s exercise of the option to have this Section 4.02(c) apply with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall be released from their obligations under any covenant applicable to such Securities specified pursuant to Section 3.01(s), including any obligation to redeem or repurchase such securities at the option of the Holder thereof, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Guarantee in respect thereof, on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or obligation or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant or obligation to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01 but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

(d) The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto and the Guarantee in respect thereof:

(i) The Company or the Guarantor shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 4.02 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons

 

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appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity, or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (based upon applicable law as in effect on the date of such deposit), such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto at the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date of such principal or installment of principal or premium or interest and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the days on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and, if applicable, shall have made irrevocable arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any Securities to be redeemed at the option of the Company in connection with such deposit.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (after giving effect thereto) and, with respect to defeasance only, no event described in Section 5.01(f) or 5.01(g) at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(iv) In the case of an election under clause (b) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or

 

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the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company or the Guarantor has received from the Internal Revenue Service a letter ruling, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service a Revenue Ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(v) In the case of an election under clause (c) of this Section 4.02 with respect to Registered Securities and any Bearer Securities for which the Place of Payment is within the United States, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(vi) With respect to defeasance only, the Company or the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, after the 91st day after the date of deposit, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) pursuant to this clause (d) to be held in trust will not be subject to recapture or avoidance as a preference in any case or proceeding (whether voluntary or involuntary) in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or any decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor issued in connection therewith (for which purpose such Opinion of Counsel may assume that no Holder is an “insider”).

(vii) With respect to defeasance only, the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company.

 

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(viii) The Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance under clause (b) or (c) of this Section 4.02 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

(ix) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 4.02(d), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company or the Guarantor in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Series Authorization, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, (i) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 3.01 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made in respect of such Security, or (ii) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 4.02(d)(i) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (i) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Local Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event. “ Local Business Day ” means a day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign exchange) in the principal financial center of the Currency of such payment.

The Company and the Guarantor (without duplication) shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section Section 4.02(e) and Section 4.03, the “ Trustee ”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 4.02 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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Anything in this Section 4.02 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, or the Guarantor upon Guarantor Request, as the case may be, any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (d) of this Section 4.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.02.

Section 4.03. Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 4.04. Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or Government Obligations in accordance with Section 4.03; provided , that, if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of any series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES

Section 5.01. Events of Default. Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be

 

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voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such interest becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of such series, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, when such principal or premium becomes or such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at their Maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture or the Securities (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance or the breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d) if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantor for borrowed money (other than Indebtedness which is non-recourse to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) shall happen and shall consist of default in the payment of more than $100,000,000 in principal amount of such Indebtedness when due (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) or shall result in such Indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default shall not be cured or waived or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, (i) to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, by the Trustee or (ii) to the Company and the Trustee, or the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the case may be, by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such event of default and requiring the Company or the

 

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Guarantor, as the case may be, to cause such default to be cured or waived or to cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled or to cause such Indebtedness to be discharged and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company or the Guarantor shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith; or

(f) the entry by a court having competent jurisdiction of:

(i) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(ii) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor to be insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency), arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(iii) a final and non-appealable order appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Company or the Guarantor; or

(g) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization (other than a reorganization under a foreign law that does not relate to insolvency) or other similar law or of a voluntary proceeding seeking to be adjudicated insolvent or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by the Company or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of the Company or the Guarantor or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by the Company or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee or similar official of the Company or the

 

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Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or the making by the Company or the Guarantor of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(h) any other or substitute Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, then the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal shall become immediately due and payable.

If an Event of Default specified in clause (f) or (g) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(a) the Company or the Guarantor have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay

(i) all overdue installments of any interest on and Additional Amounts with respect to all Securities of such series and any Coupon appertaining thereto,

(ii) the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,

 

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(iii) to the extent that payment of such interest or Additional Amounts is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of any interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and

(iv) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06; and

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series which shall have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at their Maturity, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 6.06.

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may

 

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prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary or advisable to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or such Securities or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein or therein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company and/or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities of any series or the property of the Company and/or the Guarantor or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company and/or the Guarantor for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, to the extent permitted by applicable law by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of any applicable series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons to make such payments to the Trustee and, in

 

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the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.06.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of the Securities or Coupons in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of the Securities or Coupons, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, respectively;

Third: The balance, if any, to the Company, its successors or assigns or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

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Section 5.07. Limitations on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee such indemnity as is reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or payment of such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of such Holder if provided with respect to such Security, on the date such repayment is due) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

Section 5.12. Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of such series,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

 

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(c) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(a) in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article 9 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company expressly waives (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Section 5.15. Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.15 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any

 

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series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment or repurchase, on or after the date for repayment or repurchase) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Stock or other securities in accordance with its terms.

ARTICLE 6

T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01. Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity as is reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

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(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may but shall not be obligated to make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(i) the Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, and Security Registrar shall have the same protections as the Trustee set forth hereunder;

(j) the Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential damages) with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with an Act of the Holders hereunder, and, to the extent not so provided herein, with respect to any act requiring the Trustee to exercise its own discretion, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture or any Securities, unless it shall be proved that, in connection with any such action taken, suffered or omitted or any such act, the Trustee was negligent, acted in bad faith or engaged in willful misconduct;

(k) the Trustee is not responsible to see that the Company or any other Person is maintaining any insurance required by the Indenture;

(l) the Trustee shall not be responsible for the recording, rerecording, filing of UCC Statements or UCC Continuation Statements;

 

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(m) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee which conform to the requirements of the Indenture;

(n) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee;

(o) Except as expressly required by the terms of this Indenture, none of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability, financial or otherwise, in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or indemnity satisfactory to it against such risk or liability is not assured to it;

(p) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs; and

(q) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default (except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of or interest on any Security) with respect to the Securities of any series unless either (i) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company or any Holder of the Securities of any series.

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 7.03(c), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund or purchase fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the best interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d)

 

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with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04. May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

Section 6.05. Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to in writing with the Company.

Section 6.06. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification. The Company agrees:

(a) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder as agreed in writing between the Company and the Trustee (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture or arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence, or willful misconduct; and

 

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(c) to indemnify the Trustee and its agents, officers, directors and employees for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, liability or expense shall be determined to have been caused by the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, and premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

To the extent permitted by law, any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee (including the fees and expenses of its counsel) after a default specified in or pursuant to Section 5.01 is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 6.06 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or bad faith of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 6.06.

The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee and shall apply with equal force and effect to the Trustee in its capacity as Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or Security Registrar.

Section 6.07. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, that is eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000, and that is subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.08. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.09.

 

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(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.09 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 90 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with

 

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respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of such series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.09, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.09, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

(g) In no event shall any retiring Trustee be liable for the acts or omissions of any successor Trustee hereunder.

Section 6.09. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. (a) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and

 

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deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 10.03, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

(b) Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (i) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (ii) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on written request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and subject to Section 10.3 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.

 

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(c) Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.10. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any Corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.11. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or partial repayment or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

Each Authenticating Agent must be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an

 

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Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any Corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent hereunder, provided such Corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Section 3.08, Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

 

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If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

  THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee
  By:  

 

    as Authenticating Agent
  By:  

 

    as Authorized Officer

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate by the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

ARTICLE 7

H OLDERS L ISTS AND R EPORTS BY T RUSTEE AND C OMPANY

Section 7.01. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

(a) semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than May 1 and November 1 of the year or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished,

provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

 

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Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee. (a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with May 15, 2009, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Section 313(a) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

(b) The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 7.04. Reports by Company. The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

 

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(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

ARTICLE 8

C ONSOLIDATION , A MALGAMATIONS , M ERGER AND S ALES

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company), and the Company shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Company or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company; unless:

(a) in case the Company shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and delivered to the

 

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Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Company, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) either the Company or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.02. Successor Person Substituted for Company. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Company with or merger of the Company into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

Section 8.03. Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Guarantor shall not consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor), and the Guarantor shall not permit any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Guarantor) to consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into the Guarantor or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor; unless:

 

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(a) in case the Guarantor shall consolidate or amalgamate with or merge into another Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety shall be a Corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, Bermuda, or any other country which is on the date of this Indenture a member of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture (or indentures, if at such time there is more than one Trustee) supplemental hereto, executed by the successor Person and the Company and delivered to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest (including any Additional Interest) on and any Additional Amounts with respect to all the Securities and the performance of every obligation in this Indenture and the Outstanding Securities on the part of the Guarantor to be performed or observed and shall provide for conversion or exchange rights in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock or other securities;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Guarantor or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Guarantor or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Guarantor, shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) either the Guarantor or the successor Person shall have delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 8.04. Successor Person Substituted for Guarantor. Upon any consolidation or amalgamation by the Guarantor with or merger of the Guarantor into any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 8.03, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or amalgamation or into which the Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Guarantor herein; and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

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ARTICLE 9

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution by the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and/or the Guarantor, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company and/or the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company and/or the Guarantor; or

(c) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(d) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.09; or

(f) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or

 

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to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

(g) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of Securities, as herein set forth; or

(h) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

(i) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article 4, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of an Outstanding Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Outstanding Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

(j) to make provisions with respect to conversion or exchange rights of Holders of Securities of any series; or

(k) to amend or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, provided that no such amendment or supplement shall materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Securities then Outstanding.

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Company’s Board Resolution), the Guarantor (when authorized pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof (or modify the calculation of such principal amount) or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon or

 

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any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof or otherwise, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 10.04 (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(a) and permitted by Section 9.01(a)) or change the redemption provisions or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article 13, or change the Place of Payment, Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment), or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(d) make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any Security into or for Common Stock of the Company or other securities (whether or not issued by the Company), cash or property in accordance with its terms.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which shall have been included expressly and solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, in accordance with Section 1.02, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be

 

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fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been fulfilled. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of a Security theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 9.05. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.07. Notice of Supplemental Indenture. Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Guarantor, if applicable, and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 9.02, the Company shall transmit to the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series affected thereby a notice setting forth the substance of such supplemental indenture.

ARTICLE 10

C OVENANTS

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable

 

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with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on The Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland or the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by wire transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the

 

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Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other Office or Agency. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, the Company hereby designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as the Office or Agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for such purpose. The Company may subsequently appoint a different Office or Agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York for the Securities of any series.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one exchange rate agent.

Section 10.03. Money for Securities Payments To Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series) sufficient to pay the principal or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

 

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Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the currency or currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium, interest or Additional Amounts so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.

Except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal

 

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or any such premium or interest or any such Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, at the expense of the Company may cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be later than two years after such principal or any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 10.04. Additional Amounts. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization of the applicable series, all payments of principal of and premium, if any, interest and any other amounts on, or in respect of, the Securities of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall be made without withholding or deduction at source for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, fees, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of any jurisdiction in which the Company is organized (each, a “ taxing jurisdiction ”) or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, unless such taxes, fees, duties, assessments or governmental charges are required to be withheld or deducted by (i) the laws (or any regulations or ruling promulgated thereunder) of a taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein or (ii) an official position regarding the application, administration, interpretation or enforcement of any such laws, regulations or rulings (including, without limitation, a holding by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a taxing authority in a taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof). If a withholding or deduction at source is required, the Company shall, subject to certain limitations and exceptions set forth below, pay to the Holder of any such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto such Additional Amounts as may be necessary so that every net payment of principal, premium, if any, interest or any other amount made to such Holder, after such withholding or deduction, shall not be less than the amount provided for in such Security, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture to be then due and payable; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to make payment of such Additional Amounts for or on account of:

(a) any tax, fee, duty, assessment or governmental charge of whatever nature which would not have been imposed but for the fact that such Holder: (i) was a resident, domiciliary or national of, or engaged in business or maintained a

 

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permanent establishment or was physically present in, the relevant taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof or otherwise had some connection with the relevant taxing jurisdiction other than by reason of the mere ownership of, or receipt of payment under, such Security; (ii) presented such Security for payment in the relevant taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof, unless such Security could not have been presented for payment elsewhere; or (iii) presented such Security more than thirty (30) days after the date on which the payment in respect of such Security first became due and payable or provided for, whichever is later, except to the extent that the Holder would have been entitled to such Additional Amounts if it had presented such Security for payment on any day within such period of thirty (30) days;

(b) any estate, inheritance, gift, sale, transfer, personal property or similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

(c) any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed or withheld by reason of the failure by the Holder or the beneficial owner of such Security to comply with any reasonable request by the Company addressed to the Holder within 90 days of such request (i) to provide information concerning the nationality, residence or identity of the Holder or such beneficial owner or (ii) to make any declaration or other similar claim or satisfy any information or reporting requirement, which, in the case of (i) or (ii), is required or imposed by statute, treaty, regulation or administrative practice of the relevant taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof as a precondition to exemption from all or part of such tax, assessment or other governmental charge; or

(d) any combination of items (a), (b) and (c);

nor shall Additional Amounts be paid with respect to any payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, interest or any other amounts on, any such Security to any Holder who is a fiduciary or partnership or other than the sole beneficial owner of such Security to the extent such payment would be required by the laws of the relevant taxing jurisdiction (or any political subdivision or relevant taxing authority thereof or therein) to be included in the income for tax purposes of a beneficiary or partner or settlor with respect to such fiduciary or a member of such partnership or a beneficial owner who would not have been entitled to such Additional Amounts had it been the Holder of the Security.

Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of or any premium, interest or any other amounts on, or in respect of, any Security of any series or any Coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect

 

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thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of Additional Amounts (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding the payment of Additional Amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of the applicable series, at least 10 days prior to the first Interest Payment Date with respect to such series of Securities (or if the Securities of such series shall not bear interest prior to Maturity, the first day on which a payment of principal is made), and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of principal or interest if there has been any change with respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officers’ Certificate, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee and the principal Paying Agent or Paying Agents, if other than the Trustee, an Officers’ Certificate instructing the Trustee and such Paying Agent or Paying Agents whether such payment of principal of and premium, if any, interest or any other amounts on the Securities of such series shall be made to Holders of Securities of such series or the Coupons appertaining thereto without withholding for or on account of any tax, fee, duty, assessment or other governmental charge described in this Section 10.04. If any such withholding shall be required, then such Officers’ Certificate shall specify by taxing jurisdiction the amount, if any, required to be withheld on such payments to such Holders of Securities or Coupons, and the Company agrees to pay to the Trustee or such Paying Agent the Additional Amounts required by this Section 10.04. The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any Paying Agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officers’ Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section 10.04.

Section 10.05. Organizational Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its organizational existence and rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not obligate the Company to preserve any such right or franchise if the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of its business and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to any Holder.

Section 10.06. Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 10.05 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect

 

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such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10.07. Company and Guarantor’s Statement as to Compliance; Notice of Certain Defaults. (a) The Company and the Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that

(i) a review of the activities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, during such year and of its performance under this Indenture has been made under his or her supervision, and

(ii) to the best of his or her knowledge, based on such review, (A) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has complied with all the conditions and covenants imposed on it under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to him or her and the nature and status thereof, and (B) no event has occurred and is continuing which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default, or, if such an event has occurred and is continuing, specifying each such event known to him and the nature and status thereof.

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default pursuant to clause (d) of Section 5.01.

(c) The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor the Company’s compliance with the covenants contained in this Article 10 other than as specifically set forth in this Section 10.07.

Section 10.08. Calculation of Original Issue Discount. The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on any Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Code, as amended from time to time.

 

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ARTICLE 11

R EDEMPTION OF S ECURITIES

Section 11.01. Applicability of Article. Redemption of Securities of any series as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

Section 11.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of (a) less than all of the Securities of any series or (b) all of the Securities of any series, with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed; provided that , the Trustee shall be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee).

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities To Be Redeemed. If less than all of the Securities of any series with the same issue date, interest rate or formula, Stated Maturity and other terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Registered Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization of any series, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted into Common Stock of the Company or exchanged for other

 

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securities in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

Section 11.04. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portion thereof.

Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed,

(d) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice which relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

(e) that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, in the case of a Registered Security, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto, and that unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and other amounts then due, interest thereon, if applicable, shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

(f) the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing on or after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest and Additional Amounts pertaining thereto,

 

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(g) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case,

(h) that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

(i) if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and no Registered Securities of such series are to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(j) in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible into Common Stock of the Company or exchangeable for other securities, the conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and

(k) the CUSIP number or the Euroclear or the Cedel reference numbers of such Securities, if any (or any other numbers used by a Depository to identify such Securities).

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

Notice of redemption of Securities shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the applicable Currency sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 or in the Securities of such series) any accrued interest on and Additional Amounts with respect thereto, all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

 

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Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, become due and payable on the Redemption Date, at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest or Additional Amounts) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with any accrued interest and Additional Amounts to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization and the Coupons, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to the related Series Authorization, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 and installments of interest on Registered Securities for which the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or before the following Interest Payment Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 10.02.

 

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If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the U.S. Depository or other Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

ARTICLE 12

S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment ,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series and this Indenture.

 

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Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such series of Securities have not been previously so credited.

Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If, as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 12.02, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to satisfy the remaining sinking fund payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the written request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at

 

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the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 11.06 and Section 11.07.

ARTICLE 13

R EPAYMENT AT THE O PTION OF H OLDERS

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 3.09, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a written directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 13.01, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the close of business on the repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

ARTICLE 14

S ECURITIES IN F OREIGN C URRENCIES

Section 14.01. Applicability of Article. Whenever this Indenture provides for (a) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, or (b) any distribution to Holders of Securities, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in the form of Security of any particular series or pursuant to this Indenture or the related Series Authorization, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination of rights or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such action, determination of rights or distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE 15

M EETINGS OF H OLDERS OF S ECURITIES

Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 15.02. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings. (a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 15.02, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series have been issued in whole or in part as Bearer Securities, in London or in such place outside the United States as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 1.06) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or, if Securities of such series are to be issued as Bearer Securities, in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section.

Section 15.03. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

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Section 15.04. Quorum; Action. The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any reconvened meeting, such reconvened meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such reconvened meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations,

 

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the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 or by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 1.04 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 15.02(a), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $2,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 15.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 15.06. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth

 

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a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE 16

G UARANTEE

Section 16.01. The Guarantee. The Guarantor hereby unconditionally guarantees to the Trustee and each Holder of a Security authenticated and delivered by the Trustee all obligations of the Company under this Indenture in accordance with the terms of the Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

Section 16.02. Ranking. Each Holder of Securities issued hereunder agrees that the payment by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee with respect to all Securities of each series issued hereunder, shall rank in right of payment to the extent and in the manner set forth in Sections 6.02 and 6.03 of the Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE FINANCE A LLC
By:  

/s/ Thomas L. Forsyth

Name:   Thomas L. Forsyth
Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
PARTNERRE LTD., as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Albert A. Benchimol

Name:   Albert A. Benchimol
Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Gregg Weissman

Name:   Gregg Weissman
Title:   Assistant Treasurer

 

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Exhibit 4.61

DEBT SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

PARTNERRE LTD.

(AS GUARANTOR)

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK

(AS GUARANTEE TRUSTEE)

DATED AS OF

May 27, 2008


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

        

P AGE

    ARTICLE 1     
    D EFINITIONS     

Section 1.01.

  Definitions    1
  ARTICLE 2   
  T RUST I NDENTURE A CT   

Section 2.01.

  Trust Indenture Act: Application    3

Section 2.02.

  List of Holders    3

Section 2.03.

  Reports by the Guarantee Trustee    4

Section 2.04.

  Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee    4

Section 2.05.

  Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent    4

Section 2.06.

  Events of Default; Waiver    4

Section 2.07.

  Event of Default; Notice    4

Section 2.08.

  Conflicting Interests    5
  ARTICLE 3   
  P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE   

Section 3.01.

  Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee    5

Section 3.02.

  Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee    7

Section 3.03.

  Indemnity    9
  ARTICLE 4   
  G UARANTEE T RUSTEE   

Section 4.01.

  Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility    9

Section 4.02.

  Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees    10
  ARTICLE 5   
  G UARANTEE   

Section 5.01.

  Guarantee    10

Section 5.02.

  Waiver of Notice and Demand    11

Section 5.03.

  Obligations Not Affected    11

Section 5.04.

  Rights of Holders    12

Section 5.05.

  Guarantee of Payment    12

Section 5.06.

  Subrogation    12


Section 5.07.   Independent Obligations    12
Section 5.08.   Net Payments    13
  ARTICLE 6   
  L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING   
Section 6.01.   Limitation of Transactions    14
Section 6.02.   Ranking    15
Section 6.03.   Pari Passu Guarantees    15
  ARTICLE 7   
  T ERMINATION   
Section 7.01.   Termination    15
  ARTICLE 8   
  M ISCELLANEOUS   
Section 8.01.   Successors and Assigns    16
Section 8.02.   Amendments    16
Section 8.03.   Notices    16
Section 8.04.   Benefit    17
Section 8.05.   Governing Law    18
Section 8.06.   Interpretation    18
Section 8.07.   Submission to Jurisdiction    18
Section 8.08.   Judgment Currency    19
Section 8.09.   Waiver Of Jury Trial    20
Section 8.10.   Force Majeure    20

 

ii


GUARANTEE AGREEMENT

This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “ Guarantee Agreement ” or this “ Guarantee ”), dated as of May 27, 2008, is executed and delivered by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (“ PartnerRe ” or the “ Guarantor ”), having its principal executive offices at 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda, and The Bank of New York, a New York banking corporation, having a corporate trust office located at 101 Barclay Street, Floor 8W, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Notes (as defined herein) issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Issuer ”).

WHEREAS, pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of May 27, 2008 (the “ Indenture ”) among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee, as trustee thereunder, the Issuer may issue senior unsecured debt securities (the “ Notes ”).

WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as defined in the Indenture) to purchase such Notes, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally, to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase and acceptance of the Notes by the Holders thereof, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Definitions. As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings. Capitalized or otherwise defined terms used, but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture as in effect on the date hereof.

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by the terms of the Notes, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Guarantor in respect of certain taxes, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein and therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person; provided, however , that an Affiliate of the Guarantor


shall not be deemed to include the Issuer. For the purpose of this definition, “ control ” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “ controlling ” and “ controlled ” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authorized Officer ” means, when used with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a Vice Chairman, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Counsel, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of such Person.

Event of Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however , that, except with respect to a payment default, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default and shall not have cured such default within 60 days after receipt of such notice.

Guarantee Trustee ” means The Bank of New York, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

Indenture ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

List of Holders ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

Notes ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two Authorized Officers, at least one of which is a principal executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer, and is delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include:

(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;

(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Person ” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.

Responsible Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer of the Guarantee Trustee with direct responsibility for administration of this Guarantee Agreement and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Successor Guarantee Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.

Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ARTICLE 2

T RUST I NDENTURE A CT

Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act: Application .

(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.

Section 2.02. List of Holders .

(a) Within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of a request in writing from the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee a list, in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders (“ List of Holders ”), such List of Holders to be as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such List of Holders is furnished, in each case to the extent such information is in the possession or control of the Guarantor and is not identical to a previously supplied list of Holders or has not otherwise been received by the Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.

 

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(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Section 311(a), Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.03 . Reports by the Guarantee Trustee. Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with May 15, 2009, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.04 . Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Holders, such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 2.05 . Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.06 . Events of Default; Waiver. The holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes may, by vote, on behalf of all Holders, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice.

(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all such Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice, provided, except in the case of a default in the payment by the Guarantor of any amount due under this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.

 

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(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge or shall have obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.

Section 2.08 . Conflicting Interests. The Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

ARTICLE 3

P OWERS , D UTIES AND R IGHTS OF G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 3.01. Powers, and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.04(d) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee.

(b) If an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred hereunder or under the Indenture (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Guarantee Agreement or Section 5.13 of the Indenture), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

 

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(d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or willful misconduct, except that:

(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture and after the curing or waiving of any such Events of Default that may have occurred:

(A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and

(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;

(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;

(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable (including, without limitation, for consequential damages) with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and

(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise

 

6


of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

Section 3.02. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.01:

(i) The Guarantee Trustee may rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein.

(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.

(iv) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with competent legal counsel, and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

(v) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) and

 

7


liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided that , nothing contained in this Section 3.02(a)(v) shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder or under the Indenture, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement.

(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(vii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians or nominees, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, attorney, custodian or nominee appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(viii) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.

(ix) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee

(A) may request instructions from the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes,

(B) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and

 

8


(C) shall be protected in acting in accordance with such instructions.

(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power and authority.

Section 3.03 . Indemnity. The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee and its officers, directors, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on any other guarantee that may be granted under this Guarantee Agreement as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee Agreement.

The provisions of this Section 3.03 shall survive the termination of this Guarantee Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 4

G UARANTEE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.

(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Issuer; and

(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and shall be a corporation meeting the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.01(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.

 

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(b) If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.02(c).

(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustees.

(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.02(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02 within 60 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee.

ARTICLE 5

G UARANTEE

Section 5.01. Guarantee . The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder the due and punctual payment of the

 

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principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts, if applicable, with respect to any Note held by such Holder, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption, repayment or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Note and of the Indenture, and to the Trustee payment of all amounts due to the Trustee relating to the performance of its duties under the Indenture. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee, on the other hand, the maturity of the Notes guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 of the Indenture for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Notes guaranteed hereby.

Section 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand . The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

Section 5.03. Obligations Not Affected . The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall be as if it were a principal debtor, and not merely a surety, and shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Notes to be performed or observed by the Issuer;

(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Notes, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;

(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

(d) any invalidity or unenforceability of, or defect or deficiency in, the Notes; or

(e) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 5.03 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.

 

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There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.

Section 5.04. Rights of Holders . The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the holders of not less than a majority of the principal amount of the outstanding Notes have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and (d) any Holder may, to the extent permitted by law, institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer or any other Person. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action on this Guarantee Agreement be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.

Section 5.05. Guarantee of Payment . This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment in full of all amounts (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer) owed under the Notes.

Section 5.06. Subrogation . The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights, if any, of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however , that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of applicable law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.

Section 5.07. Independent Obligations . The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Notes, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make all payments with respect to the Notes pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (e), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.

 

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Section 5.08. Net Payments . All payments required to be made hereunder shall be made by the Guarantor without withholding or deduction at source for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, fees, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Islands of Bermuda or such other jurisdiction in which the Guarantor (or any of its successors under this Guarantee Agreement) may be organized (each, a “taxing jurisdiction”) or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, unless such taxes, fees, duties, assessments or governmental charges are required to be withheld or deducted by (i) the laws (or any regulations or ruling promulgated thereunder) of a taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein or (ii) an official position regarding the application, administration, interpretation or enforcement of any such laws, regulations or rulings (including, without limitation, a holding by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a taxing authority in a taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof). If a withholding or deduction at source is required, the Guarantor shall, subject to certain limitations and exceptions set forth below, pay to the Holder of any Note such Additional Amounts as may be necessary so that every guarantee payment made to such Holder, after such withholding or deduction, shall not be less than the amount provided for in the Indenture and this Guarantee Agreement to be then due and payable; provided, however , that the Guarantor shall not be required to make payment of such Additional Amounts for or on account of:

(1) any tax, fee, duty, assessment or governmental charge of whatever nature which would not have been imposed but for the fact that such Holder: (A) was a resident, domiciliary or national of, or engaged in business or maintained a permanent establishment or was physically present in, the relevant taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof or otherwise had some connection with the relevant taxing jurisdiction other than by reason of the mere ownership of, or receipt of payment under, such Note; (B) presented such Note for payment in the relevant taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof, unless such Note could not have been presented for payment elsewhere; or (C) presented such Note more than thirty (30) days after the date on which the payment in respect of such Note first became due and payable or provided for, whichever is later, except to the extent that the Holder would have been entitled to such Additional Amounts if it had presented such Note for payment on any day within such period of thirty (30) days;

 

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(2) any estate, inheritance, gift, sale, transfer, personal property or similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

(3) any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed or withheld by reason of the failure by the Holder or the beneficial owner of such Note to comply with any reasonable request by the Issuer addressed to the Holder within 90 days of such request (A) to provide information concerning the nationality, residence or identity of the Holder or such beneficial owner or (B) to make any declaration or other similar claim or satisfy any information or reporting requirement, which, in the case of (A) or (B), is required or imposed by statute, treaty, regulation or administrative practice of the relevant taxing jurisdiction or any political subdivision thereof as a precondition to exemption from all or part of such tax, assessment or other governmental charge; or

(4) any combination of items (1), (2) and (3); nor shall Additional Amounts be paid with respect to any Guarantee Payment to any Holder who is a fiduciary or partnership or other than the sole beneficial owner of the related Note, but only to the extent such payment would be required by the laws of the relevant taxing jurisdiction (or any political subdivision or relevant taxing authority thereof or therein) to be included in the income for tax purposes of a beneficiary or partner or settlor with respect to such fiduciary or a member of such partnership or a beneficial owner who would not have been entitled to such Additional Amounts had it been the Holder of such Note.

ARTICLE 6

L IMITATION OF T RANSACTIONS ; R ANKING

Section 6.01. Limitation of Transactions . The Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as any Notes remain outstanding, it will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, (a) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the outstanding capital shares of the Guarantor or (b) make any payment of principal of, interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt security of the Guarantor that ranks equal to or junior in interest

 

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to the Notes or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be, or make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by the Guarantor of the debt securities of any Subsidiary of the Guarantor if such guarantee ranks equal to or junior in interest to the Notes or the guarantee in respect thereof, as the case may be (other than (i) dividends or distributions in shares of, or options, warrants, rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, common shares of the Guarantor, (ii) any declaration of a dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (iii) the purchase of fractional shares resulting from a reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iv) the exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s (or any Subsidiary’s) indebtedness, (v) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and (vi) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor or any subsidiary under any employment agreement or benefit plan for the benefit of the Guarantor’s directors, officers, or employees, or any dividend reinvestment or director, officer or employee stock purchase plan of the Guarantor) if at such time (1) there shall have occurred any event of which the Guarantor has actual knowledge that (A) with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default under the Indenture and (B) in respect of which the Guarantor shall not have taken reasonable steps to cure, or (2) the Guarantor shall be in default with respect to its payment of any obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

Section 6.02. Ranking . This Guarantee Agreement shall constitute a senior unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and shall rank equally with all senior unsecured indebtedness of the Guarantor from time to time outstanding.

Section 6.03. Pari Passu Guarantees . This Guarantee Agreement shall rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of holders of senior unsecured notes issued by any entity affiliated with the Guarantor which is a financing vehicle of the Guarantor.

ARTICLE 7

T ERMINATION

Section 7.01. Termination . This Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Notes and all other amounts then due and payable under the Indenture, or (ii) the full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will continue to be

 

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effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid with respect to the Notes or under this Guarantee Agreement.

ARTICLE 8

M ISCELLANEOUS

Section 8.01. Successors and Assigns . All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Notes then outstanding. Except in connection with a consolidation, merger, or sale involving the Guarantor that is permitted under Article 8 of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.

Section 8.02. Amendments . Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders in any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required) and any changes to Sections 5.01 and Section 6.01 hereof, which may only be amended in writing with the prior approval of each Holder, this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended in writing by the parties hereto with the prior approval of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes. The provisions of Article 15 of the Indenture concerning meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval.

Section 8.03. Notices . Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:

(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Guarantor and the Holders):

The Bank of New York

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders):

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

 

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with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.

(c) If given to the Issuer, in care of the Guarantee Trustee, at the Issuer’s (and the Guarantee Trustee’s) address set forth below or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer may give notice to the Holders:

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

c/o PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Attention: Chief Legal Counsel

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York

101 Barclay Street

Floor 8W

New York, New York 10286

Attention: Corporate Trust Administration

(d) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.

All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

Section 8.04. Benefit . This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from the Notes.

 

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Section 8.05. Governing Law . THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN THAT STATE.

Section 8.06. Interpretation . In this Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement, but not defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in Section 1.01 or in the Indenture, as the case may be;

(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout;

(c) all references to “ the Agreement ” or “ this Guarantee Agreement ” are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;

(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise specified;

(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee Agreement, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;

(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(g) the masculine, feminine, or neuter genders used herein shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.

Section 8.07. Submission to Jurisdiction . The Guarantor agrees that any judicial proceedings instituted in relation to any matter arising under this Guarantee Agreement may be brought in any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York to the extent that such court has subject matter jurisdiction over the controversy, and, by execution and delivery of this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably accepts, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts, acknowledges their competence and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered in such proceeding. The Guarantor also irrevocably and unconditionally waives for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders any immunity from jurisdiction and any immunity from legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior

 

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to judgment, attachment in the aid of execution, execution or otherwise) in respect of this Guarantee Agreement. The Guarantor hereby irrevocably designates and appoints, for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders for the term of this Guarantee Agreement, PartnerRe U.S. Corporation, One Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830-6352, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process (with a copy of all such service of process to be delivered to Davis Polk & Wardwell, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, Attention: Ethan T. James, Esq.) brought against it with respect to any such proceeding in any such court in The City of New York, such service being hereby acknowledged by the Guarantor to be effective and binding service on it in every respect whether or not the Guarantor shall then be doing or shall have at any time done business in New York. Such appointment shall be irrevocable so long as any of the Securities or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder remain outstanding, or until the appointment of a successor located in New York or Connecticut by the Guarantor and such successor’s acceptance of such appointment. Upon such acceptance, the Guarantor shall notify the Guarantee Trustee in writing of the name and address of such successor. The Guarantor further agrees for the benefit of the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments, as may be necessary to continue such designation and appointment of said PartnerRe U.S. Corporation in full force and effect so long as any of the Notes or the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be outstanding. The Guarantee Trustee shall not be obligated and shall have no responsibility with respect to any failure by the Guarantor to take any such action. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by any law or limit the right of the Guarantee Trustee or any Holder to institute proceedings against the Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

Section 8.08. Judgment Currency . The Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of any guarantee payment (the “ Required Currency ”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “ Judgment Currency ”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Guarantee Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Guarantee Agreement to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or

 

19


additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Guarantee Agreement. For purposes of the foregoing, “ New York Banking Day ” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.

Section 8.09. Waiver Of Jury Trial . EACH OF THE GUARANTOR AND THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTEE.

Section 8.10. Force Majeure . In no event shall the Guarantee Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Guarantee Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

[THE REST OF THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK]

 

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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

PARTNERRE LTD.,

    as Guarantor

By:  

/s/ Albert A. Benchimol

Name:   Albert A. Benchimol
Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

THE BANK OF NEW YORK,

    as Guarantee Trustee

By:  

/s/ Gregg Weissman

Name:   Gregg Weissman
Title:   Assistant Treasurer

Exhibits 5.1 and 23.1

10 April, 2009

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

Registration Statement on Form S-3

Dear Sirs,

I am Counsel for PartnerRe Ltd., a company incorporated under the laws of Bermuda (“ PartnerRe ”), in connection with the filing by PartnerRe, PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC, PartnerRe Finance C LLC, PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “ Registration Statement ”), with respect to, among other things, (i) common shares of PartnerRe (the “ Common Shares ”), (ii) preferred shares of PartnerRe (the “ Preferred Shares ”), (iii) units of PartnerRe, consisting of Common Shares and/or Preferred Shares (the “ Units ”), (iv) debt securities of PartnerRe (the “ Debt Securities ”), and (v) guarantees by PartnerRe in respect of (x) debt securities issued by PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC and PartnerRe Finance C LLC (together, the “ Finance Subsidiaries ”) and (y) preferred securities issued by PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III (together, the “ Guarantees ”), in each case, as may be issued from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”).

The Common Shares, the Preferred Shares, the Units, the Debt Securities and the Guarantees are collectively referred herein as the “ Securities .” For the purposes of this opinion I have examined and relied upon the documents listed, and in some cases defined, in the Schedule to this opinion (the “ Documents ”).

Unless otherwise defined herein or in the Schedule to this opinion, terms defined in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained therein have the same meanings when used in this opinion.

In stating my opinion I have reviewed such documents and have relied upon originals or certified copies of such documents as I have deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for such opinion, and I have not attempted independently to verify or establish the factual matters set forth in such documents.


Opinion

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and subject to the reservations set out below and to any matters not disclosed to me, I am of the opinion that:

(1) PartnerRe is an exempted company incorporated with limited liability, validly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of Bermuda.

(2) When duly issued and paid for pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of any duly adopted board resolutions of PartnerRe which have authorised their issue in accordance with the terms and conditions referred to or summarised in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the Common Shares, the Preferred Shares and the Units will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares in the capital of PartnerRe.

(3) When resolutions of the Board of Directors of PartnerRe have been duly adopted to approve the creation of and issue of the Debt Securities and the Guarantees, in accordance with the respective terms and conditions of the applicable Indenture or Guarantee Agreement as more particularly referred to or summarised in the Registration Statement, and to authorize the execution and delivery thereof, all necessary action required to be taken by PartnerRe pursuant to Bermuda law will have been taken by or on behalf of PartnerRe for the issue by PartnerRe of the Debt Securities and the Guarantees.

(4) There are no taxes, duties or other charges payable to or chargeable by the Government of Bermuda, or any authority or agency thereof, in respect of the issue of the Securities.

Reservations

I have the following reservations:

(a) I express no opinion as to any law other than Bermuda law and none of the opinions expressed herein relates to compliance with or matters governed by the laws of any jurisdiction except Bermuda. This opinion is limited to Bermuda law as applied by the courts of Bermuda at the date hereof.

(b) In paragraph (1) above, the term “good standing” means that PartnerRe has not failed to make any filing with any Bermuda government authority or to pay any Bermuda government fees or tax which would make it liable to be struck off the Register of Companies and thereby cease to exist under the laws of Bermuda.

(c) Any reference in this opinion to shares being “non-assessable” shall mean, in relation to fully paid shares of PartnerRe and subject to any contrary

 

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provision in any agreement in writing between such company and the holder of such shares, that no shareholder shall be bound by an alteration to the Memorandum of Association or Bye-Laws of PartnerRe after the date on which he became a shareholder, if and so far as the alteration requires him to take or subscribe for additional shares, or in any way increases his liability to contribute the share capital of, or otherwise to pay money to, PartnerRe.

Disclosure

This opinion is addressed to you in connection with the filing by PartnerRe, the Finance Subsidiaries, PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III of the Registration Statement with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. I consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to me under the caption “Legal Opinions” in the prospectus as part of the Registration Statement, without admitting that I am an expert within the meaning of the Securities Act.

This opinion speaks as of its date and is strictly limited to the matters stated herein and I assume no obligation to review or update this opinion if applicable law or the existing facts or circumstances should change. This opinion is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with Bermuda law. It is given on the basis that it will not give rise to any legal proceedings with respect thereto in any jurisdiction other than Bermuda.

 

Yours faithfully

/s/ Marc Wetherhill

Marc Wetherhill

 

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SCHEDULE

1. A copy of the Registration Statement dated 10 April 2009.

2. A copy of the Trust Agreements of PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each dated 11 December 2001, incorporated by reference as Exhibits 4.17 and 4.18 respectively to the Registration Statement.

3. A copy of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreements No. 1 of PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each dated 27 March 2009, filed as Exhibits 4.21 and 4.22 respectively to the Registration Statement.

4. A copy of the forms of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III, filed as Exhibits 4.23 and 4.24 respectively to the Registration Statement.

5. A copy of the Certificates of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each dated 11 December, 2001, incorporated by reference as Exhibits 4.15 and 4.16 respectively to the Registration Statement.

6. A copy of the Certificates of Amendment to Certificates of Trust of PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each dated 27 March 2009, filed as Exhibits 4.19 and 4.20 respectively to the Registration Statement.

7. A copy of the form of Senior Indenture between PartnerRe, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, filed as Exhibit 4.30 to the Registration Statement.

8. A copy of the form of Subordinated Indenture between PartnerRe, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, filed as Exhibit 4.31 to the Registration Statement.

9. A copy of the forms of Senior Indenture between each of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC and PartnerRe Finance C LLC, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, filed as Exhibits 4.32, 4.35, 4.38 and 4.41 respectively to the Registration Statement.

10. A copy of the forms of Subordinated Indenture between each of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC and PartnerRe Finance C LLC, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, filed as Exhibits 4.33, 4.36, 4.39 and 4.42 respectively to the Registration Statement.

 

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11. A copy of the forms of Junior Subordinated Indenture between each of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC and PartnerRe Finance C LLC, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, filed as Exhibits 4.34, 4.37, 4.40 and 4.43 respectively to the Registration Statement.

12. A copy of the executed Indenture, dated May 27, 2008, between PartnerRe Finance A LLC, as issuer, PartnerRe as guarantor, and The Bank of New York, as trustee, filed as Exhibit 4.60 to the Registration Statement.

The indentures referred to in 7 through 12 above are collectively defined as the “ Indentures ,” and each individually as an “ Indenture .”

13. The Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum of Association and Bye- Laws of PartnerRe.

14. A copy of the permission dated 28 October 1996 given by the Bermuda Monetary Authority under the Exchange Control Act (1972) and related regulations for the issue of PartnerRe’s common shares.

15. A copy of the permission dated 28 April 2003 given by the Bermuda Monetary Authority under the Exchange Control Act (1972) and related regulations for the issue of PartnerRe’s 6.75% Series C cumulative preferred shares.

16. A copy of the permissions dated 4 November 2004 given by the Bermuda Monetary Authority under the Exchange Control Act (1972) and related regulations for the issue of PartnerRe’s 6.50% Series D cumulative preferred shares.

17. A Letter from the Bermuda Monetary Authority dated 17 May 2005.

18. A copy of the form of Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the preferred securities to be issued by Capital Trust II, incorporated by reference as Exhibit 4.44 to the Registration Statement.

19. A copy of the form of Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the preferred securities to be issued by Capital Trust III, incorporated by reference as Exhibit 4.45 to the Registration Statement.

20. A copy of the forms of Senior Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the senior debt securities to be issued by each of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC and PartnerRe Finance C LLC filed as Exhibits 4.46, 4.49, 4.52 and 4.55 respectively to the Registration Statement.

 

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21. A copy of the forms of Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the subordinated debt securities to be issued by each of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC and PartnerRe Finance C LLC filed as Exhibits 4.47, 4.50, 4.53 and 4.56 respectively to the Registration Statement.

22. A copy of the forms of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement with respect to the junior subordinated debt securities to be issued by each of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., PartnerRe Finance A LLC, PartnerRe Finance B LLC and PartnerRe Finance C LLC filed as Exhibits 4.48, 4.51, 4.54 and 4.57 respectively to the Registration Statement.

23. A copy of the executed Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement, dated May 27, 2008, with respect to senior debt securities to be issued by PartnerRe Finance A LLC filed as Exhibit 4.61 to the Registration Statement.

The guarantee agreements referred to in 18 through 23 above are collectively defined as the “ Guarantee Agreements ,” and each individually as a “ Guarantee Agreement .”

 

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Exhibits 5.2 and 23.2

April 10, 2009

PartnerRe Ltd.

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM08

Bermuda

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as United States counsel in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-              ) (the “ Registration Statement ”) filed by PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company (the “ Company ”), PartnerRe Finance A LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ PRE Finance A ”), PartnerRe Finance B LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ PRE Finance B ”), PartnerRe Finance C LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ PRE Finance C ”), and PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ PRE Finance II ”, and together with PRE Finance A, PRE Finance B and PRE Finance C, the “ Finance Subsidiaries ” and each, a “ Finance Subsidiary ”), PartnerRe Capital Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust (“ PRE Capital Trust II ”) and PartnerRe Capital Trust III, a Delaware statutory trust (“ PRE Capital Trust III ”, and together with PRE Capital II, the “ Capital Trusts ” and each, a “ Capital Trust ”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the registration of the sale from time to time of securities of the Company, the Finance Subsidiaries and the Capital Trusts, consisting of:

1. the Company’s senior and subordinated debt securities (collectively, the “ Company Debt Securities ”) and each Finance Subsidiary’s senior, subordinated and junior subordinated debt securities (collectively, the “ Finance Subsidiary Debt Securities ” and, together with the Company Debt Securities, the “ Debt Securities ”);

2. the Company’s common shares, par value $1.00 per share (“ Common Shares ”) and the Company’s preferred shares, par value $1.00 per share (“ Preferred Shares ”);

3. depositary shares representing fractional interests in Common Shares or Preferred Shares (“ Depositary Shares ”);

4. warrants to purchase Common Shares (“ Common Share Warrants ”), warrants to purchase Preferred Shares (“ Preferred Share Warrants ”) and warrants to purchase the Company Debt Securities (“ Debt Warrants ,” and together with Common Share Warrants and Preferred Share Warrants, the “ Warrants ”);


5. preferred securities of each Capital Trust (collectively, the “ Trust Preferred Securities ”);

6. share purchase contracts obligating the holders to purchase from the Company a specified number of Common Shares (“ Share Purchase Contracts ”), which may be issued separately or as part of share purchase units, and if issued as a part of share purchase units, such Share Purchase Contract may be combined with a beneficial interest in the Company Debt Securities, any Finance Subsidiary’s senior debt securities, subordinated debt securities or junior subordinated debt securities, Preferred Shares, Trust Preferred Securities or debt obligations of third parties securing the holder’s obligations to purchase Common Shares under the Share Purchase Contracts (“ Share Purchase Units ”);

7. the Company’s guarantees of the Finance Subsidiary Debt Securities (the “ Debt Securities Guarantees ”);

8. the Company’s guarantees of the Trust Preferred Securities (the “ Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees ”); and

9. units consisting of one or more Share Purchase Contracts, Share Purchase Units, Warrants, Debt Securities, Preferred Shares, Common Shares, Depositary Shares, Debt Securities Guarantees or Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees or any combination of these securities (“ Units ”).

The Debt Securities, Common Shares, Preferred Shares, Depositary Shares, Warrants, Trust Preferred Securities, Share Purchase Contracts, Share Purchase Units, Debt Securities Guarantees, Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees and Units are herein referred to collectively as the “ Securities .”

The Company Debt Securities are to be issued under a senior indenture between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee (the “ Company Senior Indenture ”), or a subordinated indenture between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee (the “ Company Subordinated Indenture ”). The Company Senior Indenture and the Company Subordinated Indenture are referred to herein collectively as the “ Company Indentures .”

Each Finance Subsidiary’s Debt Securities are to be issued under a senior indenture among the relevant Finance Subsidiary, the Company, as Guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee (each, a “ Finance Subsidiary Senior Indenture ”, and together the “ Finance Subsidiary Senior Indentures ”), a subordinated indenture among the relevant Finance Subsidiary, the Company, as Guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee (each, a “ Finance Subsidiary Subordinated Indenture ”, and together the “ Finance Subsidiary Subordinated Indentures ”), or a junior subordinated indenture among the relevant Finance Subsidiary, the Company, as Guarantor, and The Bank of New

 

2


York Mellon, as Trustee (each, a “ Finance Subsidiary Junior Subordinated Indenture ”, and together the “ Finance Subsidiary Junior Subordinated Indentures ”), and each Debt Securities Guarantee may be issued by the Company pursuant to a senior, subordinated or junior subordinated debt securities guarantee agreement between the Company, as Guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Guarantee Trustee (each, a “ Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement ” and together, “ Debt Securities Guarantee Agreements ”). The Finance Subsidiary Senior Indentures, the Finance Subsidiary Subordinated Indentures and the Finance Subsidiary Junior Subordinated Indentures are referred to herein collectively as the “ Finance Subsidiary Indentures .”

The Warrants are to be issued pursuant to the terms of one or more warrant agreements (the “ Warrant Agreements ”) to be entered into prior to the issuance of the Warrants between the Company and a warrant agent (the “ Warrant Agent ”).

Trust Preferred Securities may be issued by either Capital Trust pursuant to the terms of an amended and restated trust agreement among a Finance Subsidiary, as Depositor, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Property Trustee, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein (each, an “ Amended and Restated Trust Agreement ”), and the related Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee may be issued by the Company pursuant to a trust preferred securities guarantee agreement between the Company, as Guarantor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Guarantee Trustee (the “ Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreements ”).

The Share Purchase Contracts and Share Purchase Units will be issued under one or more share purchase contract agreements (each, a “ Share Purchase Agreement ”) to be entered into between the Company and the purchase contract agent to be named therein (the “ Purchase Contract Agent ”).

Units may be issued by the Company pursuant to the terms of one or more unit agreements to be entered into prior to the issuance of the Units among the Company, a bank or trust company, as unit agent (the “ Unit Agent ”) and the holders from time to time of the Units (each such Unit agreement, a “ Unit Agreement ”).

We, as your counsel, have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purposes of rendering this opinion.

 

3


Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

1. When the Company Indentures and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Company Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and the Company; the specific terms of a particular series of Company Debt Securities have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the applicable Company Indenture; and such Company Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the applicable Company Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Company Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

2. When the Finance Subsidiary Indentures and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Finance Subsidiary Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and the relevant Finance Subsidiary; the specific terms of a particular series of Finance Subsidiary Debt Securities have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the applicable Finance Subsidiary Indenture and such Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the applicable Finance Subsidiary Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Finance Subsidiary Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the applicable Finance Subsidiary, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

3. When the Depositary Shares have been duly authorized, the depositary receipts evidencing rights in the Depositary Shares have been duly executed by the relevant depositary and registered, and the Depositary Shares have been sold and delivered at the price and in accordance with the terms set forth in the Registration Statement and any prospectus supplement relating thereto, the Deposit Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement, the Depositary Shares will entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified in the Deposit Agreement and the depositary receipts evidencing rights therein, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

4. When the Warrant Agreement to be entered into a connection with the issuance of any Warrants has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Warrant Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Warrants have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Warrant Agreement; and such Warrants have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Warrant Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Warrants will constitute valid and

 

4


binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

5. When the Debt Securities Guarantees have been duly authorized by the Company, the applicable Debt Securities Guarantee Agreement has been duly executed and delivered and the Finance Subsidiary Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered by a Finance Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable Finance Subsidiary Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, the Debt Securities Guarantees will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

6. When the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees have been duly authorized by the Company, the applicable Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement has been duly executed and delivered and the Trust Preferred Securities have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered by a Capital Trust in accordance with the applicable Amended and Restated Trust Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, the Trust Preferred Securities Guarantees will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

7. When the Share Purchase Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Share Purchase Units and Share Purchase Contracts has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Purchase Contract Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Share Purchase Units and Share Purchase Contracts have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Share Purchase Agreement; and such Share Purchase Units and Share Purchase Contracts have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Share Purchase Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Share Purchase Units and Share Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

8. When the Unit Agreement to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Units has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Unit Agent and the Company; the specific terms of the Units have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the Unit Agreement; and such

 

5


Units have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the Unit Agreement and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability.

In connection with the opinions expressed above, we have assumed that, at or prior to the time of the delivery of any such Security, (i) the Company or any Finance Subsidiary, as applicable, shall have duly established the terms of such Security and duly authorized the issuance and sale of such Security and such authorization shall not have been modified or rescinded; (ii) the Registration Statement shall have been declared effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded; and (iii) there shall not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity or enforceability of such Security. We have also assumed that none of the terms of any Security to be established subsequent to the date hereof, nor the issuance and delivery of such Security, nor the compliance by the Company or any Finance Subsidiary, as applicable, with the terms of such Security will violate any applicable law or public policy or will result in a violation of any provision of any instrument or agreement then binding upon the Company or any Finance Subsidiary, as applicable, or any restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any Finance Subsidiary, as applicable.

We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York, the federal laws of the United States of America and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. With respect to all matters of Bermudian law, you have been delivered, and we understand that you are relying on, the opinion of Mr. Marc Wetherhill, corporate counsel for the Company, dated the date hereof, which is being filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement referred to above, and further consent to the reference to our name under the caption “Legal Opinions” in the prospectus, which is a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

6


This opinion is rendered solely to you in connection with the above matter. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or relied upon by or furnished to any other person without our prior written consent.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Davis Polk & Wardwell

 

7

Exhibits 5.3 and 23.3

April 10, 2009

PartnerRe Capital Trust II

PartnerRe Capital Trust III

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, CT 06830-6352

 

Re: PartnerRe Capital Trusts II and III

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special Delaware counsel for PartnerRe Capital Trust II and PartnerRe Capital Trust III, each a Delaware statutory trust (each, a “Trust” and collectively, the “Trusts”), in connection with the matters set forth herein. At your request, this opinion is being furnished to you.

For purposes of giving the opinions hereinafter set forth, our examination of documents has been limited to the examination of originals or copies of the following:

 

  (a) The Trust Agreement for each of the Trusts, each dated as of December 11, 2001, by and between PartnerRe Finance II Inc., a Delaware corporation, as depositor (the “Depositor”) and the trustees named therein, each as amended and restated by an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement No. 1, each dated as of March 27, 2009 (as so amended, the “Original Trust Agreements”);

 

  (b) A certified copy of the Certificate of Trust for each of the Trusts, each as filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Secretary of State”) on December 11, 2001, each as amended by a Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust, each as filed on March 27, 2009 with the Secretary of State (as so amended, the “Certificates of Trust”);

 

  (c) A form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement for each Trust, among the depositor named therein, the trustees named therein and the holders, from time to time, of the undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of such Trust (collectively, the “Amended and Restated Trust Agreements” and, together with the Original Trust Agreements, the “Trust Agreements”);


PartnerRe Capital Trust II

PartnerRe Capital Trust III

April 10, 2009

Page 2

 

  (d) The Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), including a preliminary prospectus (the “Prospectus”), relating to, among other securities, the Preferred Securities of each Trust representing preferred undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of each Trust, filed by the Depositor and the Trusts with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about April 10, 2009; and

 

  (e) A Certificate of Good Standing for each Trust, each dated April 9, 2009, obtained from the Secretary of State.

Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined are used as defined in the Trust Agreements.

For purposes of this opinion, we have not reviewed any documents other than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) above. In particular, we have not reviewed any document (other than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) above) that is referred to in or incorporated by reference into the documents reviewed by us. We have assumed that there exists no provision in any document that we have not reviewed that bears upon or is inconsistent with the opinions stated herein. We have conducted no independent factual investigation of our own but rather have relied solely upon the foregoing documents, the statements and information set forth therein and the additional matters recited or assumed herein, all of which we have assumed to be true, complete and accurate in all material respects.

With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii) the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures.

For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed (i) that each Trust Agreement will constitute the entire agreement among the parties thereto with respect to the subject matter thereof, including with respect to the creation, operation and termination of each Trust, that the Certificates of Trust are in full force and effect and have not been further amended and that the Trust Agreements will be in full force and effect and will be executed in substantially the forms reviewed by us, (ii) except to the extent provided in paragraph 1 below, the due creation or due organization or due formation, as the case may be, and valid existence in good standing of each party to the documents examined by us under the laws of the jurisdiction governing its creation, organization or formation, (iii) the legal capacity of natural persons who are parties to the documents examined by us, (iv) except to the extent provided in paragraph 2 below, that each of the parties to the documents examined by us has the power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, such documents, (v) except to the extent provided in paragraph 2 below, the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties thereto of all documents examined by us, (vi) the receipt by each Person to whom Preferred Securities are to be issued by the Trusts (collectively, the “Preferred Security Holders”) of a Preferred Security


PartnerRe Capital Trust II

PartnerRe Capital Trust III

April 10, 2009

Page 3

 

Certificate for such Preferred Security and the payment for the Preferred Security acquired by it, in accordance with the Trust Agreements and the Registration Statement, and (vii) that the Preferred Securities are issued and sold to the Preferred Security Holders in accordance with the Trust Agreements and the Registration Statement. We have not participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement or Prospectus and assume no responsibility for their contents.

This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware (excluding the securities and blue sky laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not considered and express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction, including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions are rendered only with respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and orders thereunder which are currently in effect.

Based upon the foregoing, and upon our examination of such questions of law and statutes of the State of Delaware as we have considered necessary or appropriate, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. Each Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in good standing as a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. § 3801, et seq.

2. The Preferred Securities of each Trust have been duly authorized by each Trust Agreement and, when executed and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof in accordance with the applicable Trust Agreement and the Registration Statement, will be duly and validly issued and, subject to the qualifications set forth in paragraph 3 below, fully paid and non-assessable undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the applicable Trust.

3. The Preferred Security Holders, as beneficial owners of the Trusts, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We note that the Preferred Security Holders may be obligated to make payments as set forth in the Trust Agreement.

We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In addition, we hereby consent to the reference to us as local counsel under the heading “Legal Opinions” in the Prospectus. In giving the foregoing consents, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of Persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.

DKD/JWP

Exhibit 12.1

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

For purposes of computing the following ratios, earnings consist of net income before income tax expense plus fixed charges to the extent that these charges are included in the determination of earnings and exclude undistributed earnings (losses) of equity investments. Fixed charges consist of interest costs plus one-third of minimum rental payments under operating leases (estimated by management to be the interest factor of such rentals).

 

     For the twelve months ended
     2008    2007    2006    2005     2004

Earnings - excluding undistributed equity investments

   $ 52,140    $ 800,780    $ 737,366    $ (60,793 )   $ 486,023

Add:

             

Income taxes

     9,705      81,748      95,305      22,924       7,560

Fixed charges:

             

Interest expense, net of applicable taxes

     38,756      48,243      54,957      27,339       35,214

Interest credited to life policyholders (1)

     8,983      8,073      11,956      13,284       13,860

Interest credited to retrocessionnaires on funds held on reinsurance treaties

     284      1,435      915      1,288       1,325

One third of rental payments

     8,051      7,593      7,417      7,575       6,865

Earnings before income taxes and fixed charges

   $ 117,919    $ 947,872    $ 907,916    $ 11,617     $ 550,848
                                   

Fixed charges:

             

Interest expense, net of applicable taxes

     38,756      48,243      54,957      27,339       35,214

Interest credited to life policyholders (1)

     8,983      8,073      11,956      13,284       13,860

Interest credited to retrocessionnaires on funds held on reinsurance treaties

     284      1,435      915      1,288       1,325

One third of rental payments

     8,051      7,593      7,417      7,575       6,865

Total fixed charges

     56,074      65,344      75,245      49,486       57,265

Preference share dividends (2)

     34,525      34,525      34,525      34,525       21,485

Total fixed charges

   $ 90,599    $ 99,869    $ 109,770    $ 84,011     $ 78,750
                                   

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     2.10      14.51      12.07      0.23       9.62
                                   

Deficiency of earnings to fixed charges (3)

            $ 37,869.0    
                               

Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preference share dividends

     1.30      9.49      8.27      0.14       6.99
                                   

Deficiency of earnings to combined fixed charges and preference share dividends (3)

            $ 72,394.0    
                               

 

(1) Represents interest credited to policyholders on certain life reinsurance treaties for which PartnerRe earns compensating interest income.
(2) Dividends have not been tax effected because they are presumed to be paid out of a Bermuda entity whose tax rate is zero.
(3) Represents additional earnings that would be necessary to result in a one-to-one ratio. Expressed in millions of U.S. dollars.

Exhibit 23.4

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated February 27, 2009, relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules of PartnerRe Ltd. and subsidiaries and the effectiveness of PartnerRe Ltd.’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of PartnerRe Ltd. and subsidiaries for the year ended December 31, 2008, and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche

Hamilton, Bermuda

April 10, 2009

Exhibit 25.1

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Senior Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.2

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.3

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   02-0540831
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, Connecticut

  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Senior Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.4

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   02-0540831
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.5

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   02-0540831
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.6

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Senior Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.7

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.8

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.9

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Senior Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.10

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7 th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.11

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.12

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Senior Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.13

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.14

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   13-3399661
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation
One Greenwich Plaza
Greenwich, Connecticut
  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Junior Subordinated Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.15

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382

(State of incorporation if

not a U.S. national bank)

  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Capital Trust II

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   41-6551055
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, Connecticut

  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Preferred Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.16

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Capital Trust III

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

Delaware   To Be Applied For
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, Connecticut

  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Preferred Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.17

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Preferred Securities of

PartnerRe Capital Trust II and certain backup undertakings

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.18

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation if
not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Preferred Securities of

PartnerRe Capital Trust III and certain backup undertakings

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.19

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Senior Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.20

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.21

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance II Inc.

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.22

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Senior Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.23

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.24

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.25

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Senior Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.26

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.27

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance B LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.28

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Senior Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.29

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.30

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM T-1

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)   ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

New York   13-5160382
(State of incorporation
if not a U.S. national bank)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. employer
identification no.)
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke HM 08
Bermuda
 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Junior Subordinated Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance C LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

- 2 -


  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 7th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:   /S/ SHERMA THOMAS
  Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
  Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money:

  

(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

Thomas P. Gibbons,
Chief Financial Officer

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

       

Steven G. Elliott

       

Directors

Robert P. Kelly

       

Exhibit 25.31

 

 

 

 

FORM T-1

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2) ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

New York   13-5160382

(State of incorporation

if not a U.S. national bank)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

 

One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   13-3399661

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

 

c/o PartnerRe U.S. Corporation

One Greenwich Plaza

Greenwich, Connecticut

  06830-6352
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

 

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Senior Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

- 2 -


  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 9th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:  

/S/ SHERMA THOMAS

Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money: (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Thomas P. Gibbons,                    

Chief Financial Officer                    

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

      

Steven G. Elliott

                                                Directors

Robert P. Kelly

      

Exhibit 25.32

 

 

 

FORM T-1

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE

ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO

SECTION 305(b)(2)  ¨

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

New York   13-5160382

(State of incorporation

if not a U.S. national bank)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.   10286
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

PartnerRe Ltd.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Bermuda   Not Applicable

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. employer

identification no.)

90 Pitts Bay Road

Pembroke HM 08

Bermuda

 
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip code)

 

 

Guarantee of Senior Debt Securities of

PartnerRe Finance A LLC

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 


1. General information. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee:

 

  (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Name

  

Address

Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York    One State Street, New York, N.Y. 10004-1417, and Albany, N.Y. 12223
Federal Reserve Bank of New York    33 Liberty Street, New York, N.Y. 10045
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation    Washington, D.C. 20429
New York Clearing House Association    New York, New York 10005

 

  (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

Yes.

 

2. Affiliations with Obligor.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

None.

 

16. List of Exhibits.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

 

  1. A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York, itself formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits 1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-21672, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-29637, Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

- 2 -


  4. A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee. (Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-121195).

 

  6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-152735).

 

  7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

- 3 -


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on the 9th day of April, 2009.

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
By:  

/S/ SHERMA THOMAS

Name:   SHERMA THOMAS
Title:   ASSISTANT TREASURER

 

- 4 -


EXHIBIT 7

Consolidated Report of Condition of

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31, 2008, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.

 

     Dollar Amounts
In Thousands

ASSETS

  

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

  

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

   4,440,000

Interest-bearing balances

   87,807,000

Securities:

  

Held-to-maturity securities

   7,327,000

Available-for-sale securities

   32,572,000

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

  

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

   373,000

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

   0

Loans and lease financing receivables:

  

Loans and leases held for sale

   0

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

   32,827,000

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

   357,000

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

   32,470,000

Trading assets

   10,665,000

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

   1,098,000

Other real estate owned

   8,000

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

   795,000

Not applicable

  

Intangible assets:

  

Goodwill

   4,908,000

Other intangible assets

   1,606,000

Other assets

   11,095,000
    

Total assets

   195,164,000
    


LIABILITIES

  

Deposits:

  

In domestic offices

   85,286,000

Noninterest-bearing

   54,008,000

Interest-bearing

   31,278,000

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

   72,497,000

Noninterest-bearing

   1,558,000

Interest-bearing

   70,939,000

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

  

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices .

   454,000

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

   75,000

Trading liabilities

   8,365,000

Other borrowed money: (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

   6,256,000

Not applicable

  

Not applicable

  

Subordinated notes and debentures

   3,490,000

Other liabilities

   7,018,000
    

Total liabilities

   183,441,000
    

Minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries

   350,000

EQUITY CAPITAL

  

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

   0

Common stock

   1,135,000

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

   8,276,000

Retained earnings

   6,810,000

Accumulated other comprehensive income

   -4,848,000

Other equity capital components

   0

Total equity capital

   11,373,000
    

Total liabilities, minority interest, and equity capital

   195,164,000
    


I, Thomas P. Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Thomas P. Gibbons,                    

Chief Financial Officer                    

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this statement of resources and liabilities. We declare that it has been examined by us, and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions and is true and correct.

 

Gerald L. Hassell

      

Steven G. Elliott

                                                Directors

Robert P. Kelly