UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT

TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report: November 3, 2009

(Date of Earliest Event Reported)

 

 

POTLATCH CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-32729   82-0156045

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

601 W. First Avenue, Suite 1600, Spokane WA   99201
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(509) 835-1500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Indenture and Notes

On November 3, 2009, the Company completed its previously announced offering of $150 million principal amount of 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”). The Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of November 3, 2009 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Notes were offered in the United States to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Interest on the Notes accrues at the rate of 7  1 / 2 % per annum and is payable semiannually in cash in arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing on May 1, 2010.

The Notes are unsecured and effectively subordinated to all of the Company’s existing and future secured debt, including borrowings under its existing secured revolving credit facility and approximately $71.3 million in principal amount of other secured indebtedness.

The Notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain of the Company’s existing and future subsidiaries that guarantee obligations or are borrowers under the Company’s senior secured credit facility. The subsidiary guarantors, jointly and severally, guarantee the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on an unsecured basis. If the Company is unable to make payments on the Notes when they are due, any subsidiary guarantors are obligated to make them instead.

The Company has the option to redeem all or a portion of the Notes at any time at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus an applicable premium set forth in the Indenture and accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, at any time prior to November 1, 2012, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the principal amount of the Notes with the net cash proceeds of qualified equity offerings at a redemption price equal to 107.500% of the aggregate principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, subject to certain limitations set forth in the Indenture.

If the Company experiences certain kinds of changes of control, the Company must offer to purchase the Notes from holders at 101% of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest.

The Indenture contains covenants that, among other things, limit the Company’s ability and the ability of any of its majority owned subsidiaries to (i) grant liens on its assets, (ii) make dividend payments or other restricted payments, (iii) enter into sale and leaseback transactions and (iv) merge, consolidate, transfer or dispose of substantially all of its assets. In addition, the Indenture requires, among other things, the Company to provide reports to holders of the Notes. These covenants are subject to a number of exceptions, limitations and qualifications set forth in the Indenture.

Upon the occurrence of customary events of default, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Upon the occurrence of certain bankruptcy or insolvency events affecting the Company or certain of its subsidiaries, all outstanding Notes will become immediately due and payable without further action or notice on the part of the Trustee or any holder.


Registration Rights Agreement

In connection with the issuance of the Notes, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement dated November 3, 2009 with the initial purchasers of the Notes (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has agreed, on or before the 365th day after the date the Notes are issued, to file a registration statement with the SEC pursuant to which it will offer to exchange the Notes for notes with substantially similar terms that are registered under the Securities Act. In certain circumstances, the Company will be required to make available an effective shelf registration statement registering the resale of the Notes. If the Company defaults on certain of its obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, it will be required to pay additional interest on the Notes with respect to which such default exists until the default is cured as set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Copies of the Indenture, the form of the Notes and the Registration Rights Agreement are attached as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 hereto, respectively, and each is incorporated by reference herein.

 

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

The foregoing terms and conditions of the Notes, the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement described in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K are incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

4.1   Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2009, between Potlatch Corporation and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
4.2   Form of 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019 (included as Exhibit A to the Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.1)
4.3   Registration Rights Agreement, dated November 3, 2009 between Potlatch Corporation and the parties named therein.


SIGNATURE

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

 

Dated: November 9, 2009     POTLATCH CORPORATION
    By:  

/s/    P AMELA A. M ULL        

    Name:   Pamela A. Mull
    Title:   Corporate Secretary


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

 

Description of Exhibit

4.1   Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2009, between Potlatch Corporation and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
4.2   Form of 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019 (included as Exhibit A to the Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.1)
4.3   Registration Rights Agreement, dated November 3, 2009 between Potlatch Corporation and the parties named therein.

Exhibit 4.1

 

 

 

POTLATCH CORPORATION

7  1 / 2 % SENIOR NOTES DUE 2019

INDENTURE

Dated as of November 3, 2009

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee

 

 

 


CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

   Indenture Section

310    (a)(1)

   7.10

(a)(2)

   7.10

(a)(3)

   N.A.

(a)(4)

   N.A.

(a)(5)

   7.10

(b)

   7.10

(c)

   N.A.

311    (a)

   7.11

(b)

   7.11

(c)

   N.A.

312    (a)

   2.05

(b)

   12.03

(c)

   12.03

313    (a)

   7.06

(b)(1)

   N.A.

(b)(2)

   7.06; 7.07

(c)

   7.06; 12.02

(d)

   7.06

314    (a)

   4.03; 12.02; 12.05

(b)

   N.A.

(c)(1)

   12.04

(c)(2)

   12.04

(c)(3)

   N.A.

(d)

   N.A.

(e)

   12.05

(f)

   N.A.

315    (a)

   7.01

(b)

   7.05; 12.02

(c)

   7.01

(d)

   7.01

(e)

   6.11

316    (a) (last sentence)

   2.09

(a)(1)(A)

   6.05

(a)(1)(B)

   6.04

(a)(2)

   N.A.

(b)

   6.07

(c)

   2.12

317    (a)(1)

   6.08

(a)(2)

   6.09

(b)

   2.04

318    (a)

   12.01

(b)

   N.A.

(c)

   12.01

 

N.A. means not applicable.

* This Cross-Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

            Page

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION

BY REFERENCE

 

Section 1.01      Definitions    1
Section 1.02      Other Definitions.    12
Section 1.03      Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act    13
Section 1.04      Rules of Construction    13
Section 1.05      Acts of Holders    13

ARTICLE 2.

 

THE NOTES

 

Section 2.01      Form and Dating    14
Section 2.02      Execution and Authentication    15
Section 2.03      Registrar and Paying Agent    15
Section 2.04      Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust    15
Section 2.05      Holder Lists    16
Section 2.06      Transfer and Exchange    16
Section 2.07      Replacement Notes    26
Section 2.08      Outstanding Notes    26
Section 2.09      Treasury Notes    26
Section 2.10      Temporary Notes    26
Section 2.11      Cancellation    26
Section 2.12      Defaulted Interest    27

ARTICLE 3.

 

REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT

 

Section 3.01      Notices to Trustee    27
Section 3.02      Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased    27
Section 3.03      Notice of Redemption    28
Section 3.04      Effect of Notice of Redemption    28
Section 3.05      Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price    29
Section 3.06      Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part    29
Section 3.07      Optional Redemption    29
Section 3.08      Mandatory Redemption    29

ARTICLE 4.

 

COVENANTS

 

Section 4.01      Payment of Notes    29
Section 4.02      Maintenance of Office or Agency    30
Section 4.03      SEC Reports    30
Section 4.04      Limitation on Liens    30
Section 4.05      Limitation on Sale and Leaseback    33

 

-i-


            Page
Section 4.06      Limitation on Restricted Payments    33
Section 4.07      [Internationally Omitted]    35
Section 4.08      Statement by Officers as to Default    35
Section 4.09      Waiver of Certain Covenants    35
Section 4.10      Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control    35
Section 4.11      Limitation of Guarantees by Subsidiaries    36
Section 4.12      Payments for Consent    37

ARTICLE 5.

 

SUCCESSORS

 

Section 5.01      Company May Consolidate, Etc., on Certain Terms    37
Section 5.02      Successor Substituted    37
Section 5.03      Securities to Be Secured in Certain Events    37
Section 5.04      No Consolidation, Etc., Shall Result in Event of Default    38
Section 5.05      Opinion of Counsel and Officers’ Certificate to Be Given to Trustee    38

ARTICLE 6.

 

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

 

Section 6.01      Events of Default    38
Section 6.02      Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment    39
Section 6.03      Other Remedies    40
Section 6.04      Waiver of Past Defaults    40
Section 6.05      Control by Majority    40
Section 6.06      Limitation on Suits    40
Section 6.07      Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment    40
Section 6.08      Collection Suit by Trustee    41
Section 6.09      Trustee May File Proofs of Claim    41
Section 6.10      Priorities    41
Section 6.11      Undertaking for Costs    42
ARTICLE 7.
TRUSTEE
Section 7.01      Duties of Trustee    42
Section 7.02      Rights of Trustee    43
Section 7.03      Individual Rights of Trustee    43
Section 7.04      Trustee’s Disclaimer    43
Section 7.05      Notice of Defaults    44
Section 7.06      Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes    44
Section 7.07      Compensation and Indemnity    44
Section 7.08      Replacement of Trustee    45
Section 7.09      Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.    46
Section 7.10      Eligibility; Disqualification    46
Section 7.11      Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company    46

ARTICLE 8.

 

LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

Section 8.01      Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance    46

 

-ii-


            Page
Section 8.02      Legal Defeasance and Discharge    46
Section 8.03      Covenant Defeasance    47
Section 8.04      Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance    47
Section 8.05      Deposited Money and Government Securities to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions    48
Section 8.06      Repayment to Company    48
Section 8.07      Reinstatement    48

ARTICLE 9.

 

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

 

Section 9.01      Without Consent of Holders of Notes    48
Section 9.02      With Consent of Holders of Notes    49
Section 9.03      Compliance with Trust Indenture Act    50
Section 9.04      Revocation and Effect of Consents    50
Section 9.05      Notation on or Exchange of Notes    51
Section 9.06      Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc.    51

ARTICLE 10.

 

GUARANTEE

 

Section 10.01      Guarantee    51
Section 10.02      Limitation on Guarantor Liability    52
Section 10.03      Execution and Delivery of Guarantee    52
Section 10.04      Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., on Certain Terms    52
Section 10.05      Releases    53

ARTICLE 11.

 

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 11.01      Satisfaction and Discharge    54
Section 11.02      Application of Trust Money    54

ARTICLE 12.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 12.01      Trust Indenture Act Controls    55
Section 12.02      Notices    55
Section 12.03      Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes    56
Section 12.04      Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent    56
Section 12.05      Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion    56
Section 12.06      Rules by Trustee and Agents    57
Section 12.07      No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders    57
Section 12.08      Governing Law    57
Section 12.09      No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements    57
Section 12.10      Successors    57
Section 12.11      Severability    57
Section 12.12      Counterpart Originals    57
Section 12.13      Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.    58
Section 12.14      Waiver of Jury Trial    58
Section 12.15      Force Majeure    58

 

-iii-


EXHIBITS     
Exhibit A      FORM OF NOTES
Exhibit B      FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
Exhibit C      FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
Exhibit D      FORM OF NOTATION OF GUARANTEE
Exhibit E      FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

-iv-


INDENTURE dated as of November 3, 2009 between Potlatch Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

The Company and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders (as defined) of the 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019 (the “ Notes ”):

ARTICLE 1.

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION

BY REFERENCE

Section 1.01 Definitions.

144A Global Note ” means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee.

Additional Interest ” means all additional interest then owing pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.

Additional Notes ” means additional notes (other than the Initial Notes and other than Exchange Notes for such Initial Notes) issued from time to time under this Indenture in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, as part of the same series as the Initial Notes.

Affiliate ” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise; provided that beneficial ownership of 10% or more of the Voting Stock of a person will be deemed to be control. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” have correlative meanings.

Agent ” means any Registrar, co-registrar, Paying Agent or additional paying agent.

Applicable Premium ” means, with respect to any Note on any applicable redemption date, the greater of (i) 1.0% of the then outstanding principal amount of such Note and (ii) the excess of:

(a) the present value at such redemption date of the sum of all required remaining principal and interest payments due on such Note (excluding accrued but unpaid interest), such present value to be computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over

(b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Note.

Applicable Procedures ” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange.

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

Attributable Debt ” means, in respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, at the time of determination, the present value of the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction including any period for which such lease had been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended. Such present value shall be calculated using a discount rate equal to the rate of interest implicit in such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP.


Basis of Real Estate Sold ” means the book value of the Timberland and related timber based on the original purchase price, as displayed in the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

Board of Directors ” means:

(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee thereof;

(2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors (or a board or committee serving a similar function) of the general partner of the partnership;

(3) with respect to a limited liability company, the board of managers (or a board or committee serving a similar function) of the limited liability company; and

(4) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

Broker-Dealer ” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Business Day ” means each day other than a Legal Holiday.

Capital Expenditures ” means, for any period, any direct or indirect expenditures of the Company and its Subsidiaries which should be capitalized on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, provided that expenditures for any direct or indirect Timberlands purchase transaction exceeding $5 million shall not be included.

Capital Stock ” means:

(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;

(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;

(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited); and

(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person,

including any options or warrants convertible into (1)-(4) above, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity securities.

Capitalized Lease Obligation ” means, as to any Person, the obligations of such Person under a lease that are required to be classified and accounted for as capital lease obligations under GAAP and, for purposes of this definition, the amount of such obligations at any date shall be the capitalized amount of such obligations at such date, determined in accordance with GAAP.

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

(a) any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act or any successor provisions to either of the foregoing) of Persons become the “beneficial owners”

 

-2-


(as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person will be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that any such Person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than 35% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company, whether as a result of the issuance of securities of the Company, any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

(b) the sale, transfer, assignment, lease, conveyance or other disposition, directly or indirectly, of all or substantially all the assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries, considered as a whole (other than a disposition of such assets as an entirety or virtually as an entirety to a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary) shall have occurred, or the Company merges, consolidates or amalgamates with or into any other Person or any other Person merges, consolidates or amalgamates with or into the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company is reclassified into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where:

(1) the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company is reclassified into or exchanged for other Voting Stock of the Company or for Voting Stock of the surviving corporation, and

(2) the holders of the Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, not less than a majority of the Voting Stock of the Company or the surviving corporation immediately after such transaction and in substantially the same proportion as before the transaction; or

(c) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Company’s Board of Directors (together with any new directors whose election or appointment by such Board or whose nomination for election by the stockholders of the Company was approved by a vote of not less than a majority of the directors then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of such Board then in office; or

(d) the stockholders of the Company shall have approved any plan of liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Clearstream ” means Clearstream Banking, S.A.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

Company ” means the party named as such in the preamble to this Indenture, and any and all successors thereto.

Consolidated Earnings ” means, for any period, the consolidated earnings (or loss) from continuing operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries for such period as determined in accordance with GAAP, adjusted, to the extent included in calculating such earnings, by excluding, without duplication:

(1) all extraordinary, non-recurring or unusual gains or losses (net of fees and expenses relating to the transaction giving rise thereto);

(2) the portion of earnings of the Company and the Subsidiaries allocable to minority interests in unconsolidated Persons to the extent that cash dividends or distributions have not actually been received by the Company or one of the Subsidiaries;

(3) gains or losses in respect of any sales of Capital Stock or asset sales outside the ordinary course of business by such Person or one of its Subsidiaries (net of fees and expenses relating to the transaction giving rise thereto), on an after-tax basis;

 

-3-


(4) any gain or loss realized as a result of the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles;

(5) any fees and expenses paid in connection with the issuance of the Notes;

(6) the net after-tax effects of adjustments in the inventory, property and equipment, goodwill, intangible assets, deferred revenue and debt line items in such Person’s consolidated financial statements pursuant to GAAP resulting from the application of purchase accounting or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof;

(7) any gain or loss recorded in connection with the designation of a discontinued operation (exclusive of its operating income or loss);

(8) any non-cash compensation or other non-cash expenses or charges arising from the grant of or issuance or repricing of stock, stock options or other equity-based awards or any amendment, modification, substitution or change of any such stock, stock options or other equity-based awards; and

(9) any net after-tax gain or loss from discontinued operations.

Consolidated EBITDDA ” means, for any period, the Consolidated Earnings for such period, plus the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Earnings: (i) provision for all taxes (whether or not paid, estimated or accrued) based on income, profits or capital, (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense, (iii) depreciation, depletion, amortization (including but not limited to amortization of goodwill and intangibles and amortization and write-off of financing costs), (iv) any prepayment penalty, make whole premium or loss associated with the repayment of any Indebtedness, and (v) the Basis of Real Estate Sold.

In calculating “Consolidated EBITDDA” for any period, if any disposition or acquisition (whether pursuant to a stock or an asset transaction) shall have occurred since the first day of such period for which the “Consolidated EBITDDA” is being calculated, such calculation shall give pro forma effect to such disposition or acquisition.

Consolidated Interest Expense ” means, for any period, without duplication, the sum of:

(1) the interest expense less interest income of the Company and any Subsidiary for such period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including, without limitation (to the extent reflected as interest expense in accordance with GAAP):

(a) any amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs;

(b) the cash cost under any Interest Swap Obligations;

(c) the interest portion of any deferred payment obligation;

(d) all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptance financing or similar activities;

(e) the interest expense on Indebtedness of another Person that is Guaranteed by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries or secured by a Lien on assets of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries;

(f) costs associated with hedging obligations related to Indebtedness (including amortization thereof);

 

-4-


(g) the cash contributions to employee stock ownership plan or similar trust to the extent such contributions are used by such plan or trust to pay interest or fees to any Person (other than the Company) in connection with Indebtedness incurred by such plan or trust;

(h) all accrued interest;

(i) interest expense, amortization or write-off of debt discount and debt issuance costs and commissions, discounts and other premiums, fees and charges associated with Indebtedness or any receivables financing, whether in connection with the incurrence, prepayment, redemption, termination or wind-down thereof or otherwise associated with Indebtedness or any receivables financing (including the credit facilities, letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances and net costs under hedging agreements); and

(2) the interest component of capital lease obligations paid, accrued or scheduled to be paid or accrued by the Company and the Subsidiaries during such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Net Tangible Assets ” means the total amount of assets of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (less applicable reserves) after deducting therefrom: (a) all current liabilities of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (excluding intercompany items among the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries and excluding any current liabilities constituting Funded Indebtedness by reason of being renewable or extendable and excluding deferred income taxes), and (b) goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, such assets and exclusions and deductions therefrom to be in such amounts, if any, as would appear on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the date of computation, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis as in effect on the date of such computation.

Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee ” will be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 12.02 hereof or such other address as to which the Trustee or successor trustee may give notice to the Company.

Credit Agreement ” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of December 8, 2008, among the Company, the Subsidiaries party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and the lenders and agents party thereto, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the original agents, lenders or otherwise), renewed, restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or otherwise modified from time to time (such replacement, renewal, restructuring, repaying, refunding, refinancing or modification may be successive or non-successive), including by means of one or more other credit agreements, loan agreements, note agreements, promissory notes, indentures or other agreements or instruments evidencing or governing the terms of any Indebtedness or other financial accommodation that has been incurred to extend, increase or refinance in whole or in part the Indebtedness and other obligations outstanding.

Custodian ” means the custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto, which shall initially be the Trustee.

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

Definitive Note ” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.06 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.

Depositary ” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.03 hereof as the Depositary with respect to the Notes, and any and all successors thereto appointed as depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to the applicable provision of this Indenture.

 

-5-


Disqualified Capital Stock ” means that portion of any Capital Stock which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof), or upon the happening of any event (other than an event which would constitute a Change of Control), matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the sole option of the holder thereof (except, in each case, upon the occurrence of a Change of Control) on or prior to the final maturity date of the Notes.

Euroclear ” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Exchange Notes ” means any notes issued in exchange for the Notes pursuant to Section 2.06(f) hereof.

Exchange Offer ” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Exchange Offer Registration Statement ” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Funded Indebtedness ” mean, with respect to any corporation, indebtedness of such corporation if such indebtedness shall be payable more than one year from the date of computation or shall be extendable or renewable at the option of such corporation to a time more than one year after the date of computations, and all guarantees (direct or indirect) of such indebtedness of others.

Funds Available for Distribution ” for any period means the Consolidated Earnings of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period determined in accordance with GAAP, plus

(1) consolidated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense of the Company and its Subsidiaries for such period, to the extent such consolidated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense was deducted in computing such Consolidated Earnings; plus

(2) Basis of Real Estate Sold for such period; minus

(3) Capital Expenditures for such period,

in each case, calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries for the period on a consolidated basis as determined in accordance with GAAP.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, consistently applied, as set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession of the United States.

Global Note Legend ” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(2), which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.

Global Notes ” means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes, deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Section 2.01, 2.06(b)(3), 2.06(b)(4) or 2.06(d)(2) hereof.

Government Securities ” means direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America, and the payment for which the United States pledges its full faith and credit.

 

-6-


Guarantee ” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (1) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services (unless such purchase arrangements are on arm’s-length terms and are entered into in the ordinary course of business), to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (2) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business; supplier, purchaser or customer arrangements in the ordinary course of business; representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities entered into by the Company or any Subsidiary which are reasonably customary in sale, factoring or securitization of receivables financings; or “comfort” letters delivered to auditors in connection with statutory audits. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantor ” means any Subsidiary that executes a Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and its successors and assigns until the Guarantee of such Person has been released in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

Holder ” means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.

Indebtedness ” means with respect to any Person, without duplication,

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

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

(3) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of such Person;

(4) all Obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations and all Obligations under any title retention agreement (but excluding trade accounts payable and other accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business and indemnification obligations and obligations under agreements relating to the sale or acquisition of assets or equity);

(5) all Obligations for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction;

(6) guarantees and other contingent obligations in respect of Indebtedness referred to in clauses (1) through (5) above and clause (8) below;

(7) all Obligations of any other Person of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (6) which are secured by any lien on any property or asset of such Person, the amount of such Obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the fair market value of such property or asset or the amount of the Obligation so secured;

(8) all Obligations under currency agreements and interest swap agreements of such Person; and

(9) all Disqualified Capital Stock issued by such Person with the amount of Indebtedness represented by such Disqualified Capital Stock being equal to the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference and its maximum fixed repurchase price, but excluding accrued dividends, if any.

For purposes hereof, the “maximum fixed repurchase price” of any Disqualified Capital Stock which does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Capital Stock as if such Disqualified Capital Stock were purchased on any date on which Indebtedness shall be

 

-7-


required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture, and if such price is based upon, or measured by, the fair market value of such Disqualified Capital Stock, such fair market value shall be determined reasonably and in good faith by the Board of Directors of the issuer of such Disqualified Capital Stock.

Indenture ” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

Indirect Participant ” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.

Initial Notes ” means the $150.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this Indenture on the date hereof.

Initial Purchaser ” means any of Banc of America Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.

Institutional Accredited Investor ” means an institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act, who are not also QIBs.

Interest Payment Date ” means May 1 and November 1 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day.

Interest Swap Obligations ” means the obligations of any Person pursuant to any arrangement with any other Person, whereby, directly or indirectly, such Person is entitled to receive from time to time periodic payments calculated by applying either a floating or a fixed rate of interest on a stated notional amount in exchange for periodic payments made by such other Person calculated by applying a fixed or a floating rate of interest on the same notional amount and shall include, without limitation, interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements.

Investments ” means, with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans (including Guarantees or other obligations), advances or capital contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for value of Indebtedness, equity interests or other securities, together with all items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. If the Company or any Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any equity interests of any direct or indirect Subsidiary such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary, the Company shall be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of any such sale or disposition equal to the fair market value of the Company’s Investments in such Subsidiary that were not sold or disposed of. “Investments” shall exclude extensions of trade credit by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.

Issue Date ” means the date on which the Notes are originally issued under this Indenture.

Legal Holiday ” means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York City or at a place of payment are authorized by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed. If a payment date is on a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the intervening period.

Letter of Transmittal ” means the letter of transmittal to be prepared by the Company and sent to all Holders of the Notes for use by such Holders in connection with the Exchange Offer.

Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any date, the ratio of (a) the Indebtedness as of such date to (b) the Consolidated EBITDDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the immediately preceding four full fiscal quarters ending prior to such date for which internal financial statements are available (the “Transaction Date”), determined as provided below.

 

-8-


For purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio:

(1) acquisitions that have been made by the specified Person or any of its Subsidiaries, including through mergers or consolidations and including any related financing transactions, during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to the Transaction Date shall be deemed to have occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act; and

(2) the Consolidated EBITDDA attributable to discontinued operations, as determined in accordance with GAAP, and operations or businesses disposed of prior to the Transaction Date, will be excluded.

Lien ” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction.

Medium-term notes ” means the Company’s (i) $48.8 million aggregate principal amount of medium-term notes with interest rates ranging from 8.65% to 8.89%, and maturity dates ranging from 2011 to 2022 and (ii) $22.5 million aggregate principal amount of 6.95% debentures due 2015.

Net Tangible Assets ” means, at any date, the aggregate amount of assets (less applicable reserves required by GAAP and other properly deductible items) after deducting therefrom (1) all current liabilities (excluding any Indebtedness for money borrowed having a maturity of less than 12 months from the date of the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company but which by its terms is renewable or extendable beyond 12 months from such date at the option of the borrower) and (2) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, all of the foregoing as set forth on the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries computed in accordance with GAAP.

Non-U.S. Person ” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.

Notes ” has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this Indenture. The Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall be treated as a single series for all purposes under this Indenture (except as specifically set forth herein), and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the Notes shall include the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes.

Obligations ” means all obligations for principal, premium, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.

Offering Memorandum ” means that offering memorandum, dated as of October 29, 2009, relating to the Initial Notes.

Officer ” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or any Vice-President of such Person.

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by two Officers of the Company, one of whom must be the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the requirements of Section 12.05 hereof.

Opinion of Counsel ” means an opinion from legal counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee that meets the requirements of Section 12.05 hereof. Such counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

-9-


Participant ” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, a Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, respectively (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream).

Person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other agency.

Principal Property ” means (a) any building, structure or other facility used primarily for manufacturing and located in the United States, in each case the gross book value (without deduction of any depreciation reserves) of which on the date as of which the determination is being made shall exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, other than any of the types of facilities described in subsections (b)(4), (b)(5) and (b)(6) of Section 103 of the Code, or as described in any provisions of the Code which may hereafter replace such subsections, or any types of facilities which may hereafter be added to the list of facilities described in such subsections or their successor provisions, and (b) any Timberlands in the United States owned in fee or under contract for the purchase of the fee by the Company or any Subsidiary other than such Timberlands in the aggregate not exceeding 10% of the aggregate Timberlands acreage in the United States owned in fee or under contract for the purchase of the fee by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the date as of which any determination shall be made; provided , however , that the term “Principal Property” shall not include any Timberlands, buildings, structures, facilities or any portion of any of the foregoing which, in the opinion of the Company’s Board of Directors as expressed in a board resolution, shall not be of material importance to the total business conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as an entirety; and provided , further , that the term Principal Property shall not include any land, including without limitation Timberlands, designated by the Company’s Board of Directors as being held primarily for development or sale, or any land, including without limitation Timberlands, held for the exploitation of minerals or mineral rights.

Private Placement Legend ” means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(1) to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Indenture.

QIB ” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

Qualified Capital Stock ” in any Person means a class of Capital Stock other than Redeemable Capital Stock.

Redeemable Capital Stock ” in any Person means any equity security of such Person that by its terms (or by terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or otherwise (including the passage of time or the happening of an event), is required to be redeemed, is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof in whole or in part (including by operation of a sinking fund), or is convertible or exchangeable for Indebtedness of such Person at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the stated maturity of the Notes; provided that only the portion of such equity security which is required to be redeemed, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof before such date will be deemed to be Redeemable Capital Stock. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any equity security that would constitute Redeemable Capital Stock solely because the holders of the equity security have the right to require the Company to repurchase such equity security upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale will not constitute Redeemable Capital Stock if the terms of such equity security provide that the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such equity security pursuant to such provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with the provisions of Section 4.06. The amount of Redeemable Capital Stock deemed to be outstanding at any time for purposes of this Indenture will be the maximum amount that the Company and its Subsidiaries may become obligated to pay upon the maturity of, or pursuant to any mandatory redemption provisions of, such Redeemable Capital Stock or portion thereof, exclusive of accrued dividends.

Registration Rights Agreement ” means the Registration Rights Agreement related to the Notes, dated as of November 3, 2009, between the Company and the Initial Purchasers, as such agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented form time to time and, with respect to any Additional Notes, one or more registration rights agreements between the Company and the other parties thereto, as such agreement(s) may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, relating to rights given by the Company to the purchasers of Additional Notes to exchange such Additional Notes for Exchange Notes or register such Additional Notes under the Securities Act.

 

-10-


Regulation S ” means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.

Regulation S Global Note ” means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee.

Responsible Officer ,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

Restricted Definitive Note ” means a Definitive Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

Restricted Global Note ” means a Global Note bearing the Private Placement Legend.

Restricted Payment ” means any of the following (i) any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary (other than dividends or other distributions made solely in Qualified Capital Stock and other than dividends or other distributions payable to the Company or any Subsidiary) or (ii) any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property) to purchase, redeem, retire, repurchase, defease (including an in substance or legal defeasance) or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including pursuant to mandatory repurchase covenants) any Capital Stock or other equity interest of the Company or any Subsidiary.

Restricted Period ” means the 40-day distribution compliance period as defined in Regulation S.

Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 144A ” means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 903 ” means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.

Rule 904 ” means Rule 904 promulgated the Securities Act.

Sale and Leaseback Transaction ” means any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Company or any Subsidiary of any properties or assets of the Company and/or such Subsidiary (except for leases between the Company and any Subsidiary, between any Subsidiary and the Company or between Subsidiaries), which properties or assets have been or are to be sold or transferred by the Company or such Subsidiary to such Person which lease shall occur within 180 days after such sale or transfer.

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Shelf Registration Statement ” means the Shelf Registration Statement as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Significant Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that would be a “Significant Subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.

Stated Maturity ” means when used with respect to the Notes or any installment of interest thereon, the date specified in such Note as the fixed date on which the principal amount of such Note or such installment of interest is due and payable.

 

-11-


Subsidiary ” means a corporation more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other Subsidiaries. For the purposes of this definition, “voting stock” means stock which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

TIA ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in effect on the date on which this Indenture is qualified under the TIA, provided that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

Timberlands ” means real property that contains standing timber.

Treasury Rate ” means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to such redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to November 1, 2019; provided , however , that if the period from the redemption date to November 1, 2019 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.

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

Unrestricted Definitive Note ” means one or more Definitive Notes that do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.

Unrestricted Global Note ” means a permanent Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary, representing Notes that do not bear and are not required to bear the Private Placement Legend.

U.S. Person ” means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(o) under the Securities Act.

Voting Stock ” of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.

Wholly-Owned Subsidiary ” of any specified Person means a Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) will at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Section 1.02 Other Definitions .

 

Term

   Defined
in Section

“Authentication Order”

   2.02

“Change of Control Offer”

   4.10

“Change of Control Payment”

   4.10

“Change of Control Payment Date”

   4.10

“Covenant Defeasance”

   8.03

“DTC”

   2.03

“Event of Default”

   6.01

“Legal Defeasance”

   8.02

“Outstanding Notes”

   2.08

“Paying Agent”

   2.03

“Registrar”

   2.03

 

-12-


Section 1.03 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act .

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.

The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

indenture securities ” means the Notes;

indenture security holder ” means a Holder of a Note;

indenture to be qualified ” means this Indenture;

indenture trustee ” or “ institutional trustee ” means the Trustee; and

obligor ” on the Notes and the Guarantee means the Company and each Guarantor, respectively, and any successor obligor upon the Notes and the Guarantee, respectively.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA have the meanings so assigned to them.

Section 1.04 Rules of Construction.

Unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

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

(3) “or” is not exclusive;

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

(5) “will” shall be interpreted to express a command;

(6) provisions apply to successive events and transactions; and

(7) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act will be deemed to include substitute, replacement successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time.

Section 1.05 Acts of Holders .

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

 

-13-


(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to such officer the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than such signer’s individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of such signer’s authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

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

(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, by or pursuant to a board resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Notes have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Notes shall be computed as of such record date.

ARTICLE 2.

THE NOTES

Section 2.01 Form and Dating .

(a) General . The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The terms and provisions contained in the Notes will constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Company, each Guarantor and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. However, to the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

(b) Global Notes . Notes issued in global form will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon and the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto). Notes issued in definitive form will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” thereto). Each Global Note will represent such of the Outstanding Notes as will be specified therein and each shall provide that it represents the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes represented thereby will be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof.

(c) Euroclear and Clearstream Procedures Applicable . The provisions of the “Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System” and “Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear” and the “General Terms and Conditions of Clearstream Banking” and “Customer Handbook” of Clearstream (or in each case successor provisions thereto) will be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note that are held by Participants through Euroclear or Clearstream.

 

-14-


Section 2.02 Execution and Authentication.

An Officer must sign the Notes for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.

If the Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time a Note is authenticated, the Note will nevertheless be valid.

A Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee. The signature will be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.

On the date of this Indenture, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a written order of the Company signed by an Officer (an “ Authentication Order ”), authenticate and deliver the Initial Notes. In addition, at any time, from time to time thereafter, the Trustee shall upon receipt of an Authentication Order authenticate and deliver (i) Additional Notes and (ii) Exchange Notes for issue only in an Exchange Offer, pursuant to a Registration Rights Agreement, for a like principal amount of Initial Notes. Such Authentication Order shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated. The aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed the aggregate principal amount of Notes authorized for issuance by the Company pursuant to one or more Authentication Orders.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with Holders or an Affiliate of the Company.

Section 2.03 Registrar and Paying Agent .

The Company will maintain an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (“ Registrar ”) and an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“ Paying Agent ”). The Registrar will keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar and the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Company will notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Company fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.

The Company initially appoints The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.

The Company initially appoints the Trustee to act as the Registrar and Paying Agent and to act as Custodian with respect to the Global Notes.

Section 2.04 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust .

The Company will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, or premium or Additional Interest, if any, or interest on, the Notes, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary) will have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it will segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings relating to the Company, the Trustee will serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.

 

-15-


Section 2.05 Holder Lists .

The Trustee will preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company will furnish to the Trustee at least seven Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of Notes and the Company shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).

Section 2.06 Transfer and Exchange .

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes . A Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. All Global Notes will be exchanged by the Company for Definitive Notes if:

(1) the Company delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary and a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Company within 120 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary or the Company delivers to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that it is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; or

(2) there has occurred and is continuing a Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes.

Upon the occurrence of any of the preceding events in (1) or (2) above, Definitive Notes shall be issued in such names as the Depositary shall instruct the Trustee. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.06(a); however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.06(b), (c) or (f) hereof.

(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes . The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes will be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also will require compliance with either subparagraph (1) or (2) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:

(1) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note . Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend; provided , however , that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note may not be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 2.06(b)(1).

 

-16-


(2) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes . In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.06(b)(1) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either:

(A) both:

(i) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and

(ii) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase; or

(B) both:

(i) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and

(ii) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above; provided that in no event shall Definitive Notes be issued upon the transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period.

Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer by the Company in accordance with Section 2.06(f) hereof, the requirements of this Section 2.06(b)(2) shall be deemed to have been satisfied upon receipt by the Registrar of the instructions contained in the Letter of Transmittal delivered by the Holder of such beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof.

(3) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note . A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) above and the Registrar receives the following:

(A) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof; and

(B) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof.

(4) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note . A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) above and

(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company;

 

-17-


(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or

(D) the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof; or

(ii) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;

and, in the case of clause (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above. Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.

(c) Transfer or Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes .

(1) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes . If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

(A) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;

(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;

(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;

(E) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D) above, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable;

 

-18-


(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or

(G) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,

the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(1) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.

(2) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if:

(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company;

(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or

(D) the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or

(ii) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;

and, in the case of clause (i) or (ii) of this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

 

-19-


(3) Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . If any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(b)(2) hereof, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(3) will be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest requests through instructions to the Registrar from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee will deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(3) will not bear the Private Placement Legend.

(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests .

(1) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes . If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

(A) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;

(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

(C) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;

(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;

(E) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D) above, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable;

(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or

(G) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,

the Trustee will cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, in the case of clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note.

 

-20-


(2) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes . A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if:

(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company;

(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or

(D) the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or

(ii) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;

and, in each such case set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 2.06(d)(2), the Trustee will cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.

(3) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes . A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee will cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.

If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to subparagraph (2) or (3) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee will authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.

(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes . Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.06(e), the Registrar will register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder must present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder must provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.06(e).

 

-21-


(1) Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes . Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:

(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;

(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and

(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.

(2) Restricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if:

(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (1) a Broker-Dealer, (2) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (3) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company;

(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;

(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or

(D) the Registrar receives the following:

(i) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or

(ii) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;

and, in each such case set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

(3) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.

 

-22-


(f) Exchange Offer . Upon the occurrence of an Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate:

(i) one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by Persons that certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (x) they are not Broker-Dealers, (y) they are not participating in a distribution of any Exchange Notes and (z) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company; and

(ii) Unrestricted Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by Persons that certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (x) they are not Broker-Dealers, (y) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and (z) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company.

Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Persons designated by the Holders of Definitive Notes so accepted Unrestricted Definitive Notes in the applicable principal amount. Any Notes that remain outstanding after the consummation of an Exchange Offer, and Exchange Notes issued in connection with an Exchange Offer, shall be treated as a single series of securities under this Indenture.

(g) Legends . The following legends will appear on the face of all Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

(1) Private Placement Legend .

(A) Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the legend in substantially the following form:

THE SECURITY (OR ITS PREDECESSOR) EVIDENCED HEREBY WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SECTION 5 OF THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION THEREFROM. EACH PURCHASER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE SELLER MAY BE RELYING ON THE EXEMPTION FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 OF THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A THEREUNDER. THE HOLDER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT (A) SUCH SECURITY MAY BE RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, ONLY (1)(a) INSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (b) OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES TO A FOREIGN PERSON IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (c) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF APPLICABLE) OR (d) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANOTHER EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT (AND BASED UPON AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY IF THE COMPANY SO REQUESTS AND SUCH OTHER

 

-23-


CERTIFICATIONS AND DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMPANY MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE), (2) TO THE COMPANY OR (3) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND, IN EACH CASE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION AND (B) THE HOLDER WILL, AND EACH SUBSEQUENT HOLDER IS REQUIRED TO, NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN CLAUSE (A) ABOVE. NO REPRESENTATION CAN BE MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE EXEMPTION PROVIDED BY RULE 144 FOR RESALE OF THE SECURITY EVIDENCED HEREBY.

(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraphs (b)(4), (c)(2), (c)(3), (d)(2), (d)(3), (e)(2), (e)(3) or (f) of this Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) will not bear the Private Placement Legend.

(2) Global Note Legend . Each Global Note will bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (1) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06 OF THE INDENTURE, (2) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE, (3) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (4) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY.

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”

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

 

-24-


(i) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges .

(1) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon receipt of an Authentication Order or at the Registrar’s request.

(2) No service charge will be made to a Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.10, 3.06, 4.10 and 9.05 hereof).

(3) The Registrar will not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.

(4) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes will be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

(5) Neither the Registrar nor the Company will be required:

(A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any selection of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection;

(B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part; or

(C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding interest payment date.

(6) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Company may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, and premium (if any) and interest (including Additional Interest, if any) on, such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Company shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(7) The Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof and this Section 2.06(i).

(8) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

(9) Each Holder agrees to indemnify the Company and the Trustee against any liability that may result from the transfer, exchange or assignment of such Holder’s Note in violation of any provision of this Indenture or applicable United States Federal or state securities law. The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

 

-25-


Section 2.07 Replacement Notes .

If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company and the Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, the Company will issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements are met. If required by the Trustee or the Company, an indemnity bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Company to protect the Company, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company may charge for its expenses in replacing a Note.

Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company and will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder.

Section 2.08 Outstanding Notes .

The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in this Section 2.08 as not outstanding (the “ Outstanding Notes ”). Except as set forth in Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note; however, Notes held by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company shall not be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of Section 3.07 hereof.

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser.

If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding and interest on it ceases to accrue.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds, on a redemption date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes will be deemed to be no longer outstanding and will cease to accrue interest.

Section 2.09 Treasury Notes .

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company or any Guarantor, or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or any Guarantor, will be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee will be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned will be so disregarded.

Section 2.10 Temporary Notes .

Until certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of certificated Notes but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Notes and as may be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Company will prepare and the Trustee will authenticate Definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.

Holders of temporary Notes will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture.

Section 2.11 Cancellation .

The Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent will forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or

 

-26-


payment. The Trustee and no one else will cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and will dispose of such canceled Notes (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act) in its customary manner. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.12 Defaulted Interest .

If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, it will pay the defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful, interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof. The Company will notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment. The Company will fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date, provided that no such special record date may be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted interest. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Company (or, upon the written request of the Company, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company) will mail or cause to be mailed to Holders a notice that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12 and for greater certainty, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.

ARTICLE 3.

REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT

Section 3.01 Notices to Trustee .

If the Company elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 3.07 hereof, it must furnish to the Trustee, at least 45 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an Officers’ Certificate setting forth:

(1) the clause of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur;

(2) the redemption date;

(3) the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and

(4) the redemption price.

Section 3.02 Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased .

If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed or purchased in an offer to purchase at any time, the Trustee will select Notes for redemption or purchase as follows:

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

(2) if the Notes are not listed on any national securities exchange, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.

In the event of partial redemption or purchase by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed or purchased will be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption or purchase date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption or purchase.

 

-27-


The Trustee will promptly notify the Company in writing of the Notes selected for redemption or purchase and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption or purchase, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed or purchased. Notes and portions of Notes selected will be in principal amounts of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed or purchased, the entire outstanding principal amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, shall be redeemed or purchased. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption or purchase also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase.

Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption .

At least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company will mail or cause to be mailed, by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Article 8 or 11 hereof.

The notice will identify the Notes to be redeemed and will state:

(1) the redemption date;

(2) the redemption price;

(3) if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion will be issued upon cancellation of the original Note;

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

(5) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(6) that, unless the Company defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

(7) the paragraph of the Notes or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed;

(8) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes; and

(9) such other matters as the Company deems desirable or appropriate.

At the Company’s request, the Trustee will give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense; provided , however , that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days prior to the redemption date, or such shorter period of time as may be acceptable to the Trustee, an Officers’ Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph.

Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption .

Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof, Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional.

 

-28-


Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price .

On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption or purchase date, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption or purchase price of and accrued interest (including Additional Interest, if any) on all Notes to be redeemed or purchased on that date. The Trustee or the Paying Agent will within two Business Days after that date promptly return to the Company any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Company in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption or purchase price of, and accrued interest (including Additional Interest, if any) on all Notes to be redeemed or purchased.

If the Company complies with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption or purchase date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase. If a Note is redeemed or purchased on or after an interest record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, then any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date. If any Note called for redemption or purchase is not so paid upon surrender for redemption or purchase because of the failure of the Company to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest thereon shall be paid on the unpaid principal thereof, from the redemption or purchase date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof.

Section 3.06 Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part .

Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed or purchased in part, the Company will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee will authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Company a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed or unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered.

Section 3.07 Optional Redemption .

The Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant regular record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date).

In addition, at any time prior to November 1, 2012, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the principal amount of the Notes (including any Additional Notes) with the net cash proceeds of one or more sales of its common stock, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) of 107.500%, plus accrued interest to the redemption date; provided that at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under this Indenture remains outstanding after each such redemption and notice of any such redemption is mailed within 60 days of each such sale of common stock.

Section 3.08 Mandatory Redemption .

The Company is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

ARTICLE 4.

COVENANTS

Section 4.01 Payment of Notes .

The Company shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of, and premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest on, the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes. Principal, premium, if any, Additional Interest, if any, and interest will be considered paid on the date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Company or a Subsidiary thereof, holds as of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the due date money deposited by the Company in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due.

 

-29-


The Company shall pay all Additional Interest, if any, in the same manner on the dates and in the amounts set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

The Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal at the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful; it will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest and Additional Interest (without regard to any applicable grace period) at the same rate to the extent lawful.

Section 4.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency .

The Company shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee, Registrar or co-registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company fails to maintain any such required office or agency or fails to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission will in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

The Company hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Company in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof.

Section 4.03 SEC Reports .

Notwithstanding that the Company or its Subsidiaries may not be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and so long as any Notes remain outstanding, the Company shall file with the SEC and provide the Trustee and Holders of Notes with such annual reports and such information, documents and other reports as are specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act and applicable to a U.S. corporation subject to such Sections, such information, documents and reports to be so filed and provided at the times specified for the filing of such information, documents and reports under such Sections; provided , however , that the Company shall not be so obligated to file such information, documents and reports with the SEC if the SEC does not permit such filings.

For so long as any Notes remain outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Holders and to securities analysts and prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.

Section 4.04 Limitation on Liens .

The Company may not, nor may the Company permit any Subsidiary to, create, assume or incur any Lien upon any of its or their Principal Properties, or any interest it or they may have therein, whether owned at the date hereof or hereafter acquired (unless, in the case of any Lien upon any Principal Property of any Subsidiary, all obligations and indebtedness thereby secured are held by the Company or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary) as security for any Indebtedness without making effective provision, and the Company’s covenants that in any such case

 

-30-


effective provision will be made, whereby the Notes (either alone or together with all or any part of any other Indebtedness of the Company) shall be secured by such Lien equally and ratably (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) with any and all other Obligations and Indebtedness thereby secured; provided , however , that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

(1) Liens existing on the date hereof;

(2) Liens to secure the Medium-term notes;

(3) Liens to secure obligations under the Credit Agreement in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $300.0 million and (y) at the time of the incurrence thereof, two times the Consolidated EBITDDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available determined on a pro forma basis in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom);

(4) Liens upon any property or assets owned by any Subsidiary existing on the date on which such Subsidiary became a Subsidiary;

(5) Liens on any property or assets existing at the time of their acquisition and Liens on any property or assets acquired, constructed or improved which are created contemporaneously with or within 180 days after (or created pursuant to financing arrangements, a firm commitment for which is obtained within 180 days after) the completion of such acquisition, improvement or construction to secure or provide for payment of the purchase price of property or assets acquired or the cost of such construction or improvement, including Liens arising in connection with cross-border or defeased lease arrangements; if (i) such Lien shall be limited to the property so acquired or constructed or to the improvements so made, (ii) the amount of the Obligations or Indebtedness secured by such Lien shall not be increased after the date of the acquisition of such property or the completion of such improvements or construction except to the extent additional construction or improvements shall be made to such property after the date of such acquisition or the making of such improvements or construction, and (iii) in each instance where the Obligation or Indebtedness secured by such Lien shall constitute an Obligation or Indebtedness of, or is assumed by, the Company or such Subsidiary, the principal amount of the Obligation or Indebtedness secured by such Lien shall not exceed 100% of the cost or fair value (as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors), whichever shall be lower, of the property, construction or improvements at the time of the acquisition or completion thereof;

(6) Liens for taxes or assessments or governmental charges or levies not then due and delinquent or the validity of which shall be contested in good faith; and materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s, repairmen’s, landlords’ or other like Liens securing obligations not overdue or which shall be contested in good faith, or deposits to obtain the release of such Liens;

(7) pledges or deposits to secure public or statutory obligations or to secure payment of workmen’s compensation or to secure performance in connection with tenders, leases of real property, bids or contracts or to secure surety or appeal bonds and pledges or deposits made in the ordinary course of business for similar purposes;

(8) any lease or sublease, regardless of the manner in which such lease or sublease shall be treated for accounting or tax purposes or any other purpose or any filing of or agreement to file any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of any jurisdiction in respect of such lease or sublease;

(9) Liens in favor of a governmental unit to secure payments under any contract or statute, or to secure any indebtedness incurred in financing the acquisition, construction or improvement of property subject thereto, including Liens on, and created or arising in connection with the financing of the acquisition, construction or improvement of, any facility used or to be used in the business of the Company or any Subsidiary through the issuance of obligations defined in Section 103(b)(2) of the Code (or any subsequently adopted provisions thereof defining similar obligations) the income from which shall be excludable from gross income by virtue of Sections 103(a) and (b) (4), (b) (5) and (b) (6) of the Code (or any subsequently adopted provisions thereof providing for a specific exclusion from gross income);

 

-31-


(10) easements or similar encumbrances, the existence of which do not materially impair the use of the Principal Property subject thereto for the purposes for which it is held or was acquired;

(11) Liens arising out of any final judgment for the payment of money aggregating not in excess of $10.0 million; or Liens arising out of any final judgment for the payment of money; provided that such judgment is being contested in good faith;

(12) Liens on Timberlands in connection with an arrangement under which the Company or a Subsidiary is obligated to cut or pay for timber in order to provide the lienholder with a specified amount of money, however determined;

(13) Liens created or assumed in the ordinary course of the business of exploring for, developing or producing oil, gas or other minerals (including borrowings in connection therewith) on, or any interest in, or on any proceeds from the sale of, property acquired for such purposes, production therefrom (including the proceeds thereof), or material or equipment located thereon;

(14) Liens upon goods or proceeds securing the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s Obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created for the account of such person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such goods;

(15) Liens on assets of a receivables subsidiary in connection with a qualified receivables transaction;

(16) licenses or sublicenses granted in the ordinary course of business;

(17) conservation easements, covenants and similar restrictions on Timberlands;

(18) Liens of sellers of goods to the Company and any Subsidiary arising under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code or similar provisions of applicable law in the ordinary course of business, covering only the goods sold and securing only the unpaid purchase price for such goods and related expenses;

(19) any interest of title of a buyer in connection with, and Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statements relating to, a sale of receivables;

(20) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit that encumber documents and other property relating to such letters of credit and the products and proceeds thereof;

(21) normal and customary rights of set-off upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions;

(22) Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection;

(23) Liens in favor of the Company or any Subsidiary;

(24) Liens against the landlord’s interest in any real property with respect to which the Company or any Subsidiary holds a lease;

(25) Condemnation or eminent domain proceedings affecting any real property;

 

-32-


(26) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of import or customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

(27) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements;

(28) Liens on earnest money deposits made in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement;

(29) Liens on the capital stock of any non-majority owned joint venture or similar arrangement pursuant to any joint venture or similar agreement;

(30) Liens arising from the pledge of any bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments which are purchased and held by any remarketing agent for the account of, or as agent for, the Company or any Subsidiary; or

(31) Liens to extend, renew or replace any Liens referred to in clauses (1) through (30).

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the Company or any Subsidiary may create, assume or incur, or suffer to be created, assumed or incurred any Lien which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restriction, provided that at no time shall the aggregate amount of all outstanding obligations and indebtedness secured by Liens which, but for this paragraph, would be prohibited by this Section 4.04, plus the aggregate amount of Attributable Debt in respect of any then existing leases described under Section 4.05 (other than any such leases of property to the extent that the cash portion of the net proceeds of the sale of such property shall have been applied in compliance with Section 4.05), exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets at the end of the preceding fiscal year of the Company.

Section 4.05 Limitation on Sale and Leaseback .

The Company will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, sell or transfer (other than to the Company or a Subsidiary) any Principal Property (other than a Principal Property sold or transferred to an industrial development corporation or governmental instrumentality in connection with a revenue or pollution control financing) now owned or hereafter acquired with the intention that the Company or any Subsidiary shall take back a lease thereof (other than a lease for a term of not more than three years, a lease entered into solely for tax purposes or a cross-border or defeased lease arrangement) (herein referred to as a Sale and Leaseback Transaction) unless (a) the proceeds of such sale shall at least be equal to the fair value (as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors) of such Principal Property, and (b) either (1) an amount equal to the cash portion of the net proceeds of such sale shall be applied within 180 days either before or after the effective date of any such transaction (i) to the retirement of Funded Indebtedness (other than any thereof owed to the Company or any Subsidiary) or (ii) to the retirement of the Notes or (iii) to the purchase of property, facilities or equipment (other than the property, facilities or equipment involved in such sale) having a value at least equal to the cash portion of the net proceeds of such sale, or (2) the property, facilities or equipment involved in such sale could have been subjected to a Lien to secure indebtedness in a principal amount equal to the aggregate amount of Attributable Debt in respect of such sale without equally and ratably securing the Notes pursuant to Section 4.04.

Section 4.06 Limitation on Restricted Payments .

The Company will not, and will not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make any Restricted Payment unless, at the time of and after giving effect to the proposed Restricted Payment:

(a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or will occur as a consequence thereof; and

(b) such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made pursuant to this clause (b) by the Company and the Subsidiaries after the Issue Date, is less than the sum, without duplication, of:

(1) 100% of the Funds Available for Distribution of the Company for the period (taken as one accounting period) from the first full fiscal quarter that begins after the Issue Date to the end of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if the Funds Available for Distribution for such period is a loss, less 100% of such loss); plus

 

-33-


(2) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Company after the Issue Date as a contribution to its equity capital or from the issue or sale of equity interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Capital Stock).

The preceding provisions will not prohibit:

(i) the payment of any dividend or the consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of the dividend or giving of the redemption notice, as the case may be, if at the date of declaration or notice, the dividend or redemption payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;

(ii) the making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of or with the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary) of, Qualified Capital Stock of Potlatch or any Subsidiary) or from the substantially concurrent contribution of common equity capital to Potlatch;

(iii) the payment of any dividend or other distribution by any Subsidiary to the holders of its Capital Stock on a pro rata basis;

(iv) the repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary held by any current or former officer, director or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to any employment agreement that has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company or any equity subscription agreement, stock option agreement, shareholders’ agreement or similar agreement not to exceed $1.0 million in any twelve-month period (it being understood, however, that unused amounts permitted to be paid pursuant to this proviso from any twelve-month period are available to be carried over to the subsequent twelve-month period);

(v) the repurchase of Capital Stock of Potlatch or any Subsidiary deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options, warrants, restricted stock, restricted stock units or performance shares to the extent such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise price of those stock options and repurchase of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the withholding of a portion of Capital Stock granted or awarded to an employee to pay for the taxes payable by such employee upon such grant or award (or settlement or vesting thereof);

(vi) the making of any Restricted Payment to allow the payment of cash in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares upon (A) the exercise of options or warrants, (B) the settlement or vesting of restricted stock, restricted stock units or performance shares or (C) the conversion or exchange of Capital Stock of Potlatch or any Subsidiary;

(vii) so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or will occur as a consequence thereof, if there is not sufficient capacity to make such Restricted Payment pursuant to clause (b) above, the making of any other Restricted Payment in an amount that, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made since the Issue Date pursuant to this clause (vii), does not exceed $125.0 million; or

(viii) so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or will occur as a consequence thereof, if there is not sufficient capacity to make such Restricted Payment pursuant to clauses (b) and (vii) above, the making of any additional Restricted Payment if after giving effect to such Restricted Payment on a pro forma basis, the Leverage Ratio of the Company and its Subsidiaries would not exceed 4.25:1.00.

 

-34-


Section 4.07 [Internationally Omitted] .

Section 4.08 Statement by Officers as to Default .

The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof an Officers’ Certificate, stating whether or not to the knowledge of the signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of Sections 4.04 to 4.07, inclusive, and if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.

Section 4.09 Waiver of Certain Covenants .

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Sections 4.04 to 4.06, inclusive, with respect to the Notes if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes shall, by act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 4.10 Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control .

(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Notes as described in Section 3.07 hereof, the Company will make an offer (a “ Change of Control Offer ”) to each Holder to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of each Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased, to the date of repurchase (the “ Change of Control Payment ”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control or if a Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to Section 4.10(d), the Company will mail a notice to each Holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and stating:

(1) that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.10 and that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment;

(2) the purchase price and the purchase date, which shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the later of (a) the date such notice is mailed and (b) the date of such Change of Control (the “ Change of Control Payment Date ”);

(3) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;

(4) that, unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date;

(5) that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender the Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” attached to the Notes completed, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;

(6) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the close of business on the second Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes delivered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have the Notes purchased; and

 

-35-


(7) that Holders whose Notes are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Section 4.10, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.10 by virtue of such compliance.

(b) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful:

(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(2) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Company.

The Paying Agent will promptly mail to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Company will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.

(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.10, the Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if (1) in connection with or in contemplation of any Change of Control, it has made an offer to purchase any and all Notes validly tendered at a cash price equal to or higher than the Change of Control payment and has purchased all Notes properly tendered in accordance with the terms of such alternate offer, (2) a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Section 4.10 and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer or (3) notice of redemption has been given pursuant to Section 3.07 hereof, unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 4.10, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditioned upon the consummation of such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time the Change of Control Offer is made.

Section 4.11 Limitation of Guarantees by Subsidiaries .

If any Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, by way of the pledge of any intercompany note or otherwise, assumes, becomes a borrower under, guarantees or in any other manner become liable with respect to any Indebtedness of the Company under the Credit Agreement after the date hereof, the Company shall cause such Subsidiary to execute and deliver a supplemental indenture to this Indenture, providing a Guarantee of payment of the

 

-36-


Notes by such Subsidiary pursuant to Article 10 hereof. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any such Guarantee by a Subsidiary shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, upon the occurrence of either of the events set forth in Section 10.05 hereof.

Section 4.12 Payments for Consent .

The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration to or for the benefit of any Holder of Notes for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of this Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid and is paid to all Holders of the Notes that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.

ARTICLE 5.

SUCCESSORS

Section 5.01 Company May Consolidate, Etc., on Certain Terms .

Subject to the provisions of Sections 5.02 and 5.04, nothing contained in this Indenture shall prevent any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any Person, or successive consolidations or mergers in which the Company or its successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or shall prevent any sale, conveyance or lease of all or substantially all the property of the Company, to any Person; provided , however , and the Company hereby covenants and agrees, that, if the surviving Person is other than the Company, upon any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, all of the Notes, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Company, shall be expressly assumed by a supplemental indenture reasonably satisfactory in form to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by the Person formed by such consolidation, or into which the Company shall have been merged, or by the Person which shall have acquired or leased such property.

This covenant will not apply to: (i) a merger of the Company with an Affiliate solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction within the United States or (ii) any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition of assets between or among the Company and its Subsidiaries.

Section 5.02 Successor Substituted .

Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in a transaction that is subject to, and that complies with, the provisions of the first paragraph of Section 5.01 hereof, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition, the provisions of this Indenture referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the successor Person and not to the Company), and may exercise every right and power of the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein. In the event of a succession in compliance with this Article 5, the predecessor Person shall be relieved from every obligation and covenant under this Indenture and any Notes issued hereunder upon the consummation of such succession.

Section 5.03 Securities to Be Secured in Certain Events .

If, upon any consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease referred to in Section 5.01, any Principal Property of the Company or of any Subsidiary or any shares of stock or Indebtedness of any Subsidiary owned immediately prior thereto would thereupon become subject to any mortgage, security interest, pledge, Lien or

 

-37-


encumbrance, other than Liens permitted under Section 4.04 or 4.07, without securing the Notes, the Company, prior to such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease, will by indenture supplemental hereto secure the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes (equally and ratably with any other Indebtedness of the Company then, or as a result thereof to be, secured thereby) by a direct Lien on such Principal Property, shares of stock or Indebtedness, prior to all Liens other than any then existing thereon and then so permitted by Section 4.04 or Section 4.07.

Section 5.04 No Consolidation, Etc., Shall Result in Event of Default .

Any consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease referred to in Section 5.01 shall not be permitted under this Indenture unless immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.

Section 5.05 Opinion of Counsel and Officers’ Certificate to Be Given to Trustee .

The Trustee shall be entitled to receive and, subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.02, shall be fully protected in relying upon an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance or lease and any such assumption complies with the provisions of this Article 5.

ARTICLE 6.

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.01 Events of Default .

(a) Each of the following is an “ Event of Default ”:

(1) default in the payment in respect of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note at its maturity (whether at Stated Maturity or upon repurchase, acceleration, optional redemption or otherwise);

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

(3) except as permitted by this Indenture, any Guarantee of any Guarantor, shall for any reason cease to be, or it shall be asserted by any Guarantor or the Company not to be, in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms for a period of 30 days;

(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company or any Guarantor in this Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement a default in whose performance or whose breach is specifically dealt with in clauses (1), (2), or (3) above), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 30 days after written notice thereof has been given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes;

(5) a default or defaults under any bonds, debentures, notes or other evidences of Indebtedness (other than the Notes) by the Company or any Subsidiary having, individually or in the aggregate, a principal or similar amount outstanding of at least $12.5 million, whether such Indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default or defaults shall have resulted in the acceleration of the maturity of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity or shall constitute a failure to pay at least $12.5 million of such Indebtedness when due and payable after the expiration of any applicable grace period with respect thereto;

 

-38-


(6) the entry against the Company or any Subsidiary of a final judgment or final judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $12.5 million, by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction, which judgments remain undischarged, unwaived, unstayed, unbonded or unsatisfied for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(7)(i) the Company or any Subsidiary, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

(A) commences a voluntary case,

(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

(C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,

(D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or

(E) generally is not paying its debts as they become due; or

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

(A) is for relief against the Company or any Subsidiary in an involuntary case;

(B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or any Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or

(C) orders the liquidation of the Company or any Subsidiary and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days.

(b) The Company shall be required to furnish to the Trustee annually a statement as to the performance of certain obligations under this Indenture and as to any default in such performance. Upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.

Section 6.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment .

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (7) of Section 6.01 with respect to the Company) occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes may declare the principal of the Notes and any accrued interest on the Notes to be due and payable immediately by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders); provided , however , that after such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal of or interest on the Notes, have been cured or waived as provided in this Indenture.

In the event of a declaration of acceleration of the Notes solely because an Event of Default described in clause (5) of Section 6.01 has occurred and is continuing, the declaration of acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically rescinded and annulled if the event of default or payment default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to clause (5) of Section 6.01 shall be remedied or cured by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company or waived by the Holders of the relevant Indebtedness within 90 business days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto and if the rescission and annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Trustee for the payment of amounts due on the Notes.

 

-39-


If an Event of Default specified in clause (7) of Section 6.01 occurs with respect to the Company, the principal of and any accrued interest on the Notes then outstanding shall ipso facto become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

Section 6.03 Other Remedies .

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder of a Note in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default. All remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

Section 6.04 Waiver of Past Defaults .

Subject to Sections 6.02 and 9.02, Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences hereunder, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, or premium or Additional Interest, if any, or interest on, the Notes (including in connection with an offer to purchase); provided , however , that the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon. The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any Default (except Default in payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest) if the Trustee determines that withholding notice is in the interests of the Holders to do so.

Section 6.05 Control by Majority .

Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on it. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders of Notes or that may involve the Trustee in personal liability.

Section 6.06 Limitation on Suits .

No Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to this Indenture or for any remedy hereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default and unless also the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes shall have made written request to the Trustee, and provided indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, to institute such proceeding as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days. Such limitations do not apply, however, to a suit instituted by a Holder of a Note directly (as opposed to through the Trustee) for enforcement of payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such Note on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Note.

Section 6.07 Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment .

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal of, and premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest on, the Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Note (including in connection with an offer to purchase), or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

-40-


Section 6.08 Collection Suit by Trustee .

If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a)(1) or (2) hereof occurs and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount of principal of, and premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest remaining unpaid on, the Notes and interest on overdue principal and, to the extent lawful, interest and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

Section 6.09 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .

The Trustee is authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders of the Notes allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the Notes), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07 hereof out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.10 Priorities .

If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article 6, it shall pay out the money in the following order:

First : to the Trustee, its agents and attorneys for amounts due under Section 7.07 hereof, including payment of all compensation, expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and the costs and expenses of collection;

Second : to Holders of Notes for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest, respectively; and

Third : to the Company or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct.

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders of Notes pursuant to this Section 6.10.

 

-41-


Section 6.11 Undertaking for Costs .

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

ARTICLE 7.

TRUSTEE

Section 7.01 Duties of Trustee .

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

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

(1) the duties of the Trustee will be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(2) in the absence of negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, with respect to certificates or opinions specifically required to be furnished to it hereunder, the Trustee will examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they substantially conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(1) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 7.01;

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

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

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

(e) No provision of this Indenture will require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or incur any liability. The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the request of any Holders, unless such Holder has offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense.

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

 

-42-


Section 7.02 Rights of Trustee .

(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document (whether in original or facsimile form) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel will be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

(c) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and will not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care.

(d) The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Company will be sufficient if signed by an Officer of the Company.

(f) The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

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

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

(i) In the event the Company is required to pay Additional Interest, the Company will provide written notice to the Trustee of the Company’s obligation to pay Additional Interest no later than 15 days prior to the next Interest Payment Date, which notice shall set forth the amount of the Additional Interest to be paid by the Company. The Trustee shall not at any time be under any duty or responsibility to any Holders to determine whether the Additional Interest is payable and the amount thereof.

Section 7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee .

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company, a Guarantor, if any, or any Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest (as defined in the TIA), it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as trustee (if this Indenture has been qualified under the TIA) or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and duties. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11 hereof.

Section 7.04 Trustee’s Disclaimer .

The Trustee will not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money paid to the Company or upon the Company’s direction under any provision of this Indenture, it will not

 

-43-


be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it will not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture other than its certificate of authentication.

Section 7.05 Notice of Defaults .

If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee will mail to Holders of Notes a notice of the Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of, or premium or Additional Interest, if any, or interest on, any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Notes.

Section 7.06 Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes .

(a) Within 60 days after each May 15 beginning with the May 15 following the date of this Indenture, and for so long as Notes remain outstanding, the Trustee will mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA § 313(a) (but if no event described in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also will comply with TIA § 313(b)(2). The Trustee will also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).

(b) A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes will be mailed by the Trustee to the Company and filed by the Trustee with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Notes are listed in accordance with TIA § 313(d). The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when the Notes are listed on any stock exchange or delisted therefrom.

Section 7.07 Compensation and Indemnity .

(a) The Company will pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder in accordance with the fee schedule previously agreed to by the Company and Trustee. The Trustee’s compensation will not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company will reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services, except any such disbursements, advances or expenses as may be attributable to its negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. Such expenses will include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

(b) The Company and the Guarantors, if any, jointly and severally, will indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company and the Guarantors, if any (including this Section 7.07) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by the Company, a Guarantor, if any, or any Holder or any other Person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense may be attributable to its own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Trustee will notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company will not relieve the Company or the Guarantors, if any, of their obligations hereunder. The Company or a Guarantor, if any, will defend the claim and the Trustee will cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. Neither the Company nor any Guarantor, if any, need pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.

(c) The obligations of the Company and the Guarantors, if any, under this Section 7.07 will survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

(d) To secure the Company’s and the Guarantors’, if any, payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the Trustee will have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Notes. Such Lien will survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

 

-44-


(e) When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a)(5) or (6) hereof occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

(f) The Trustee will comply with the provisions of TIA § 313(b)(2) to the extent applicable.

Section 7.08 Replacement of Trustee .

(a) A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.08.

(b) The Trustee may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from the trust hereby created by so notifying the Company. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing. The Company may remove the Trustee if:

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

(2) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

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

(4) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

(c) If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company will promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

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

(e) If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a Holder for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof, such Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

(f) A successor Trustee will deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee will become effective, and the successor Trustee will have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee will mail a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee will promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee; provided all sums owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section 7.07 hereof. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 hereof will continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

 

-45-


Section 7.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

If the Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act will be the successor Trustee.

Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification .

There will at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power, that is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and that has a combined capital and surplus of at least $100.0 million as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

This Indenture will always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee is subject to TIA § 310(b).

Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company .

The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.

ARTICLE 8.

LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 8.01 Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .

The Company may, at the option of its Board of Directors evidenced by a resolution set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, at any time, elect to have either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof be applied to all Outstanding Notes and the Guarantees, if any, upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article 8.

Section 8.02 Legal Defeasance and Discharge .

Upon the Company’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.02, the Company and the Guarantors, if any, will, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to all Outstanding Notes (including the Guarantees, if any) on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “ Legal Defeasance ”). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Company and the Guarantors, if any, will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the Outstanding Notes (including the Guarantees, if any), which will thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 8.05 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (1) and (2) below, and to have satisfied all their other obligations under such Notes, the Guarantees, if any, and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following provisions which will survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:

(1) the rights of Holders of Outstanding Notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, such Notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to in Section 8.04 hereof;

(2) the Company’s obligations with respect to the Notes concerning issuing temporary Notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;

 

-46-


(3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s and the applicable Guarantor’s obligations in connection therewith; and

(4) this Section 8.02.

Subject to compliance with this Article 8, the Company may exercise its option under this Section 8.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 8.03 hereof.

Section 8.03 Covenant Defeasance .

Upon the Company’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, the Company and each Guarantor, if any, will, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released from each of their obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 4.03, 4.04, 4.05, 4.06, 4.08, 4.10, 4.11 and Article 5 hereof with respect to the Outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof are satisfied (hereinafter, “ Covenant Defeasance ”), and the Notes will thereafter be deemed not “outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but will continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes will not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes). For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the Outstanding Notes and Guarantees, if any, the Company and the Guarantors, if any, may omit to comply with and will have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01 hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes and Guarantees, if any, will be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Company’s exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03 hereof, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, Section 6.01(a)(3) hereof, 6.01(a)(5) hereof and 6.01(a)(6) hereof will not constitute an Event of Default.

Section 8.04 Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance .

In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance under either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof:

(1) the Company must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, cash in United States dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the Outstanding Notes on the stated date for payment thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Company must specify whether the Notes are being defeased to maturity or to a particular redemption date;

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

(3) the Company must deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of Notes being defeased over the other creditors of the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company or others; and

(4) the Company must deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for or relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

 

-47-


Section 8.05 Deposited Money and Government Securities to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions .

Subject to Section 8.06 hereof, all money and non-callable Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.05, the “ Trustee ”) pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof in respect of the Outstanding Notes will be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Company will pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Outstanding Notes.

Notwithstanding anything in this Article 8 to the contrary, the Trustee will deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon the request of the Company any money or non-callable Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 8.04 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 8.04(1) hereof), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

Section 8.06 Repayment to Company .

Subject to applicable law, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, or premium or Additional Interest, if any, or interest on, any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium and Additional Interest, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on its request or (if then held by the Company) will be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note will thereafter be permitted to look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, will thereupon cease.

Section 8.07 Reinstatement .

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any United States dollars or non-callable Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company’s and each Guarantor’s, if any, obligations under this Indenture and the Notes and the Guarantees, if any, will be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be; provided , however , that, if the Company makes any payment of principal of, or premium or Additional Interest, if any, or interest on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company will be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 9.

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders of Notes .

Notwithstanding Section 9.02 of this Indenture, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture, the applicable Guarantees, if any, or the Notes without the consent of any Holder of a Note:

(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect, omission or inconsistency;

 

-48-


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

(3) to provide for the assumption of the Company’s or a Guarantor’s, if any, obligations to the Holders of the Notes, by a successor to the Company or such Guarantor, if any, pursuant to Article 5 or Article 10 hereof;

(4) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of the Notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under this Indenture of any Holder of the Notes;

(5) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA;

(6) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in this Indenture;

(7) to conform the text of this Indenture or the Notes to any provision of the “Description of Notes” section of the Offering Memorandum to the extent that such provision in this Indenture or the Notes was intended (as certified in the applicable Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee) to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of the “Description of Notes”;

(8) to allow the Guarantors, if any, to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a Guarantee with respect to the Notes; or

(9) to provide for the issuance of Exchange Notes or private exchange notes, which are identical to Exchange Notes except they are not freely transferable.

Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a resolution of its Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Sections 7.02 and 12.04 hereof, the Trustee will join with the Company and the Guarantors, if any, in the execution of any amended or supplemental indenture authorized or permitted by the terms of this Indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee will not be obligated to enter into such amended or supplemental indenture that affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.02 With Consent of Holders of Notes .

Except as provided below in this Section 9.02, the Company, the Guarantors, if any, and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture (including, without limitation, Section 4.10) and the Notes with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes (including, without limitation, Additional Notes, if any) voting as a single class (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes), and, subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, any existing Default or Event of Default (other than a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, or premium or Additional Interest, if any, or interest on, the Notes, except a payment default resulting from an acceleration that has been rescinded) or compliance with any provision of this Indenture or the Notes or the Guarantees, if any, may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes, including Additional Notes, if any, voting as a single class (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes.) Section 2.08 hereof shall determine which Notes are considered to be “outstanding” for purposes of this Section 9.02.

Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a resolution of its Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Holders of Notes as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Sections 7.02 and 12.04 hereof, the Trustee will join with the Company and the Guarantors,

 

-49-


if any, in the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture unless such amended or supplemental indenture directly affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but will not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental indenture.

It is not necessary for the consent of the Holders of Notes under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it is sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Company will mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, will not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amended or supplemental indenture or waiver. Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding voting as a single class may waive compliance in a particular instance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Notes or the Guarantees, if any. However, without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 may not (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):

(1) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(2) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or alter or waive any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes (other than the provisions relating to the repurchase of Notes pursuant to Section 4.10 of this Indenture);

(3) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest, including default interest, on any Note;

(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then Outstanding Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

(5) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;

(6) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes;

(7) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Note (other than a payment required by Section 4.10 hereof); or

(8) make any change in Section 6.04 or 6.07 hereof or in the foregoing amendment and waiver provisions in this Section 9.02.

Section 9.03 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act .

Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes will be set forth in a amended or supplemental indenture that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

Section 9.04 Revocation and Effect of Consents .

Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note. However, any such Holder of a Note or subsequent Holder of a Note may revoke the consent as to its Note if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date the waiver, supplement or amendment becomes effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder.

 

-50-


Section 9.05 Notation on or Exchange of Notes .

The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver.

Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note will not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

Section 9.06 Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc.

The Trustee will sign any amended or supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this Article 9 if the amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee will be provided with and (subject to Section 7.01 hereof) will be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 12.04 hereof, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.

ARTICLE 10.

GUARANTEE

Section 10.01 Guarantee .

(a) Subject to this Article 10, each Guarantor, if any, hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Company hereunder or thereunder, that:

(1) the principal of, and premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest on the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and

(2) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.

Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, each Guarantor will be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.

(b) Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder are unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a Guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenants that this Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and this Indenture.

 

-51-


(c) If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company, a Guarantor or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Company or such Guarantor, any amount paid by either to the Trustee or such Holder, this Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, will be reinstated in full force and effect.

(d) Each Guarantor agrees that its right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby is hereby subordinated until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby and each Guarantor shall take no action with respect to its right of subrogation until such payment in full of all such guaranteed obligations. Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (1) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 6 hereof for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (2) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article 6 hereof, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) will forthwith become due and payable by such Guarantor for the purpose of this Guarantee.

Section 10.02 Limitation on Guarantor Liability .

Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee of the Guarantors not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor will be limited to the maximum amount that will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of each Guarantor that are relevant under such laws, result in the obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.

Section 10.03 Execution and Delivery of Guarantee .

To evidence its Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 hereof, each Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of Guarantee substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D hereto will be endorsed by an Officer of such Guarantor on each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and that this Indenture will be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by one of its Officers.

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

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

The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, will constitute due delivery of the Guarantee, if any, set forth in this Indenture on behalf of each Guarantor.

Section 10.04 Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc., on Certain Terms .

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.05 hereof, no Guarantor shall sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to, or consolidate with or merge with or into, any Person that is (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) an Affiliate of the Company, unless that Affiliate unconditionally assumes all of the obligations of such Guarantor under this Indenture and its Guarantee pursuant to a supplemental indenture reasonably satisfactory to the trustee, provided , however , such assumption shall not be required if:

(1) such Person is a Guarantor at the time of the transaction; or

 

-52-


(2) such sale or other disposition is an arms length transaction between such Guarantor, the Company or an Affiliate of the Company and such Guarantor receives consideration equal to the fair market value of the assets transferred.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.05 hereof, no Guarantor shall sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to, or consolidate with or merge with or into, any Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving Person) other than the Company unless immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists.

(c) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance and upon the assumption by the successor Affiliate, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the Guarantee endorsed upon the Notes and the due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by each Guarantor, such successor Affiliate will succeed to and be substituted for such Guarantor with the same effect as if it had been named herein as a Guarantor. Such successor Affiliate thereupon may cause to be signed any or all of the Guarantees to be endorsed upon all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee. All the Guarantees so issued will in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Guarantees theretofore and thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Guarantees had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

(d) Except as set forth in Articles 4 and 5 hereof, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Notes will prevent any consolidation or merger of a Guarantor with or into the Company or another Guarantor, or will prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company or another Guarantor.

Section 10.05 Releases .

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Guarantee of the Notes by a Subsidiary shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, upon:

(1) any sale, exchange or transfer to any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company) of any of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor;

(2) in the event all or substantially all the assets or Capital Stock of a Subsidiary Guarantor are sold or otherwise transferred, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, to a Person in compliance with the terms of this Indenture;

(3) the release or discharge of the Guarantee by such Subsidiary Guarantor of Indebtedness of the Company under the Credit Agreement or such Guarantor ceases to be a borrower under the Credit Agreement;

(4) in the event of liquidation or dissolution of such Subsidiary or Guarantor; or

(5) if the Notes are defeased or discharged in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

 

-53-


ARTICLE 11.

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 11.01 Satisfaction and Discharge .

This Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes issued hereunder, when:

(1) either:

(a) all Notes that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Company) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(b) all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the mailing of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year and the Company or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption;

(2) in respect of clause 1(b) of this Section 11.01, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit or will occur as a result of such deposit (other than as a result of the borrowing of the funds to be used to make the deposit);

(3) the Company or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under this Indenture; and

(4) the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee under this Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or on the redemption date, as the case may be.

In addition, the Company must deliver an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, if money has been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (b) of clause (1) of this Section 11.01, the provisions of Sections 8.06 and 11.02 will survive. In addition, nothing in this Section 11.01 will be deemed to discharge those provisions of Section 7.07 hereof, that, by their terms, survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

Section 11.02 Application of Trust Money .

Subject to the provisions of Section 8.06 hereof, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 11.01 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium and Additional Interest, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

-54-


If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Securities in accordance with Section 11.01 hereof by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s and any Guarantor’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 11.01 hereof; provided that if the Company has made any payment of principal of, or premium or Additional Interest, if any, or interest on, any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE 12.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 12.01 Trust Indenture Act Controls .

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by TIA § 318(c), the imposed duties will control.

Section 12.02 Notices .

Any notice or communication by the Company, the Guarantors, if any, or the Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing and delivered in Person or mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), facsimile transmission or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others’ address:

If to the Company or the Guarantors, if any:

Potlatch Corporation

601 West 1st Avenue, Suite 1600

Spokane, Washington 99201

Facsimile: (509) 835-1560

Attention: Pamela Mull

With a copy to:

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

1540 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

Facsimile: (212) 858-1500

Attention: Todd W. Eckland

and

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

50 Fremont Street

San Francisco, California 94105

Facsimile: (415) 983-1200

Attention: Blair W. White

If to the Trustee:

U.S. Bank National Association

PD-WA-T7CT

1420 Fifth Ave, 7th Fl

Seattle, WA 98101

Facsimile No.: (206) 344-4632

Attention: Corporate Trust Services

 

-55-


The Company, any Guarantor, or the Trustee, by notice to the others may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) will be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt acknowledged, if transmitted by facsimile; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.

Any notice or communication to a Holder will be mailed by first class mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, or by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar. Any notice or communication will also be so mailed to any Person described in TIA § 313(c), to the extent required by the TIA. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it will not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.

If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

If the Company mails a notice or communication to Holders, it will mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

Section 12.03 Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes .

Holders may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).

Section 12.04 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent .

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

(1) an Officers’ Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which must include the statements set forth in Section 12.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and

(2) an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which must include the statements set forth in Section 12.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied.

Section 12.05 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion .

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4) but specifically including each Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required pursuant to Section 12.04) must comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and must include:

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

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

 

-56-


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

(4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been satisfied.

Section 12.06 Rules by Trustee and Agents .

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 12.07 No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders .

No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company or any of the Guarantors or Permitted Holders, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Guarantees, this Indenture, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

Section 12.08 Governing Law .

THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE GUARANTEES WILL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.

Section 12.09 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements .

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

Section 12.10 Successors .

All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes will bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture will bind its successors. All agreements of a Guarantor in this Indenture will bind its successors, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.05 hereof.

Section 12.11 Severability .

In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 12.12 Counterpart Originals .

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

 

-57-


Section 12.13 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and will in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

Section 12.14 Waiver of Jury Trial .

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

Section 12.15 Force Majeure .

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

[Signatures on following page]

 

-58-


SIGNATURES

Dated as of November 3, 2009

 

POTLATCH CORPORATION
By:  

/ S /    E RIC J. C REMERS        

Name:   Eric J. Cremers
Title:   Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
POTLATCH FOREST HOLDINGS, INC.
PFHI IDAHO INVESTMENT LLC
POTLATCH LAKE STATES TIMBERLANDS, LLC
POTLATCH LAND & LUMBER, LLC
POTLATCH MINNESOTA TIMBERLANDS, LLC
POTLATCH WISCONSIN TIMBERLANDS, LLC

POTLATCH TIMBERLANDS, LLC,

    as Guarantors

By:  

/ S /    E RIC J. C REMERS        

Name:   Eric J. Cremers
Title:   Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

-59-


POTLATCH TIMBERLANDS, LLC

    as Guarantor

By:  

/ S /    P AMELA A. M ULL        

Name:   Pamela A. Mull
Title:   Vice President, General Counsel and Corp. Secretary

 

-60-


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

By:  

/ S /    D EBBY R. W IGHT        

Name:   Debby R. Wight
Title:   Vice President

 

-61-


EXHIBIT A

[Face of Note]

 

 

CUSIP/CINS

7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019

 

No. [    ]

   $ [         

POTLATCH CORPORATION promises to pay to [            ] or registered assigns, the principal sum of [            ] Dollars on November 1, 2019 or such greater or lesser amount as may be indicated in Schedule A hereto.

Interest Payment Dates: May 1 and November 1

Record Dates: April 15 and October 15

Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.

 

A-1


[Reverse of Note]

7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019

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

[Insert the Private Placement Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]

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

(1) INTEREST . Potlatch Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 7  1 / 2 % per annum from November 3, 2009 until maturity and shall pay the Additional Interest, if any, payable pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement referred to below. The Company will pay interest and Additional Interest, if any, semi-annually in arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year (each, an “ Interest Payment Date ”), or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (as if made on such Interest Payment Date). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of issuance; provided that if there is no existing Default in the payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated between a record date referred to on the face hereof and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest shall accrue from such next succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided , further , that the first Interest Payment Date shall be May 1, 2010. The Company will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to time on demand at the rate then in effect to the extent lawful; it will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest and Additional Interest, if any (without regard to any applicable grace periods), from time to time on demand at the same rate to the extent lawful. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve
30-day months.

(2) METHOD OF PAYMENT . The Company will pay interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the Notes (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the April 15th or October 15th next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be payable as to principal, premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose within or without the City and State of New York, or, at the option of the Company, payment of interest and Additional Interest, if any, may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders; provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds will be required with respect to principal of, and premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest on, all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which will have provided wire transfer instructions to the Company or the Paying Agent. Such payment will be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

(3) PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR . Initially, U.S. Bank National Association, the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.

(4) INDENTURE . The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of November 3, 2009 (the “ Indenture ”) among the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the TIA. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act for a statement of such terms. To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling. The Notes are unsecured obligations of the Company.

(5) OPTIONAL REDEMPTION . The Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant regular record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date).

 

A-2


In addition, at any time prior to November 1, 2012, the Company may redeem up to 35% of the principal amount of the Notes (including any Additional Notes) with the net cash proceeds of one or more sales of its common stock, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) of 107.500%, plus accrued interest to the redemption date; provided that at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes originally issued under the Indenture remains outstanding after each such redemption and notice of any such redemption is mailed within 60 days of each such sale of common stock.

(6) MANDATORY REDEMPTION . The Company will not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

(7) OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON CHANGE OF CONTROL . Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Notes as described in Section 3.07 hereof, the Company will make an offer (a “ Change of Control Offer ”) to each Holder to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of each Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest thereon, if any, on the Notes repurchased, to the date of repurchase (the “ Change of Control Payment ”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and setting forth the procedures governing the Change of Control Offer as required by the Indenture.

(8) NOTICE OF REDEMPTION . Notice of redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction or discharge of the Indenture. Notes in denominations larger than $2,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and after the redemption date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

(9) DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE . The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. Also, the Company need not exchange or register the transfer of any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or during the period between a record date and the corresponding Interest Payment Date.

(10) PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS . The registered Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes.

(11) AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER . The Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees or the Notes may be amended or supplemented as provided in Article IX of the Indenture.

(12) DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES . The Events of Default relating to the Notes are defined in Section 6.01 of the Indenture.

(13) TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH COMPANY . The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Company or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.

 

A-3


(14) NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS . A director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder, of the Company or a Guarantor, as such, will not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Guarantee or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes.

(15) AUTHENTICATION . This Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.

[(16) ADDITIONAL RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF RESTRICTED GLOBAL NOTES AND RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE NOTES . In addition to the rights provided to Holders of the Notes under the Indenture, Holders of Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes shall have all the rights set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 3, 2009, among the Company and the Initial Purchasers (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”), including the right to receive Additional Interest (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement).] 1

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

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

(19) GOVERNING LAW . THE INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE GUARANTEES WILL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.

The Company will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:

Potlatch Corporation

601 West 1st Avenue, Suite 1600

Spokane, Washington 99201

Attention: Pamela Mull

 

 

1

Include only for Notes when required by the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

A-4


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

 

(Insert assignee’s legal name)

 

 

 

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and Zip Code)

and irrevocably appoint

 

 

to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The Agent may substitute another to act for him.

Date:

 

Your Signature:

 

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)

Signature Guarantee*:                                                                  

 

 

 

* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

A-5


Option of Holder to Elect Purchase

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.10 of the Indenture, check the box:   ¨

If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.11 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased:

$         

Date:

 

Your Signature:  

 

  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)
  Tax Identification No.:                                         
Signature Guarantee*:                                                            

 

 

* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

A-6


Schedule A

SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE*

The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of decrease

in Principal Amount

of this Global Note

 

Amount of increase

in Principal Amount

of this Global Note

 

Principal Amount of

this Global Note

following such

decrease or increase

 

Signature of

authorized officer of

Trustee or Custodian

       
       
       
       
       

 

* This Schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

A-7


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

Potlatch Corporation

601 West 1st Avenue, Suite 1600

Spokane, Washington 99201

U.S. Bank National Association

[PD-WA-T7CT

1420 Fifth Ave, 7th Fl

Seattle, WA 98101]

Re: Potlatch Corporation Senior Notes

¨ 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2009 (the “ Indenture ”), among Potlatch Corporation, as issuer (the “ Company ”), the guarantors parties thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

                     (the “ Transferor ”) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $         in such Note[s] or interests (the “ Transfer ”), to                      (the “ Transferee ”), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:

[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]

1. ¨ Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to Rule 144A . The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believed and believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A, and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the 144A Global Note or the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

2. ¨ Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note, or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to Regulation S. The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a Person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (iv) if the proposed transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the transfer is not being made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser).

 

B-1


Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on Transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Regulation S Global Note or the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

3. ¨ Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or of an Unrestricted Definitive Note .

(a) ¨ Check if Transfer is pursuant to Rule 144 . (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

(b) ¨ Check if Transfer is Pursuant to Regulation S . (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

(c) ¨ Check if Transfer is Pursuant to Other Exemption . (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.

This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company.

 

 

[Insert Name of Transferor]

 

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

Dated:

 

B-2


ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER

 

  1. The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following:

[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]

 

  (a) ¨ a beneficial interest in the:

 

  (i) ¨ 144A Global Note (CUSIP                    ), or

 

  (ii) ¨ Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP                    ), or

 

  (b) ¨ a Restricted Definitive Note.

 

  2. After the Transfer the Transferee will hold:

[CHECK ONE]

 

  (a) ¨ a beneficial interest in the:

 

  (i) ¨ 144A Global Note (CUSIP                    ), or

 

  (ii) ¨ Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP                    ), or

 

  (iii) ¨ Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP                    ); or

 

  (b) ¨ a Restricted Definitive Note; or

 

  (c) ¨ an Unrestricted Definitive Note,

in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

 

B-3


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE

Potlatch Corporation

601 West 1st Avenue, Suite 1600

Spokane, Washington 99201

U.S. Bank National Association

[PD-WA-T7CT

1420 Fifth Ave, 7th Fl

Seattle, WA 98101]

Re: Potlatch Corporation Senior Notes

¨    7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019

(CUSIP              )

Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2009 (the “ Indenture ”), among Potlatch Corporation, as issuer (the “ Company ”), the guarantors parties thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

                     (the “ Owner ”) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $          in such Note[s] or interests (the “ Exchange ”). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:

[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]

1. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note

(a)   ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

(b)   ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

 

C-1


(c)   ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note . In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

(d)   ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note . In connection with the Owner’s Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.

2. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes

(a)   ¨ Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Restricted Definitive Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

(b)   ¨ Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owner’s Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE] ¨ 144A Global Note, ¨ Regulation S Global Note, with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owner’s own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.

This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company.

 

 

[Insert Name of Transferor]

 

By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

Dated:

 

C-2


EXHIBIT D

FORM OF NOTATION OF GUARANTEE

For value received, the Guarantors (which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture) have unconditionally guaranteed, to the extent set forth in the Indenture and subject to the provisions in the Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2009 (the “ Indenture ”), among Potlatch Corporation (the “ Company ”), each guarantor from time to time party thereto (each a “ Guarantor ” and, collectively, the “ Guarantors ”) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), (a) the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium and Additional Interest, if any, and interest on, the Notes (as defined in the Indenture), whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, the due and punctual payment of interest on overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and the due and punctual performance of all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee all in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that the same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise. The obligations of each Guarantor to the Holders of Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to the Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article 10 of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Guarantee. This Guarantee shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged, without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, upon the occurrence of either of the events set forth in Section 10.05 of the Indenture.

Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.

 

POTLATCH FOREST HOLDINGS, INC.
PFHI IDAHO INVESTMENT LLC
POTLATCH LAKE STATES TIMBERLANDS, LLC
POTLATCH LAND & LUMBER, LLC
POTLATCH MINNESOTA TIMBERLANDS, LLC
POTLATCH WISCONSIN TIMBERLANDS, LLC
POTLATCH TIMBERLANDS, LLC
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

D-1


EXHIBIT E

[FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

TO BE DELIVERED BY SUBSEQUENT GUARANTORS]

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “ Supplemental Indenture ”), dated as of              , 200      , among                      (the “ Guaranteeing Subsidiary ”), a subsidiary of Potlatch Corporation (or its permitted successor), a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee under the Indenture referred to below (the “ Trustee ”).

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an indenture (the “ Indenture ”), dated as of November 3, 2009 providing for the issuance of 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”);

WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall unconditionally guarantee all of the Company’s Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on the terms and conditions set forth herein (the “ Guarantee ”); and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01 of the Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Guaranteeing Subsidiary and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes as follows:

1. Capitalized Terms . Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

2. Agreement to Guarantee . The Guaranteeing Subsidiary hereby agrees to provide an unconditional Guarantee on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Guarantee and in the Indenture including but not limited to Article 10 thereof.

4. No Recourse Against Others . No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder or agent of the Guaranteeing Subsidiary, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guaranteeing Subsidiary under the Notes, any Guarantees, the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. Such waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

5. New York Law to Govern . THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.

6. Counterparts . The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

7. Effect of Headings . The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

E-1


8. The Trustee . The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the Guaranteeing Subsidiary and the Company.

 

E-2


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

Dated:              , 20       

 

[GUARANTEEING SUBSIDIARY]
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
POTLATCH CORPORATION
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
[EXISTING GUARANTORS]
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

E-3

Exhibit 4.3

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

by and among

Potlatch Corporation

and the Guarantors party hereto

and

Banc of America Securities LLC

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Dated as of November 3, 2009


REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of November 3, 2009, by and among Potlatch Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors party hereto (collectively, the “Guarantors”), and Banc of America Securities LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (collectively, the “Initial Purchasers”), each of whom has agreed to purchase the Company’s 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Initial Notes”) fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors (the “Guarantees”) pursuant to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below). The Initial Notes and the Guarantees attached thereto are herein collectively referred to as the “Initial Securities.”

This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated October 29, 2009 (the “Purchase Agreement”), among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers (i) for the benefit of the Initial Purchasers and (ii) for the benefit of the holders from time to time of the Initial Securities, including the Initial Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Initial Securities, the Company has agreed to provide the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 5(g) of the Purchase Agreement.

The parties hereby agree as follows:

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

Additional Interest Payment Date: With respect to the Initial Securities, each Interest Payment Date.

Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.

Business Day: Any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or U.S. federal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies located in New York, New York are authorized or obligated to be closed.

Closing Date: The date of this Agreement.

Commission: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Consummate: A registered Exchange Offer shall be deemed “Consummated” for purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (i) the filing and effectiveness under the Securities Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (ii) the maintenance of such Registration Statement continuously effective and the keeping of the Exchange Offer open for a period not less than the minimum period required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and (iii) the delivery by the Company to the Registrar under the Indenture of Exchange Securities in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities that were tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.


Effectiveness Target Date: As defined in Section 5 hereof.

Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Exchange Date : As defined in Section 3 hereof.

Exchange Offer: The registration by the Company under the Securities Act of the Exchange Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement pursuant to which the Company offers the Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities the opportunity to exchange all such outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities held by such Holders for Exchange Securities in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities tendered in such exchange offer by such Holders.

Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.

Exchange Securities: The 7  1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019, of the same series under the Indenture as the Initial Notes and the Guarantees attached thereto, to be issued to Holders in exchange for Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to this Agreement.

FINRA : Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Holders: As defined in Section 2(b) hereof.

Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.

Indenture: The Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2009, by and among the Company, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), pursuant to which the Securities are to be issued, as such Indenture is amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

Initial Purchaser: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Initial Notes: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Initial Placement: The issuance and sale by the Company of the Initial Securities to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

Initial Securities: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Interest Payment Date: As defined in the Indenture and the Securities.

Person: Any individual, partnership, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

-2-


Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference into such Prospectus.

Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.

Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company relating to (a) an offering of Exchange Securities pursuant to an Exchange Offer or (b) the registration for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, which is filed pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, in each case, including the Prospectus included therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.

Securities: As defined in the preamble hereto.

Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Shelf Filing Deadline: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.

Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.

Trust Indenture Act: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Transfer Restricted Securities: Each Initial Security, until the earliest to occur of (a) the date on which such Initial Security is exchanged in the Exchange Offer for an Exchange Security entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder thereof without complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, (b) the date on which such Initial Security has been effectively registered under the Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with a Shelf Registration Statement, (c) the date on which such Initial Security is distributed by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to the “Plan of Distribution” contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (including delivery of the Prospectus contained therein) and (d) the date on which such Initial Security ceases to be outstanding for purposes of the Indenture.

Underwritten Registration or Underwritten Offering: A registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to the public.

SECTION 2. Securities Subject to this Agreement .

(a) Transfer Restricted Securities. The securities entitled to the benefits of this Agreement are the Transfer Restricted Securities.

(b) Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities. A Person is deemed to be a holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (each, a “Holder”) whenever such Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.

 

-3-


SECTION 3. Registered Exchange Offer .

(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable law or Commission policy (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a) hereof have been complied with), each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts (i) to file with the Commission a Registration Statement under the Securities Act relating to the Exchange Securities and the Exchange Offer, (ii) to cause such Registration Statement to become effective, (iii) in connection with the foregoing, (A) file all pre-effective amendments to such Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to cause such Registration Statement to become effective, (B) if applicable, file a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act and (C) cause all necessary filings in connection with the registration and qualification of the Exchange Securities to be made under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as are necessary to permit Consummation of the Exchange Offer, and (iv) upon the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, commence the Exchange Offer. Each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to Consummate the Exchange Offer not later than 365 days following the Closing Date (or if such 365th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) (the “Exchange Date”). The Exchange Offer shall be on the appropriate form permitting registration of the Exchange Securities to be offered in exchange for the Transfer Restricted Securities and to permit resales of Initial Securities held by Broker-Dealers as contemplated by Section 3(c) hereof.

(b) The Company and the Guarantors shall cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be effective continuously and shall keep the Exchange Offer open for a period of not less than the minimum period required under applicable federal and state securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer; provided, however , that in no event shall such period be less than 20 Business Days after the date notice of the Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders. The Company shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws. No securities other than the Exchange Securities shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement.

(c) The Company shall indicate in a “Plan of Distribution” section contained in the Prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement that any Broker-Dealer who holds Initial Securities that are Transfer Restricted Securities and that were acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Transfer Restricted Securities acquired directly from the Company), may exchange such Initial Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, such Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Securities received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer, which prospectus delivery requirement may be satisfied by the delivery by such Broker-Dealer of the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. Such “Plan of Distribution” section shall also contain all other information with respect to such resales by Broker-Dealers that the Commission may require in order to permit such resales pursuant thereto, but such “Plan of Distribution” shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or disclose the amount of Initial Securities held by any such Broker-Dealer except to the extent required by the Commission as a result of a change in policy after the date of this Agreement.

 

-4-


Each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Initial Securities acquired by Broker-Dealers for their own accounts as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days from the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective and (ii) the date on which a Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market-making or other trading activities.

The Company shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such Prospectus to Broker-Dealers promptly upon request at any time during such 180-day (or shorter as provided in the foregoing sentence) period in order to facilitate such resales.

SECTION 4. Shelf Registration .

(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Company is not required to file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement or to consummate the Exchange Offer because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or Commission policy (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a) hereof have been complied with), (ii) for any reason the Exchange Offer is not Consummated by the Exchange Date, or (iii) with respect to any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (A) such Holder is prohibited by applicable law or Commission policy from participating in the Exchange Offer, or (B) such Holder may not resell the Exchange Securities acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a prospectus and that the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such Holder, or (C) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Initial Securities acquired directly from the Company or one of its affiliates, then, upon such Holder’s request, the Company and the Guarantors shall

(x) cause to be filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (in either event, the “Shelf Registration Statement”) as promptly as practicable (such date being the “Shelf Filing Deadline”), which Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for resales of all Transfer Restricted Securities the Holders of which shall have provided the information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof; and

(y) use their reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission.

Each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Sections 6(b) and (c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Initial Securities by the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities entitled to the benefit of this Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period of at least two years following the Closing Date (or shorter period that will terminate when all the Initial Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement).

 

-5-


(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with the Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to the Company in writing, within 20 Business Days after receipt of a request therefor, such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus included therein. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration Statement is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.

SECTION 5. Additional Interest. If (i) the Exchange Offer has not been Consummated by the Exchange Date, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, has not been declared effective by the Commission prior to the later of the date that is 90 days after the Exchange Date (unless such Shelf Registration Statement is reviewed by the Commission, in which case 120 days after Exchange Date) and the date that is 90 days after such Holder makes such request pursuant to Section 4(a) hereof) or (iii) any Shelf Registration Statement required by this Agreement has been declared effective but ceases to be effective at any time at which it is required to be effective under this Agreement (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), a “Registration Default”), the Company hereby agrees that the interest rate borne by the Transfer Restricted Securities shall be increased by 0.25% per annum during the 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of any Registration Default and shall increase by 0.25% per annum at the end of each subsequent 90-day period, but in no event shall such increase exceed 1.00% per annum. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults relating to any particular Transfer Restricted Securities, the interest rate borne by the relevant Transfer Restricted Securities will be reduced to the original interest rate borne by such Transfer Restricted Securities; provided, however, that, if after any such reduction in interest rate, a different Registration Default occurs, the interest rate borne by the relevant Transfer Restricted Securities shall again be increased pursuant to the foregoing provisions.

All obligations of the Company and the Guarantors set forth in the preceding paragraph that are outstanding with respect to any Transfer Restricted Security at the time such security ceases to be a Transfer Restricted Security shall survive until such time as all such obligations with respect to such security shall have been satisfied in full.

SECTION 6. Registration Procedures .

(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Company and the Guarantors shall comply with all of the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof, shall use their reasonable best efforts to effect such exchange to permit the sale of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and shall comply with all of the following provisions:

(i) If in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Company there is a question as to whether the Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable law, each of the Company

 

-6-


and the Guarantors hereby agrees to seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission allowing the Company and the Guarantors to Consummate an Exchange Offer for such Initial Securities. Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees to pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level but shall not be required to take commercially unreasonable action to effect a change of Commission policy. Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees, however, to (A) participate in telephonic conferences with the Commission, (B) deliver to the Commission staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Company setting forth the legal bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that such an Exchange Offer should be permitted and (C) diligently pursue a favorable resolution by the Commission staff of such submission.

(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities shall furnish, upon the request of the Company, prior to the Consummation thereof, a written representation to the Company (which may be contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an affiliate of the Company, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer and (C) it is acquiring the Exchange Securities in its ordinary course of business. In addition, all such Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities shall otherwise cooperate in the Company’s preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under Commission policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the Commission enunciated in Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commission’s letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (which may include any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above), and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K if the resales are of Exchange Securities obtained by such Holder in exchange for Initial Securities acquired by such Holder directly from the Company.

(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall comply with all the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof and shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such registration to permit the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto each of the Company and the Guarantors will as expeditiously as possible prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement relating to the registration on any appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form shall be available for the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof.

 

-7-


(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement and any Prospectus required by this Agreement to permit the sale or resale of Transfer Restricted Securities (including, without limitation, any Registration Statement and the related Prospectus required to permit resales of Initial Securities by Broker-Dealers), each of the Company and the Guarantors shall:

(i) use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective and provide all requisite financial statements (including, if required by the Securities Act or any regulation thereunder, financial statements of the Guarantors for the period specified in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable; upon the occurrence of any event that would cause any such Registration Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to contain a material misstatement or omission or (B) not to be effective and usable for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities during the period required by this Agreement, the Company shall file promptly an appropriate amendment to such Registration Statement, in the case of clause (A), correcting any such misstatement or omission, and, in the case of either clause (A) or (B), use its reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment to be declared effective and such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to become usable for their intended purpose(s) as soon as practicable thereafter;

(ii) use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the applicable Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective for the applicable period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, or such shorter period as will terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold; cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, and to comply fully with the applicable provisions of Rules 424 and 430A under the Securities Act in a timely manner; and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;

(iii) advise the underwriter(s), if any, and selling Holders promptly and, if requested by such Persons, to confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to any Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective, (B) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act or of the suspension by any state securities commission of the qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, (D) of the existence of any fact or the happening of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by

 

-8-


reference therein untrue, or that requires the making of any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any state securities commission or other regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities under state securities or blue sky laws, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time;

(iv) furnish without charge to each of the Initial Purchasers and each of the underwriter(s), if any, before filing with the Commission, copies of any Registration Statement or any Prospectus included therein or any amendments or supplements to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference after the initial filing of such Registration Statement), which documents will be subject to the review and comment of such underwriter(s) in connection with such sale, if any, for a period of at least five Business Days, and the Company will not file any such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all such documents incorporated by reference) to which an Initial Purchaser of Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement or the underwriter(s), if any, shall reasonably object in writing within five Business Days after the receipt thereof (such objection to be deemed timely made upon confirmation of telecopy transmission within such period). The objection of an Initial Purchaser or underwriter, if any, shall be deemed to be reasonable if such Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as proposed to be filed, contains a material misstatement or omission;

(v) promptly prior to the filing of any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Shelf Registration Statement or a related Prospectus, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and to the underwriter(s), if any, make the Company’s and the Guarantors’ representatives available for discussion of such document and other customary due diligence matters, and include such information in such document prior to the filing thereof as such underwriter(s), if any, reasonably may request;

(vi) make available at reasonable times for inspection by the Initial Purchasers, the managing underwriter(s), if any, participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any attorney or accountant retained by such Initial Purchasers or any of the underwriter(s), all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of each of the Company and the Guarantors, and cause the Company’s and the Guarantors’ officers, directors and employees to supply all information, reasonably requested by any such Holder, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its effectiveness and to participate in meetings with investors to the extent requested by the managing underwriter(s), if any;

(vii) if requested by any selling Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, promptly incorporate in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or

 

-9-


post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such selling Holders and underwriter(s), if any, may reasonably request to have included therein, including, without limitation, information relating to the “Plan of Distribution” of the Transfer Restricted Securities, information with respect to the principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold to such underwriter(s), the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold in such offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company is notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;

(viii) cause the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities covered thereby or the underwriter(s), if any;

(ix) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge, at least one copy of the Registration Statement, as first filed with the Commission, and of each amendment thereto, excluding all documents incorporated by reference therein and all exhibits thereto;

(x) deliver to each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby consents to the use of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders and each of the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the offering and the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;

(xi) enter into such agreements (including an underwriting agreement), and make such representations and warranties, and take all such other actions in connection therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement, all to such extent as may be reasonably requested by any Initial Purchaser or by any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or underwriter in connection with any sale or resale pursuant to any Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement; and whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and whether or not the registration is an Underwritten Registration, each of the Company and the Guarantors shall:

(A) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, each selling Holder and each underwriter, if any, in such substance and scope as they may request and as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in primary underwritten offerings, upon the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement:

(1) certificates, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, signed by (y) the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President and (z) the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and each Guarantor, confirming, as of the date thereof, the matters set forth in paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of Section 5(f) of the Purchase Agreement and such other matters as such parties may reasonably request;

 

-10-


(2) an opinion, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, of counsel for the Company and the Guarantors, covering the matters set forth in Section 5(c) of the Purchase Agreement and such other matter as such parties may reasonably request, and in any event including a statement to the effect that such counsel has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company and the Guarantors, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Company and the Guarantors, representatives of the underwriter(s), if any, and counsel to the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the preparation of such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus and have considered the matters required to be stated therein and the statements contained therein, although such counsel has not independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of such statements; and that such counsel advises that, on the basis of the foregoing, no facts came to such counsel’s attention that caused such counsel to believe that the applicable Registration Statement, at the time such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus contained in such Registration Statement as of its date contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading. Without limiting the foregoing, such counsel may state further that such counsel assumes no responsibility for, and has not independently verified, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the financial statements, notes and schedules and other financial data included in any Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement or the related Prospectus;

(3) an opinion, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, of counsel for the Company and the Guarantors, covering the matters set forth in Section 5(d) of the Purchase Agreement; and

(4) a customary comfort letter, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, from the Company’s independent accountants, in the customary form and covering matters of the type customarily requested to be covered in comfort letters by underwriters in connection with primary underwritten offerings, and covering or affirming the matters set forth in the comfort letters delivered pursuant to Section 5(a) of the Purchase Agreement, without exception;

 

-11-


(B) set forth in full or incorporate by reference in the underwriting agreement, if any, the indemnification provisions and procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect to all parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section; and

(C) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by such parties to evidence compliance with Section 6(c)(xi)(A) hereof and with any customary conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other agreement entered into by the Company or any of the Guarantors pursuant to this Section 6(c)(xi), if any.

If at any time the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors contemplated in Section 6(c)(xi)(A)(1) hereof cease to be true and correct, the Company or the Guarantors shall so advise the Initial Purchasers and the underwriter(s), if any, and each selling Holder promptly and, if requested by such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;

(xii) prior to any public offering of Transfer Restricted Securities, cooperate with the selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the registration and qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the selling Holders or underwriter(s), if any, may request and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement; provided, however , that none of the Company or the Guarantors shall be required to register or qualify as a foreign corporation where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to the service of process in suits or to taxation, other than as to matters and transactions relating to the Registration Statement, in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

(xiii) shall issue, upon the request of any Holder of Initial Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, Exchange Securities having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities surrendered to the Company by such Holder in exchange therefor or being sold by such Holder; such Exchange Securities to be registered in the name of such Holder or in the name of the purchaser(s) of such Securities, as the case may be; in return, the Initial Securities held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the Company for cancellation;

(xiv) cooperate with the selling Holders and the underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Transfer Restricted Securities to be in such denominations, in accordance with the Indenture, and registered in such names as the Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, may request at least two Business Days prior to any sale of Transfer Restricted Securities made by such Holders or underwriter(s);

(xv) if any fact or event contemplated by Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof shall exist or have occurred, prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file

 

-12-


any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Transfer Restricted Securities, the Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading;

(xvi) provide a CUSIP number for all Securities not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement covering such Securities and provide the Trustee under the Indenture with printed certificates for such Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company and take all other action necessary to ensure that all such Securities are eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company;

(xvii) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with the FINRA and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter (including any “qualified independent underwriter”) that is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations of the FINRA;

(xviii) otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally available to its security holders, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 under the Securities Act (which need not be audited) for the twelve-month period (A) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Transfer Restricted Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or best efforts Underwritten Offering or (B) if not sold to underwriters in such an offering, beginning with the first month of the Company’s first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement;

(xix) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act not later than the effective date of the first Registration Statement required by this Agreement, and, in connection therewith, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders of Securities to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for such Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and to execute and use its best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents that may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

(xx) cause all Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on which similar debt securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Initial Securities or the managing underwriter(s), if any; and

(xxi) provide promptly to each Holder upon request each document filed with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 and Section 15 of the Exchange Act, except to the extent any such document is available on the Commission’s EDGAR website.

Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a Transfer Restricted Security that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the existence of any fact of the kind described in Section

 

-13-


6(c)(iii)(D) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof, or until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. If so directed by the Company, each Holder will deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus covering such Transfer Restricted Securities that was current at the time of receipt of such notice. In the event the Company shall give any such notice, the time period regarding the effectiveness of such Registration Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof to and including the date when each selling Holder covered by such Registration Statement shall have received the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof or shall have received the Advice; provided, however, that no such extension shall be taken into account in determining whether Additional Interest is due pursuant to Section 5 hereof or the amount of such Additional Interest, it being agreed that the Company’s option to suspend use of a Registration Statement pursuant to this paragraph shall be treated as a Registration Default for purposes of Section 5 hereof.

SECTION 7. Registration Expenses .

(a) All expenses incident to the Company’s and the Guarantors’ performance of or compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, regardless of whether a Registration Statement becomes effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses (including filings made by any Initial Purchaser or Holder with the FINRA (and, if applicable, the fees and expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter” and its counsel that may be required by the rules and regulations of the FINRA)); (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state securities or blue sky laws; (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer and printing of Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone; (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, the Guarantors and, subject to Section 7(b) hereof, the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; (v) all application and filing fees in connection with listing the Exchange Securities on a securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements thereof; and (vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public accountants of the Company and the Guarantors (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such performance).

Each of the Company and the Guarantors will, in any event, bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts, retained by the Company or the Guarantors.

(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and the Shelf Registration

 

-14-


Statement), the Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered in the Exchange Offer or resold pursuant to the “Plan of Distribution” contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or registered pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP or such other counsel as may be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration Statement is being prepared.

SECTION 8. Indemnification .

(a) The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless (i) each Holder and (ii) each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) any Holder (any of the Persons referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter referred to as a “controlling person”) and (iii) the respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of any Holder or any controlling person (any Person referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may hereinafter be referred to as an “Indemnified Holder”), to the fullest extent lawful, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions and expenses (including, without limitation, and as incurred, reimbursement of all reasonable costs of investigating, preparing, pursuing, settling, compromising, paying or defending any claim or action, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to any Indemnified Holder), joint or several, directly or indirectly caused by, related to, based upon, arising out of or in connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are caused by an untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission that is made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any of the Holders furnished in writing to the Company by any of the Holders expressly for use therein. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability which the Company or any of the Guarantors may otherwise have.

In case any action or proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation or proceeding) shall be brought or asserted against any of the Indemnified Holders with respect to which indemnity may be sought against the Company or the Guarantors, such Indemnified Holder (or the Indemnified Holder controlled by such controlling person) shall promptly notify the Company and the Guarantors in writing; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not relieve any of the Company or the Guarantors of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement to the extent it is not materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) as a result of such failure. Such Indemnified Holder shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be paid, as incurred, by the Company and the Guarantors (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Holder is not entitled to indemnification hereunder). The Company and the Guarantors shall not, in connection with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of

 

-15-


the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any time for such Indemnified Holders, which firm shall be designated by the Holders. The Company and the Guarantors shall be liable for any settlement of any such action or proceeding effected with the Company’s and the Guarantors’ prior written consent, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably, and each of the Company and the Guarantors agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Indemnified Holder from and against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of any settlement of any action effected with the written consent of the Company and the Guarantors. The Company and the Guarantors shall not, without the prior written consent of each Indemnified Holder, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action, claim, litigation or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Holder is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Holder from all liability arising out of such action, claim, litigation or proceeding.

(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantors and their respective directors and officers of the Company and the Guarantors who sign a Registration Statement, and any Person controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) the Company or any of the Guarantors, and the respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of each such Person, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company and the Guarantors to each of the Indemnified Holders, but only with respect to claims and actions based on information relating to such Holder furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement. In case any action or proceeding shall be brought against the Company, the Guarantors or their respective directors or officers or any such controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities, such Holder shall have the rights and duties given the Company and the Guarantors, and the Company, the Guarantors, their respective directors and officers and such controlling person shall have the rights and duties given to each Holder by the preceding paragraph.

(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or (b) hereof (other than by reason of exceptions provided in those Sections) in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, from the Initial Placement (which in the case of the Company and the Guarantors shall be deemed to be equal to the total gross proceeds to the Company and the Guarantors from the Initial Placement), the amount of Additional Interest which did not become payable as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement resulting in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments actions or expenses, and such Registration Statement, or if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions

 

-16-


which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Indemnified Holder on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, or the Indemnified Holders, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a) hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.

The Company, the Guarantors and each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, none of the Holders (and its related Indemnified Holders) shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discount received by such Holder with respect to the Initial Securities exceeds the amount of any damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Initial Securities held by each of the Holders hereunder and not joint.

SECTION 9. Rule 144A. Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as any Transfer Restricted Securities remain outstanding, to make available to any Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities, upon their request in connection with any sale thereof to any prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act in order to permit resales of such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

SECTION 10. Participation in Underwritten Registrations. No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder’s Transfer Restricted Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

 

-17-


SECTION 11. Selection of Underwriters. The Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Transfer Restricted Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) that will administer such offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities included in such offering; provided, however , that such investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) must be reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

SECTION 12. Miscellaneous.

(a) Remedies. Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agree to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. Each of the Company and the Guarantors will not on or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company’s or any of the Guarantors’ securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.

(c) Adjustments Affecting the Securities. The Company will not take any action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to the Securities that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to Consummate any Exchange Offer.

(d) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has (i) in the case of Section 5 hereof and this Section 12(d)(i), obtained the written consent of Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) in the case of all other provisions hereof, obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities (excluding any Transfer Restricted Securities held by the Company or its Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of other Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered or registered; provided, however, that, with respect to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights of any Initial Purchaser hereunder, the Company shall obtain the written consent of each such Initial Purchaser with respect to which such amendment, qualification, supplement, waiver, consent or departure is to be effective.

 

-18-


(e) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), telex, telecopier, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:

(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the Indenture; and

(ii) if to the Company:

Potlatch Corporation

601 West 1 st Avenue, Suite 1600

Spokane, Washington 99201

Telecopier No.: (509) 835-1560

Attention: Pamela Mull

With a copy to:

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

50 Fremont Street

San Francisco, CA 94105

Telecopier No.: (415) 983-1200

Attention: Blair W. White

and

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

1540 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

Telecopier No.: (212) 858-1500

Attention: Todd W. Eckland

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the address specified in the Indenture.

(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including, without limitation, and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; provided, however , that this Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor or assign of a Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder.

(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile, email or other electronic means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

-19-


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

(i) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THEREOF.

(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

(k) Entire Agreement. This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

(l) Termination . The obligations of the Company and the Guarantors under this Agreement will terminate on the second anniversary of the Closing Date; provided, however, that Sections 7, 8 and 12(d) shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

-20-


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

 

POTLATCH CORPORATION
By:  

/ S /    E RIC J. C REMERS        

Name:   Eric J. Cremers
Title:   Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
POTLATCH FOREST HOLDINGS, INC.
PFHI IDAHO INVESTMENT LLC
POTLATCH LAKE STATES TIMBERLANDS, LLC
POTLATCH LAND & LUMBER, LLC
POTLATCH MINNESOTA TIMBERLANDS, LLC
POTLATCH TIMBERLANDS, LLC

POTLATCH WISCONSIN TIMBERLANDS, LLC,

    as Guarantors

By:  

/ S /    E RIC J. C REMERS         .

Name:   Eric J. Cremers
Title:   Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:

 

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
By:   Banc of America Securities LLC
By:  

/ S /    M ARK W. K USHEMBA        

 

Mark W. Kushemba

Vice President

 

-21-


POTLATCH TIMBERLANDS, LLC

    as Guarantor

By:  

/ S /    P AMELA A. M ULL        

Name:   Pamela A. Mull
Title:   Vice President, General Counsel and Corp. Secretary

 

-22-