UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

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

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 8, 2010

 

 

Central Garden & Pet Company

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-33268   68-0275553

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600, Walnut Creek, California   94597
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (925) 948-4000

 

(Former name or former address if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (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 8.01. Other Events.

Initial Settlement of Tender Offer

On March 8, 2010, Central Garden & Pet Company (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing that the Company accepted for purchase and payment (the “Initial Settlement”) all of the $135,182,000 of the $150 million aggregate principal amount of its 9  1 / 8 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 (the “2013 Notes”) that were validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 5, 2010 pursuant to its previously announced tender offer and consent solicitation, which commenced on February 22, 2010. In addition, on March 8, 2010, payment for the 2013 Notes tendered pursuant to the Initial Settlement was made. The tender offer will expire at midnight, New York City time, on March 19, 2010, unless extended by the Company. The Company intends to call any 2013 Notes not tendered by March 19, 2010.

On March 8, 2010, the Company entered into the Sixth Supplemental Indenture (the “Sixth Supplemental Indenture”) to the Indenture governing the 2013 Notes (“2013 Notes Indenture”) following receipt of the requisite consents of the holders of the 2013 Notes. The Sixth Supplemental Indenture eliminates substantially all of the restrictive covenants contained in the 2013 Notes Indenture and the 2013 Notes, eliminates certain events of default, modifies covenants regarding mergers and consolidations, and modifies or eliminates certain other provisions contained in the 2013 Notes Indenture and the 2013 Notes. The Sixth Supplemental Indenture became operative upon the purchase by the Company of a majority of the outstanding 2013 Notes pursuant to its tender offer and consent solicitation.

A copy of the Sixth Supplemental Indenture is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of the Sixth Supplemental Indenture contained herein is qualified in its entirety by the full text of such exhibit. A copy of the press release announcing the events described in this Item 8.01, which is attached to this report as Exhibit 99.1, is incorporated herein by reference and is furnished pursuant to Item 8.01 and Regulation FD.

Completion of Sale of Senior Subordinated Notes

On March 8, 2010, the Company completed its sale of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (the “2018 Notes”). The 2018 Notes were issued pursuant to the Indenture dated as of March 8, 2010 by and between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”) as supplemented by that First Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 8, 2010 by and among the Company, the guarantors named therein and the Trustee. For further information concerning the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018, refer to the exhibits attached to this report.

Update to Prospectus Supplement

The minimum denomination for the 2018 Notes was amended prior to the pricing of the 2018 Notes to reduce the minimum denomination from $100,000 to $2,000. To conform to this change, the paragraph under the heading “Selection and notice of redemption” on page S-65 of the prospectus supplement filed with the Commission on February 25, 2010 (the “Prospectus Supplement”), to the prospectus dated September 1, 2009 (File No. 333-161663) is amended and restated as follows to reflect the $2,000 minimum denomination for redemption:

“In the event that we choose to redeem less than all of the Notes, selection of the Notes of such series for redemption will be made by the Trustee on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.”

The third full paragraph on page S-77 of the Prospectus Supplement is also amended and restated as follows to reflect the $2,000 minimum denomination for redemption:

“Each Asset Sale Offer will be mailed to the record Holders as shown on the register of Holders within 30 days following the Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date, with a copy to the Trustee, and shall comply with the procedures set forth in the Indenture. Upon receiving notice of the Asset Sale Offer, Holders may elect to tender their Notes in whole or in part in a minimum of $1,000 or an integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof ( provided that no Note will be purchased in part if such Note would have a remaining amount of less than $2,000) in exchange for cash. To

 

2


the extent Holders properly tender Notes (and, if applicable, holders of Pari Passu Debt, tender Pari Passu Debt) in an aggregate amount exceeding the Asset Sale Offer Amount, Notes of tendering Holders and Pari Passu Debt of holders thereof will be purchased on a pro rata basis (based on amounts tendered). To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes and Pari Passu Debt tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Asset Sale Offer Amount, we may use any remaining Asset Sale Offer Amount for general corporate purposes or for any other purpose not prohibited by the Indenture. Upon completion of any such Asset Sale Offer, the Asset Sale Offer Amount shall be reset at zero.”

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

Ex.
No.

 

Description

1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated February 25, 2010, by and among the Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the offering of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.(1)
4.1   Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010, to the Indenture dated as of January 30, 2003 by and among the Company, the guarantors named therein and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.
4.2   Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010, by and between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.
4.3   First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010, by and among the Company, the guarantors named therein and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, relating to the issuance of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
4.4   Specimen of Senior Subordinated Note due 2018 (included as Exhibit A to First Supplemental Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.3).
4.5   Specimen of guarantee of Senior Subordinated Note due 2018 (included as Exhibit B to First Supplemental Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.3).
5.1   Opinion of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP regarding the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 and the related guarantees.
5.2   Opinion of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. regarding the Kaytee Products, Incorporated and All-Glass Aquarium Co., Inc. guarantees of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.3   Opinion of the Law Office of Andrew M. Reed regarding the Gulfstream Home & Garden, Inc. guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.4   Opinion of Fennemore Craig, P.C. regarding the Seeds West, Inc. and Farnam Companies, Inc. guarantees of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.5   Opinion of Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P. regarding the Pennington Seed, Inc. of Nebraska guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.6   Opinion of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC regarding the Gro Tec, Inc. guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.7   Opinion of Ulmer & Berne LLP regarding the Cedar Works, LLC guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.

 

3


5.8   Opinion of Winston & Strawn LLP regarding the Pets International, Ltd. guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
10.2.7   Amendment No. 7, dated as of February 25, 2010, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the lenders party thereto.
99.1   Press release, dated March 8, 2010, announcing receipt of required consents with respect to the tender offer and consent solicitation for the Company’s 9  1 / 8 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013.

 

(1) Certain schedules have been omitted from this exhibit. The registrant hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted schedules upon request by the Commission.

 

4


SIGNATURES

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

 

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY

By:

 

/s/    S TUART W. B OOTH        

  Stuart W. Booth
  Chief Financial Officer

Dated: March 8, 2010

 

5


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Ex.

No.

 

Description

1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated February 25, 2010, by and among the Company, the subsidiary guarantors party thereto and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the offering of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.(1)
4.1   Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010, to the Indenture dated as of January 30, 2003 by and among the Company, the guarantors named therein and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.
4.2   Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010, by and between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.
4.3   First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010, by and among the Company, the guarantors named therein and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, relating to the issuance of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
4.4   Specimen of Senior Subordinated Note due 2018 (included as Exhibit A to First Supplemental Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.3).
4.5   Specimen of guarantee of Senior Subordinated Note due 2018 (included as Exhibit B to First Supplemental Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.3).
5.1   Opinion of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP regarding the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 and the related guarantees.
5.2   Opinion of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. regarding the Kaytee Products, Incorporated and All-Glass Aquarium Co., Inc. guarantees of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.3   Opinion of the Law Office of Andrew M. Reed regarding the Gulfstream Home & Garden, Inc. guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.4   Opinion of Fennemore Craig, P.C. regarding the Seeds West, Inc. and Farnam Companies, Inc. guarantees of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.5   Opinion of Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P. regarding the Pennington Seed, Inc. of Nebraska guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.6   Opinion of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC regarding the Gro Tec, Inc. guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.7   Opinion of Ulmer & Berne LLP regarding the Cedar Works, LLC guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
5.8   Opinion of Winston & Strawn LLP regarding the Pets International, Ltd. guarantee of the 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018.
    10.2.7   Amendment No. 7, dated as of February 25, 2010, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the lenders party thereto.
99.1   Press release, dated March 8, 2010, announcing receipt of required consents with respect to the tender offer and consent solicitation for the Company’s 9  1 / 8 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013.

 

(1) Certain schedules have been omitted from this exhibit. The registrant hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted schedules upon request by the Commission.

 

6

Exhibit 1.1

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY

as Issuer

and Certain of its Subsidiaries,

as Guarantors

$400,000,000

8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018

Underwriting Agreement

February 25, 2010            

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

As Representative of the several

Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

270 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representative (the “Representative”), $400,000,000 principal amount of its 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (the “Securities”) to be guaranteed (collectively, the “Guarantees”) by the subsidiary guarantors listed on Schedule 2 hereto (collectively, the “Guarantors”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture (the “Base Indenture”), as supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), each to be dated as of the Closing Date (as defined below) among the Company, the Guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

Each of the Company and the Guarantors hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

1. Registration Statement . The Company and the Guarantors have prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-161663), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities. Such registration statement as of the Effective Date (as defined below), including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of the Effective Date (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used


herein the term “Effective Date” means the effective date of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act for purposes of liability under Section 11 of the Securities Act of the Company or the Underwriters with respect to the offering of the Securities; and the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of the Effective Date that omits Rule 430 Information and any prospectus made available prior to the Time of Sale, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities, which shall be in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) as of the date of such first use or availability. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein after such date. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated February 22, 2010, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex B hereto as constituting part of the Time of Sale Information.

2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters . (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 98.0% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from March 8, 2010 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

(b) Each of the Company and the Guarantors understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. Each of the Company and the Guarantors acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

 

2


(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on March 8, 2010, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.

(d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representative against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representative on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

(e) Each of the Company and the Guarantors acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Guarantors . Each of the Company and the Guarantors jointly and severally represent and warrant to each Underwriter that:

(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that neither the Company nor any Guarantor makes any representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or the Guarantors in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus.

(b) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the

 

3


circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that neither the Company nor any of the Guarantor makes any representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or the Guarantors in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors (nor any of their respective agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has used, authorized, approved or referred to or will use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex B hereto as constituting the Time of Sale Information and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representative. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that neither the Company nor any Guarantor makes any representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or the Guarantors in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or the Guarantors or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material

 

4


fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that neither the Company nor any Guarantor makes any representation and warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or the Guarantors in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

(e) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and none of such documents, at its time of filing with the Commission, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(f) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.

 

5


(g) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, (ii) there has not been any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(h) Organization and Good Standing. The Company, each Guarantor and each other subsidiary of the Company have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified, in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Securities (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(i) Capitalization. The Company has the capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization” and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party, except for any granted pursuant to the Credit Facility (as defined in the Prospectus).

(j) Due Authorization. The Company and each of the Guarantors have full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (including the Guarantees) (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) to which it is a party and to perform their respective obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents to which the Company and each of the Guarantors is a party and the due and proper authorization and consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.

 

6


(k) The Indenture. The Base Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and the Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and each of the Guarantors. The Indenture is duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, the Base Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and the Supplemental Indenture will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company and each Guarantor, enforceable against the Company and each Guarantor, as applicable, in accordance with their respective terms except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).

(l) The Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

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

(n)  The Guarantees. The Guarantees have been duly authorized by each of the Guarantors and are in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture and, when the Securities have been executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price for the Securities as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of each of the Guarantors, enforceable against each of the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.

(o) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(p) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties, rights or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

7


(q) No Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and each of the Guarantors of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities (including the Guarantees) and compliance by the Company and each of the Guarantors, as applicable, with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties, rights or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, note, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties, rights or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or any other agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, rights or assets, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(r) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company or the Guarantors of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof, the issuance of the Guarantees by the Guarantors and compliance by the Guarantors with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, except for the registration of the Securities and the Guarantees under the Securities Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters.

(s) Legal Proceedings. There are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property, right or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject wherein any such case (i) there is a reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined adversely to the Company or such subsidiary, and (ii) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are, to the best knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

8


(t) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

(u) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) Title to Intellectual Property. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and licenses (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) and all other proprietary rights reasonably necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as now conducted; the conduct of their respective businesses will not infringe or conflict with any intellectual property rights of others, except for any such infringement that individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement or conflict with any asserted intellectual property rights of others which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would have a Material Adverse Effect, and, to the knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, the intellectual property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries is not being infringed or conflicted by any third party.

(w) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any Guarantor is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, “Investment Company Act”).

(x) Taxes. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof other than those filings or taxes being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been established. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 3(f) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company and any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

 

9


(y) Licenses and Permits. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization, which individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(z) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the best knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, is threatened.

(aa) Compliance With Environmental Laws. (i) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries (x) are, and at all prior times were, in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or government authority and no investigation with respect to which the Company has received notice, and no notice by any person or entity alleging any actual or potential liability under or relating to any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such failure to comply, or failure to receive required permits, licenses, certificates, authorizations or approvals, or cost or liability, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed.

(bb) Environmental Reviews. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to

 

10


third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(cc) Pension Plans. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) no Plan has failed, or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Sections 412 or 430 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Plan whether or not waived; (iv) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (v) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vi) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to a Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (vii) each Plan for which the Company or its subsidiaries would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that it is so qualified in form and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which is reasonably likely to cause the loss of such qualification.

(dd) Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company has carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

(ee) Accounting Controls. The Company maintains a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of

 

11


financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the internal controls of the Company.

(ff) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as the Company believes are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

(gg) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that did or would result in a violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(hh) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws . The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, threatened.

(ii) Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered

 

12


by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(jj) Solvency. On and immediately after the Closing Date, the Company (after giving effect to the issuance of the Securities and the other transactions related thereto as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) will be Solvent. As used in this paragraph, the term “Solvent” means, with respect to a particular date, that on such date (i) the present fair market value (or present fair saleable value) of the assets of the Company is not less than the total amount required to pay the liabilities of the Company on its total existing debts and liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they become absolute and matured; (ii) the Company is able to realize upon its assets and pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and commitments as they mature and become due in the normal course of business; (iii) assuming consummation of the issuance of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, the Company is not incurring debts or liabilities beyond its ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature; (iv) the Company is not engaged in any business or transaction, and does not propose to engage in any business or transaction, for which its property would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which the Company is engaged; and (v) the Company is not a defendant in any civil action that would reasonably result in a judgment that the Company is or would become unable to satisfy.

(kk) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(ll) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

(mm) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.

(nn) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

13


(oo) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

(pp) Statistical and Market Data . Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

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

(rr) Status under the Securities Act. The Company is not an ineligible issuer and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined under the Securities Act, in each case at the times specified in the Securities Act as necessary in order to offer the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.

4. Further Agreements of the Company and the Guarantors . Each of the Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally covenant and agree with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Pricing Term Sheet in the form of Annex C hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representative, one signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case (including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein); and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case (including all exhibits and consents filed therewith) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representative may reasonably request. As used herein, the term

 

14


“Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.

(d) Notice to the Representative. The Company will advise the Representative promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by the Company or the Guarantors of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act and (vii) of the receipt by the Company or the Guarantors of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and each of the Company and the Guarantors will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Time of Sale Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale

 

15


Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

(f) Ongoing Compliance. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(h) Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the date that is 45 days after the date hereof, neither the Company nor any Guarantor will, without the prior written consent of the Representative, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor and having a tenor of more than one year.

(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.

(j) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor any Guarantor will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

(k) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

16


(l) Payment of Filing Fee. The Company will pay the required Commission filings fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(i) under the Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rule 457(r) under the Act, in any event prior to the Closing Date.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters . Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that

(a) It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) in connection with any offer relating to the Securities other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of either the Company or the Guarantors.

(b) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company and each of the Guarantors of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of a Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of each of the Company and the Guarantors contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of each of the Company and the Guarantors and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.

 

17


(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred stock of or guaranteed by the Company or any of the subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(g) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representative makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(e) Officer’s Certificate. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the Company’s and the Guarantor’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representative (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company and the Guarantors have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

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

(g) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (“OHS”), counsel to the Company, and counsel to each of the Guarantors, shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company, its written opinion and, in the case of OHS, a 10b-5 Statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto.

 

18


(h) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(i) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or the issuance of the Guarantees; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or the issuance of the Guarantees.

(j) Good Standing. The Representative shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(k) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company and the Guarantors shall have furnished to the Representative such further certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

7. Indemnification and Contribution .

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. Each of the Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except

 

19


insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.

(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the Guarantors, each of their respective directors and each of their respective officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees or expenses are reasonably incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following: the statement set forth in the third sentence of the fifth paragraph under the heading “Underwriting” in the Prospectus.

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided , further , that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 7 that the Indemnifying Party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any

 

20


impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, the Guarantors, their directors, their officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company and the Guarantors shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification was or could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement or consent (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total

 

21


underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters 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 Guarantor or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company, each of the Guarantors and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter 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 Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8. Effectiveness of Agreement . This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

9. Termination . This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representative, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

22


10. Defaulting Underwriter . (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11(a) hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company, or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

 

23


11. Payment of Expenses . (a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally agree to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of their respective obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate, if requested by the Representative, and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors. Except as provided in Section 7 and this Section 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13. Survival . The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Guarantors and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, the Guarantors or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, the Guarantors or the Underwriters.

 

24


14. Certain Defined Terms . For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

15. Miscellaneous . (a)  Authority of the Representative . Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representative c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (fax: 212-270-1063); Attention: Gerry Murray. Notices to the Company and the Guarantors shall be given to it at Central Garden & Pet Company, 1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600, Walnut Creek, California 94597, (fax: 925 947-0914); Attention: William E. Brown.

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

(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

25


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

Very truly yours,
CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY

By

 

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:

  Stuart W. Booth

Title:

  Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

 

FOUR PAWS PRODUCTS LTD.

GRANT LABORATORIES, INC.

KAYTEE PRODUCTS, INCORPORATED

MATTHEWS REDWOOD & NURSERY SUPPLY, INC.

PENNINGTON SEED, INC.

SEEDS WEST, INC.

ALL-GLASS AQUARIUM CO., INC.

T.F.H. PUBLICATIONS, INC.

WELLMARK INTERNATIONAL

PENNINGTON SEED, INC. OF NEBRASKA

GRO TEC, INC.

B2E CORPORATION

B2E BIOTECH LLC

CEDAR WORKS, LLC

FARNAM COMPANIES, INC.

GULFSTREAM HOME & GARDEN, INC.

INTERPET USA, LLC

NEW ENGLAND POTTERY, LLC

PETS INTERNATIONAL, LTD.

MATSON, LLC

 

By

 

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:

  Stuart W. Booth

Title:

  Authorized Officer


Confirmed and accepted as of the

date set forth on the first page hereof

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

For itself and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

By

 

/s/ Gerard J. Murray

Name:

  Gerard J. Murray

Title:

  Managing Director


Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

   Principal Amount

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

   $ 240,000,000

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. .

     60,000,000

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. .

     60,000,000

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. .

     40,000,000

Total

   $ 400,000,000


Schedule 2

Guarantors

 

NAME

  

STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION

OF INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION

All-Glass Aquarium Co., Inc.

   Wisconsin

B2E Biotech LLC

   Delaware

B2E Corporation

   New York

Cedar Works, LLC

   Ohio

Farnam Companies, Inc.

   Arizona

Four Paws Products Ltd.

   New York

Grant Laboratories, Inc.

   California

Gro Tec, Inc.

   Georgia

Gulfstream Home & Garden, Inc.

   Florida

Interpet USA, LLC

   Delaware

Kaytee Products, Incorporated

   Wisconsin

Matson, LLC

   Washington

Matthews Redwood & Nursery Supply, Inc.

   California

New England Pottery, LLC

   Delaware

Pennington Seed, Inc.

   Delaware

Pennington Seed, Inc. of Nebraska

   Nebraska

Pets International, Ltd.

   Illinois

Seeds West, Inc.

   Arizona

T.F.H. Publications, Inc.

   Delaware

Wellmark International

   California


Annex B

Time of Sale Information

Pricing Term Sheet, dated February 25, 2010, relating to the Securities.

 

B-1


Annex C

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 433

supplementing the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated

February 22, 2010 and the Prospectus dated September 1, 2009

Registration Statement No. 333-161663

Dated: February 25, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Issuer:    Central Garden & Pet Company
Security:    Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018
Aggregate principal amount:    $400,000,000
Final maturity date:    March 1, 2018
Coupon:    8.25%
Price:    100.00%
Yield to maturity:    8.25%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    +494 bps
Benchmark Treasury:    UST 3.5% due 2/15/18
Interest payment dates    March 1 and September 1
First interest payment date    September 1, 2010
Optional redemption:    Make-whole call at T+50 prior to March 1, 2014
   On and after March 1, 2014, at the prices set forth below (expressed as percentages of the principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest:

 

Date

   Price    

2014

   104.125%  

2015

   102.063%  

2016 and thereafter

   100.000%  

 

Optional redemption with equity proceeds    Prior to March 1, 2013, up to 35% at a redemption price equal to 108.25% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon
Guarantors    All existing and future domestic subsidiaries, with certain exceptions
Change of control    Puttable at 101% of principal, plus accrued and unpaid interest
Net Proceeds to Issuer Before Expenses:    $392,000,000
Trade Date:    February 25, 2010

 

C-1


Settlement:    T+7 on March 8, 2010
CUSIP / ISIN:    153527 AG1/US153527AG11
Ratings:    B3/B-
Denominations:    2,000 X 1,000
Joint Book-Running Managers:   

J.P. Morgan

Oppenheimer & Co.

Co-Managers:   

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey

Deutsche Bank Securities

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. toll-free 1-800-245-8812.

 

C-2

Exhibit 4.1

SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

This SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (the “Supplemental Indenture”) dated as of March 8, 2010, among Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”), the guarantors party hereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee under the indenture referred to below (the “Trustee”). Capitalized terms used in this Supplemental Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS the Issuer and the Trustee have heretofore executed an Indenture (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified to the date hereof, the “Indenture”) dated as of January 30, 2003, providing for the issuance of the Issuer’s 9  1 / 8 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 (the “Notes”), initially in the aggregate principal amount of $150,000,000;

WHEREAS, Section 9.02 of the Indenture provides that the Company and the Trustee may, with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (the “Requisite Consents”), amend or supplement the Indenture and/or the Notes;

WHEREAS, the Company has offered to purchase for cash any and all of the outstanding Notes upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated February 22, 2010 (as the same may be amended, supplemented or modified from time to time, the “Statement”), and in the related Letter of Transmittal and Consent (as the same may be amended, supplemented or modified from time to time, together with the Statement, the “Offer”);

WHEREAS, the Offer is conditioned upon, among other things, the proposed amendments (the “Proposed Amendments”) to the Indenture set forth herein having been approved by at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding (and a supplemental indenture in respect thereof having been executed and delivered), with such Proposed Amendments becoming operative with respect to the Indenture upon the acceptance for payment and payment of Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Offer (the “Settlement”);

WHEREAS, the Company has received and delivered to the Trustee the Requisite Consents to effect the Proposed Amendments under the Indenture;

WHEREAS, each of the Company and the Guarantors have been authorized by a resolution of their respective Boards of Directors to enter into this Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all other acts and proceedings required by law, by the Indenture and the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended restated by-laws of the Company and the applicable formation documents of the Guarantors to make this Supplemental Indenture a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Guarantors for the purposes expressed herein, in accordance with its terms, have been duly done and performed.

 

1


NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and for the equal and proportionate benefit of the Holders of the Notes, the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Amendments to the Indenture and the Notes

1.1 Amendment of Section 1.01 . Section 1.01 of the Indenture is amended by deleting from such Section those defined terms and section references that, by virtue of the amendments effected by this Supplemental Indenture, are no longer used in the Indenture or the Notes as amended hereby.

1.2 Amendment of Section 3.09 . Section 3.09 of the Indenture, is hereby deleted in its entirety and is replaced with the following: “[intentionally omitted]”.

1.3 Amendment of Section 4.03 . Section 4.03 of the Indenture, is hereby deleted in its entirety and is replaced with the following: “[intentionally omitted]”.

1.4 Amendment of Sections 4.06 through 4.13 . Sections 4.06 through 4.13 of the Indenture, inclusive, are hereby deleted in their entirety and each such Section is replaced with the following: “[intentionally omitted]”.

1.5 Amendment of Sections 4.15 through 4.17 . Sections 4.15 through 4.17 of the Indenture, inclusive, are hereby deleted in their entirety and each such Section is replaced with the following: “[intentionally omitted]”.

1.6 Amendment of Section 5.01 . Section 5.01 of the Indenture is hereby amended by deleting clause (4) in its entirety and inserting “[intentionally omitted]” in lieu thereof.

1.7 Amendment of Section 6.01 .

(a) Section 6.01 of the Indenture is amended by deleting clauses (4), (6) and (7) in their entirety and inserting “[intentionally omitted]” in lieu thereof.

(b) Section 6.01 of the Indenture is further amended by deleted all references to “Sections 4.10 and 4.15” from clause (3).

(c) Section 6.01 of the Indenture is further amended by deleting all references to “Restricted Subsidiary” from clauses (8) and (9).

ARTICLE II

Effectiveness

2.1 Effectiveness of this Supplemental Indenture . Upon the execution of this Supplemental Indenture by the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee, the Indenture shall be amended and supplemented in accordance herewith, and this Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes and each Holder shall be bound thereby; provided , however , that the provisions of the Indenture referred to in Article I above (such provisions being referred to as the “Amended Provisions”) will remain in effect in the form they existed prior to the execution of this Supplemental Indenture, and the Amended Provisions shall become operative upon the Settlement. The Company shall give the Trustee prompt written notice of the occurrence of the Settlement.

 

2


ARTICLE III

Miscellaneous

3.1 Ratification of Indenture; Supplemental Indentures Part of Indenture . Except as expressly amended hereby, the Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed and all the terms, conditions and provisions thereof shall remain in full force and effect. This Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture.

3.2 Governing Law . THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WILL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE BUT 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.

3.3 Trustee Makes No Representation . The recitals contained herein are made by the Company and the Guarantors only and not by the Trustee. The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture.

3.4 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.

3.5 Effect of Headings . The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not effect the construction thereof.

3.6 Trust Indenture Act Controls . If and to the extent that any provision of this Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by, or with another provision (an “incorporated provision”) included in this Supplemental Indenture by operation of Sections 310 to 318 of the TIA, inclusive, such imposed duties or incorporated provision shall control.

 

3


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

 

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
MATSON, LLC
By:   Central Garden & Pet Company, as its manager
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
B2E CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President-Finance and Secretary
B2E BIOTECH LLC
By:   Central Garden & Pet Company, as its manager
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
ALL-GLASS AQUARIUM CO., INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President-Finance and Assistant Secretary
CEDAR WORKS, LLC
By:   Central Garden & Pet Company, as its sole member and manager
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]


FARNAM COMPANIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President-Finance, Secretary and Treasurer
FOUR PAWS PRODUCTS LTD.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
GRANT LABORATORIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
GRO TEC, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President-Finance and Assistant Secretary
GULFSTREAM HOME & GARDEN, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
INTERPET USA, LLC
(formerly CGP ACQUISITION I, LLC)
By:   Central Garden & Pet Company, as its sole member
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
KAYTEE PRODUCTS, INCORPORATED
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President and Assistant Secretary

[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]


MATTHEWS REDWOOD & NURSERY SUPPLY, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
NEW ENGLAND POTTERY, LLC
By:   Central Garden & Pet Company, as its sole member
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
PENNINGTON SEED, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
PENNINGTON SEED, INC. OF NEBRASKA
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President-Finance and Assistant Secretary
PETS INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Secretary
SEEDS WEST, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President-Finance and Assistant Secretary
T.F.H. PUBLICATIONS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Senior Vice President and Secretary

[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]


WELLMARK INTERNATIONAL
By:  

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Vice President-Finance and Secretary

[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]


WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

By:  

/s/ Maddy Hall

Name:   Maddy Hall
Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]

EXHIBIT 4.2

EXECUTION VERSION

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY,

as Issuer

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of March 8, 2010

Providing for the Issuance

of

Debt Securities


CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939

and Indenture dated as of March 8, 2010

 

TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION

   INDENTURE SECTION
Section 310  

(a) (1)

   607
 

(a) (2)

   607
 

(b)

   608,612
Section 311      604
Section 312  

(a)

   701(a)
 

(b)

   701(d)
Section 313  

(a)

   702
Section 314  

(a) (1), (2), (3)

   703
 

(a) (4)

   1006
 

(c) (1)

   102
 

(c) (2)

   102
 

(e)

   102
Section 315  

(a)

   602
 

(b)

   601
 

(e)

   513
Section 316  

(a) (last sentence)

   101 (“Outstanding”)
 

(a) (1) (A)

   502, 512
 

(a) (1) (B)

   514
 

(b)

   508
Section 317  

(a) (1)

   503
 

(a) (2)

   504
 

(b)

   1003(b)
Section 318  

(a)

   113

NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

   1

Section 101.

 

Definitions

   1

Section 102.

 

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

   10

Section 103.

 

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

   11

Section 104.

 

Acts of Holders

   12

Section 105.

 

Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company

   13

Section 106.

 

Notice to Holders; Waiver

   14

Section 107.

 

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

   15

Section 108.

 

Successors and Assigns

   15

Section 109.

 

Separability Clause

   15

Section 110.

 

Benefits of Indenture

   15

Section 111.

 

Governing Law

   15

Section 112.

 

Legal Holidays

   15

Section 113.

 

Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act

   16

Section 114.

 

No Recourse against Others

   16

Section 115.

 

Waiver of Trial by Jury

   16

Section 116.

 

Force Majeure

   16

Section 117.

 

Patriot Act

   16

ARTICLE II

  SECURITIES FORMS    17

Section 201.

 

Forms of Securities

   17

Section 202.

 

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

   17

Section 203.

 

Securities Issuable in Global Form

   18

ARTICLE III

  THE SECURITIES    20

Section 301.

 

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

   21

Section 302.

 

Denominations

   25

Section 303.

 

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

   25

Section 304.

 

Temporary Securities

   27

Section 305.

 

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

   30

Section 306.

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

   33

Section 307.

 

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved; Optional Interest Reset

   34

 

-i-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page

Section 308.

 

Optional Extension of Maturity

   37

Section 309.

 

Persons Deemed Owners

   38

Section 310.

 

Cancellation

   38

Section 311.

 

Computation of Interest

   39

Section 312.

 

Currency and Manner of Payments in Respect of Securities

   39

Section 313.

 

Appointment and Resignation of Successor Exchange Rate Agent

   42

Section 314.

 

CUSIP Numbers

   43

ARTICLE IV

  SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE    43

Section 401.

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

   43

Section 402.

 

Application of Trust Funds

   45

REMEDIES

   45

Section 501.

 

Events of Default

   45

Section 502.

 

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

   46

Section 503.

 

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

   47

Section 504.

 

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

   48

Section 505.

 

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities or Coupons

   49

Section 506.

 

Application of Money Collected

   49

Section 507.

 

Limitation on Suits

   49

Section 508.

 

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest and Additional Amounts, if Any

   50

Section 509.

 

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

   50

Section 510.

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

   50

Section 511.

 

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

   51

Section 512.

 

Control by Holders of Securities

   51

Section 513.

 

Undertaking for Costs

   51

Section 514.

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

   51

Section 515.

 

Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

   52

ARTICLE VI

  THE TRUSTEE    52

 

-ii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page

Section 601.

 

Notice of Defaults

   52

Section 602.

 

Certain Rights of Trustee

   52

Section 603.

 

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

   54

Section 604.

 

May Hold Securities

   55

Section 605.

 

Money Held in Trust

   55

Section 606.

 

Compensation and Reimbursement

   55

Section 607.

 

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

   56

Section 608.

 

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

   56

Section 609.

 

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

   57

Section 610.

 

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

   58

Section 611.

 

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

   59

Section 612.

 

Conflicting Interests

   60

Section 613.

 

Appointment of Co-Trustee

   61

Section 614.

 

Trustee’s Application for Instructions from the Company

   62

ARTICLE VII

  HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY    62

Section 701.

 

Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders

   62

Section 702.

 

Reports by Trustee

   63

Section 703.

 

Reports by Company

   63

Section 704.

 

Calculation of Original Issue Discount

   64

ARTICLE VIII

  CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER    64

Section 801.

 

Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

   64

Section 802.

 

Successor Person Substituted

   64

Section 803.

 

Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel

   65

ARTICLE IX

  SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES    65

Section 901.

 

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

   65

Section 902.

 

Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

   67

Section 903.

 

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

   68

Section 904.

 

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

   68

Section 905.

 

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

   69

 

-iii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page

Section 906.

 

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

   69

ARTICLE X

  COVENANTS    69

Section 1001.

 

Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest

   69

Section 1002.

 

Maintenance of Office or Agency

   69

Section 1003.

 

Money for Securities Payments to be Held in Trust

   71

Section 1004.

 

Corporate Existence

   72

Section 1005.

 

Additional Amounts

   72

Section 1006.

 

Statement as to Compliance

   73

Section 1007.

 

Waiver of Certain Covenants

   74

Section 1008.

 

Statement by Officers as to Default

   74

ARTICLE XI

  REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES    74

Section 1101.

 

Applicability of Article

   74

Section 1102.

 

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

   74

Section 1103.

 

Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed

   74

Section 1104.

 

Notice of Redemption

   75

Section 1105.

 

Deposit of Redemption Price

   76

Section 1106.

 

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

   76

Section 1107.

 

Securities Redeemed in Part

   77

ARTICLE XII

  SINKING FUNDS    78

Section 1201.

 

Applicability of Article

   78

Section 1202.

 

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

   78

Section 1203.

 

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

   78

ARTICLE XIII

  REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS    79

Section 1301.

 

Applicability of Article

   79

Section 1302.

 

Repayment of Securities

   79

Section 1303.

 

Exercise of Option

   79

Section 1304.

 

When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable

   80

Section 1305.

 

Securities Repaid in Part

   81

ARTICLE XIV

  DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE    81

 

-iv-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

         Page

Section 1401.

 

Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

   81

Section 1402.

 

Defeasance and Discharge

   81

Section 1403.

 

Covenant Defeasance

   82

Section 1404.

 

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

   82

Section 1405.

 

Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions

   84

Section 1406.

 

Reinstatement

   85

ARTICLE XV

  MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES    85

Section 1501.

 

Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

   85

Section 1502.

 

Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

   85

Section 1503.

 

Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

   86

Section 1504.

 

Quorum; Action

   86

Section 1505.

 

Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

   87

Section 1506.

 

Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

   88

GUARANTEE

   89

Section 1601.

 

Unconditional Guarantee

   89

Section 1602.

 

Execution and Delivery of Guarantee

   91

Section 1603.

 

Limitation on Guarantors’ Liability

   91

Section 1604.

 

Release of Guarantors from Guarantee

   91

Section 1605.

 

Guarantor Contribution

   92

EXHIBIT A – FORMS OF CERTIFICATES

   A-1

 

-v-


INDENTURE, dated as of March 8, 2010 between CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “Company”), having its principal office at 1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600, Walnut Creek, California 94597, and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized under the laws of the United States of America, as Trustee (hereinafter called the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS, the Company deems it necessary to issue from time to time for its lawful purposes debt securities the terms of which shall be established in accordance with Section 301 hereof (hereinafter called the “Securities”) evidencing its unsecured indebtedness, which may or may not be convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any Person (including the Company), and has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Securities, to be issued in one or more series, unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such times and to have such other provisions as provided in this Indenture;

WHEREAS, this Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, that are required to be part of this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done;

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities and coupons, or of a series thereof, as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 101. Definitions .

(a) For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires or unless such definition is changed or amended in a supplement or amendment to this Indenture:

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

(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the TIA, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein, and the terms “cash transaction” and “self-liquidating paper”, as used in TIA Section 311, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the rules of the Commission adopted under the TIA;


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

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

(b) Certain terms, used principally in Article Three, Article Five and Article Six are defined in those Articles.

(c) Other terms are defined as follows:

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

“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required by a Security or by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, under circumstances specified therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on certain Holders and which are owing to such Holders.

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

“Authenticating Agent” means any Person appointed by the Trustee to act on behalf of the Trustee pursuant to Section 611 to authenticate Securities.

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

“Bearer Security” means any Security established pursuant to Section 201 which is payable to bearer or that is otherwise not a Registered Security.

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company as the case may be, or the executive committee or any committee of that board duly authorized to act hereunder.

 

-2-


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

“Business Day”, when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment or other location are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking societe anonyme or its successor.

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

“Common Depositary” has the meaning specified in Section 304.

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

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

“Conversion Date” has the meaning specified in Section 312(d).

“Conversion Event” means the cessation of use of (1) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country which issued such Currency and by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community for the settlement of transactions, (2) the euro for the settlement of transactions by public institutions of or within the European Communities or (3) any currency unit (or composite currency) other than the euro for the purposes for which such currency unit was established.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at 707 Wilshire Blvd., 17th Floor, Los Angeles, California 90017, Attention: Corporate Trust Department; provided that payment and surrender of Securities shall be made at the office of the Trustee located at 625 Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 or at such other office as may be subsequently designated by the Trustee.

“Corporation” includes corporations, associations, limited liability companies, companies and business trusts.

 

-3-


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

“Currency” means any currency or currencies, composite currency or currency unit or currency units, including, without limitation, the euro, issued by the government of one or more countries or by any reorganized confederation or association of such governments.

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

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

“Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 301 until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the global Securities of that series.

“Depository Participant” means, with respect to The Depository Trust Company (the initial Depositary) or its nominee, an institution that has an account therewith.

“Dollar” or “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

“Dollar Equivalent of the Currency Unit” has the meaning specified in Section 312(g).

“Dollar Equivalent of the Foreign Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 312(f).

“Election Date” has the meaning specified in Section 312(h).

“Euroclear” means Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Brussels Office, or its successor as operator of the Euroclear System.

“European Communities” means the European Union, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.

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

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

“Exchange Date” has the meaning specified in Section 304.

“Exchange Rate Agent” means, with respect to Securities of or within any series unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, a New York Clearing House bank designated pursuant to Section 301 or Section 313.

 

-4-


“Exchange Rate Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate setting forth (1) the applicable Market Exchange Rate or the applicable bid quotation and (2) the Dollar or Foreign Currency amounts of principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any (on an aggregate basis and on the basis of a Security having the lowest denomination principal amount determined in accordance with Section 302 in the relevant Currency), payable with respect to a Security of any series on the basis of such Market Exchange Rate signed by the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Controller, any Vice President or any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Controller of the Company.

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

“Government Obligations” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, securities which are:

(1) direct obligations of the government which issued the Currency in which the Securities of a particular series are payable, or

(2) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government which issued the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed by such government,

which, in either case, are full faith and credit obligations of such government payable in such Currency and are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

“Holder” means, in the case of a Registered Security, the Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of a Bearer Security, the bearer thereof and, when used with respect to any coupon, shall mean the bearer thereof.

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301; provided, that, if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this instrument, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to any one or more series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of the or those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms

 

-5-


which relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is not Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any provisions or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed and delivered after such Person had become such Trustee but to which such Person, as such Trustee, was not a party.

“Indexed Security” means a Security as to which all or certain interest payments and/or the principal amount payable at Maturity are determined by reference to prices, changes in prices, or differences between prices, of securities, Currencies, intangibles, goods, articles or commodities or by such other objective price, economic or other measures as are specified in Section 301 hereof.

“Interest”, when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, shall mean interest payable after Maturity, and, when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 1005 or otherwise, includes such Additional Amounts.

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

“Market Exchange Rate” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, (1) for any conversion involving a currency unit on the one hand and Dollars or any Foreign Currency on the other, the exchange rate between the relevant currency unit and Dollars or such Foreign Currency calculated by the method specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of the relevant series, (2) for any conversion of Dollars into any Foreign Currency, the noon (New York City time) buying rate for such Foreign Currency for cable transfers quoted in New York City as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and (3) for any conversion of one Foreign Currency into Dollars or another Foreign Currency, the spot rate at noon local time in the relevant market at which, in accordance with normal banking procedures, the Dollars or Foreign Currency into which conversion is being made could be purchased with the Foreign Currency from which conversion is being made from major banks located in either New York City, London or any other principal market for Dollars or such purchased Foreign Currency, in each case determined by the Exchange Rate Agent. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, in the event of the unavailability of any of the exchange rates provided for in the foregoing clauses (1), (2) and (3), the Exchange Rate Agent shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as of the most recent available date, or quotations from one or more major banks in New York City, London or another principal market for the Currency in question, or such other quotations as the Exchange Rate Agent shall deem appropriate. Unless otherwise specified by the Exchange Rate Agent, if there is more than one market for dealing in any Currency by reason of foreign exchange regulations or otherwise, the market to be used in respect of such Currency shall be that upon which a non-resident issuer of securities designated in such Currency would purchase such Currency in order to make payments in respect of such securities.

“Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption, notice of option to elect repayment, notice of exchange or conversion or otherwise.

 

-6-


“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and by the Treasurer, the Controller, an Assistant Treasurer, the Assistant Controller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. Such counsel may be an employee of, or other counsel for, the Company.

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

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

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

(2) Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(3) Securities, except to the extent provided in Sections 1402 and 1403, with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance and/or covenant defeasance as provided in Article Fourteen; and

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

provided, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders for quorum purposes, and for the purpose of making the calculations required by TIA Section 313, (i) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the amount of principal thereof that would be (or shall have been declared to be) due and payable, at

 

-7-


the time of such determination, upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502, (ii) the principal amount of any Security denominated in a Foreign Currency that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the Dollar equivalent, determined as of the date such Security is originally issued by the Company as set forth in an Exchange Rate Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or Indexed Security, the Dollar equivalent as of such date of original issuance of the amount determined as provided in clause (i) or clause (iii) of this definition, respectively) of such Security, (iii) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the principal face amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided with respect to such Security pursuant to Section 301, and (iv) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making such calculation or in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.

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

“Paying Agent” means any Person (including the Company acting as Paying Agent) authorized by the Company to pay the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Securities or coupons on behalf of the Company.

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

“Place of Payment” means, when used with respect to the Securities of or within any series, the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities are payable as specified and as contemplated by Sections 301 and 1002.

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

 

-8-


“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, in whole or in part, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

“Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

“Registered Security” means any Security that is registered in the Security Register.

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Registered Securities of or within any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301, whether or not a Business Day.

“Repayment Date” means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the date fixed for such repayment by or pursuant to this Indenture.

“Repayment Price” means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, the price at which it is to be repaid by or pursuant to this Indenture.

“Responsible Officer” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

“Security” or “Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and, more particularly, means any Security or Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities” with respect to the Indenture as to which such Person is Trustee shall have the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and shall more particularly mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

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

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

“Stated Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security or a coupon representing such installment of interest as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable, as such date may be extended pursuant to the provisions of Section 308.

“Subsidiary” means any corporation of which at the time of determination the Company, directly and/or indirectly through one or more Subsidiaries, owns more than 50% of the shares of Voting Stock.

 

-9-


“Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed, except as provided in Section 905.

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

“United States” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, the United States of America (including the states and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction.

“United States Person” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source or a trust whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United States persons who have the authority to control all of its decisions.

“Valuation Date” has the meaning specified in Section 312(c).

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

“Voting Stock” means stock of the class or classes having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a majority of the board of directors, managers or trustees of a corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).

“Yield to Maturity” means the yield to maturity, computed at the time of issuance of a Security (or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such Security) and as set forth in such Security in accordance with generally accepted United States bond yield computation principles.

Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions .

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

 

-10-


(b) Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than pursuant to Section 1006) shall include:

(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(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;

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

(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee .

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

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

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

 

-11-


Section 104. 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 of the Outstanding Securities of all series or one or more series, as the case may be, may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed (which may be electronically signed) by such Holders in person or by agents duly appointed in writing. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article Fifteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1506.

(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 him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of 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 reasonably sufficient.

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

(d) The principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (1) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (2)

 

-12-


such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (3) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (4) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, may also be proved in any other manner that the Trustee deems sufficient.

(e) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, in 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. Notwithstanding TIA Section 316(c), such record date shall be the record date specified in or pursuant to such Board Resolution, which shall be a date not earlier than the date 30 days prior to the first solicitation of Holders generally in connection therewith and not later than the date such solicitation is completed. 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 Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than 180 days after the record date.

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

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

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

(1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing (which may be via facsimile, provided such notice is also mailed, first-class postage prepaid) to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Corporate Trust Department, or at any other address previously furnished in writing by the Trustee to the Holders or the Company, or

(2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing

 

-13-


and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at the address of the Company’s principal office specified in the first paragraph of this Indenture or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver .

(a) Where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to Holders of Registered Securities by the Company or the Trustee, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, or by email, to each such Holder affected by such event, at his physical address or email address as such address appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice mailed to a Holder in the manner herein prescribed shall be conclusively deemed to have been received by such Holder, whether or not such Holder actually receives such notice.

(b) In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impracticable to mail notice of any event to Holders of Registered Securities when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any manner of giving such notice as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be sufficient giving of such notice for every purpose hereunder.

(c) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Bearer Securities of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities if published at least twice in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and in such other city or cities as may be specified in such Securities on a Business Day, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date, and not later than the latest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given on the date of the first such publication.

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

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

 

-14-


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

Section 107. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents .

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

Section 108. Successors and Assigns .

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

Section 109. Separability Clause .

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

Section 110. Benefits of Indenture .

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

Section 111. Governing Law .

This Indenture, the Securities, and coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of law principles thereof. This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

Section 112. Legal Holidays .

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security or coupon other than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section), payment of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or sinking fund payment date, or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity; provided that no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be.

 

-15-


Section 113. Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act .

If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with any provision (an “incorporated provision”) required by or deemed to be included in this Indenture by operation of the TIA, such imposed duties or incorporated provisions shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the TIA that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.

Section 114. No Recourse against Others .

A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting any of the Securities waives and releases all such liability.

Section 115. Waiver of Trial by Jury .

The Company, the Trustee, and Holders hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive the right to trial by jury in connection with any claim arising out of or relating to the Securities and under this Indenture.

Section 116. Force Majeure .

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

Section 117. Patriot Act .

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

 

-16-


ARTICLE II

SECURITIES FORMS

Section 201. Forms of Securities .

(a) The Registered Securities, if any, of each series, the Bearer Securities, if any, of each series and related coupons shall be in substantially the forms as shall be established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto or approved from time to time by or pursuant to a Board Resolution in accordance with Section 301, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company, as the case may be, may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Securities may be listed, or to conform to usage.

(b) Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, Bearer Securities shall have interest coupons attached.

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

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

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

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

 

[NAME OF TRUSTEE],
as Trustee
By  

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

Dated:

 

                      

  

 

-17-


Section 203. Securities Issuable in Global Form .

(a) If Securities of or within a series are issuable in global form, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, then, notwithstanding clause (8) of Subsection 301(b) and the provisions of Section 302, any such Security shall (i) represent such of the Outstanding Securities of such series as shall be specified therein and may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities of such series from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities of such series represented thereby may from time to time be increased or decreased to reflect exchanges, (ii) be registered in the name of the Depositary for such global Securities or the nominee of such depositary, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee or delivered or held pursuant to such Depositary’s instruction. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee in such manner and upon instructions given by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304. Subject to the provisions of Section 303 and, if applicable, Section 304, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to endorsement, delivery or redelivery of a Security in global form shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

(b) Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 301 must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and any other applicable statute or regulation.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section or Section 305, unless and until a global Security is exchanged in whole or in part for Registered Securities in definitive form, a global Security representing all or a portion of the Registered Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor depositary.

(d) If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for Securities of a series shall no longer be a clearing agency registered and in good standing under the Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulation (as required by this Section 203), the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary eligible under this Section 203 with respect to the Securities of such series. If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such condition, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver, Registered Securities of such series in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the global Security or Securities representing such series in exchange for such global Security or Securities.

 

-18-


(e) The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the Registered Securities of any series issued in the form of one or more global Securities shall no longer be represented by such global Security or Securities. In such event, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver, Registered Securities of such series in definitive form and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the global Security or Securities representing such series in exchange for such global Security or Securities.

(f) If the Registered Securities of any series shall have been issued in the form of one or more global Securities and if an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company will promptly execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver, Registered Securities of such series in definitive form and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the global Security or Securities representing such series in exchange for such global Security or Securities.

(g) If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 301 with respect to Registered Securities of a series, the Depositary for such series of Registered Securities may surrender a global Security for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Registered Securities of such series in definitive form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without charge:

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

(2) to the Depositary a new global Security in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Registered Securities delivered to Holders thereof.

(h) Upon the exchange of a global Security for Registered Securities in definitive form, such global Security shall be cancelled by the Trustee. Securities issued in exchange for a global Security pursuant to this subsection (h) shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the U.S. Depositary for such global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver such Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

 

-19-


(i) Any global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend (which would be in addition to any other legends required in the case of a restricted Security) in substantially the following form:

THIS GLOBAL SECURITY IS HELD BY AND REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF 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 (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 305 OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 305 OF THE INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 310 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY.

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO., OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS 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.

(j) The provisions of Section 303(h) shall apply to any Security represented by a Security in global form if such Security was never issued and sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Security in global form together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last sentence of Section 303.

(k) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 307, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on any Security in permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

(l) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 309 and except as provided in Subsection (c) of this Section, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, and the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a permanent global Security (1) in the case of a permanent global Security in registered form, the Holder of such permanent global Security in registered form, or (2) in the case of a permanent global Security in bearer form, Euroclear or Clearstream.

ARTICLE III

THE SECURITIES

Section 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series .

(a) The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

-20-


(b) Unless otherwise provided in an indenture supplemental hereto, the Securities shall rank equally and pari passu and may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in one or more Board Resolutions or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series, any or all of the following, as applicable (each of which (except for the matters set forth in clauses (1), (2) and (15) below), if so provided, may be determined from time to time by the Company with respect to unissued Securities of the series and set forth in such Securities of the series when issued from time to time):

(1) the title of the Securities of the series, including CUSIP Numbers (which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from all other series of Securities);

(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906, 1107 or 1305) and whether any series may be reopened for additional Securities of that series; in the event that such series of Securities may be reopened from time to time for issuances of additional Securities of such series, the terms thereof shall indicate whether any such additional Securities shall have the same terms as the prior Securities of such series or whether the Company may establish additional or different terms with respect to such additional Securities;

(3) the date or dates, or the method by which such date or dates will be determined or extended, on which the principal (and premium, if any,) of the Securities of the series shall be payable;

(4) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method by which such rate or rates shall be determined, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date, or the method by which such date shall be determined, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

(5) the place or places, where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on Securities of the series shall be payable, where any Registered Securities of the series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of the series may be surrendered for exchange, where Securities of the series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable, and where notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served;

(6) the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which, the Currency or Currencies in which, and other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company, if the Company is to have that option;

 

-21-


(7) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay or purchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which, the Currency or Currencies in which, and other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed, repaid or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(8) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denomination or denominations in which any Registered Securities of the series shall be issuable and, if other than denominations of $5,000, the denomination or denominations in which any Bearer Securities of the series shall be issuable;

(9) if other than the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar and/or Paying Agent;

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

(11) if other than Dollars, the Currency or Currencies in which payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be made or in which the Securities of the series shall be denominated and the particular provisions applicable thereto in accordance with, in addition to or in lieu of any of the provisions of Section 312;

(12) whether the amount of payments of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices), and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(13) whether the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Securities of the series are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a Currency other than that in which such Securities are denominated or stated to be payable, the period or periods within which (including the Election Date), and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities are to be so payable, in each case in accordance with, in addition to or in lieu of any of the provisions of Section 312;

(14) provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of Securities of the series upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified;

 

-22-


(15) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants or other provisions (including any deletions from, modifications of or additions to any of the provisions of Section 1007) of the Company with respect to Securities of the series, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants or other provisions are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants or other provisions set forth herein;

(16) whether Securities of the series are to be issuable as Registered Securities, Bearer Securities or both, any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of Bearer Securities, whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable initially in temporary global form and whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable in permanent global form with or without coupons and, if so, whether beneficial owners of interests in any such permanent global Security may exchange such interests for Securities of such series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner provided in Section 305, whether Registered Securities of the series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities of the series (if permitted by applicable laws and regulations), whether Bearer Securities of the series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series, and the circumstances under which and the place or places where any such exchanges may be made and if Securities of the series are to be issuable in global form, the identity of any initial depository therefor;

(17) the date as of which any Bearer Securities of the series and any temporary global Security representing Outstanding Securities of the series shall be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first Security of the series to be issued;

(18) the Person to whom any interest on any Registered Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, the manner in which, or the Person to whom, any interest on any Bearer Security of the series shall be payable, if otherwise than upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto as they severally mature, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global Security on an Interest Payment Date will be paid if other than in the manner provided in Section 304;

(19) the applicability, if any, of Sections 1402 and 1403 to the Securities of the series and any provisions in modification of, in addition to or in lieu of any of the provisions of Article Fourteen;

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

(21) whether, under what circumstances and the Currency in which, the Company will pay Additional Amounts as contemplated by Section 1005 on the Securities of the series to any Holder who is not a United States person (including any

 

-23-


modification to the definition of such term) in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such Additional Amounts (and the terms of any such option);

(22) the designation of the initial Exchange Rate Agent, if any;

(23) if the Securities of the series are to be convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any Person (including the Company), the terms and conditions upon which such Securities of the series will be so convertible or exchangeable (including, without limitation, the initial conversion price or rate, the conversion period, the conversion agent, if any, adjustments of the applicable conversion price or rate and any requirements with respect to the reservation of shares or Securities for purposes of conversion);

(24) if the Securities of the series are to be issued upon the exercise of warrants, the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

(25) if the Securities of the series are to be subordinate to any other series of Securities issued or to be issued hereunder; and

(26) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the TIA).

(c) All Securities of any one series and the coupons appertaining to any Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except, in the case of Registered Securities, as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to such Board Resolution (subject to Section 303) and set forth in such Officers’ Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. Not all Securities of any one series need to be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for issuances of additional Securities of such series or to establish additional terms of such series of Securities (which additional terms shall only be applicable to unissued or additional Securities of such series).

(d) If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by action taken pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, a copy of an appropriate record of such action(s) shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or any Vice President of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of the Securities of such series.

Section 302. Denominations .

The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 301. In the absence of any such provision with respect to Securities of any series, the principal, premium and interest and Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. With respect to Securities of any series denominated in Dollars, in the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the

 

-24-


Registered Securities of such series, other than Registered Securities issued in global form (which may be of any denomination) shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, and the Bearer Securities of such series, other than Bearer Securities issued in global form (which may be of any denomination), shall be issuable in a denomination of $5,000.

Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating .

(a) The Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, its President, its Chief Executive Officer, its Chief Financial Officer or any Executive Vice President. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities and coupons may be manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such authorized officer and may be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities.

(b) Securities or coupons bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities or coupons.

(c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series, together with any coupon appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities; provided, that, in connection with its original issuance, no Bearer Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States; and provided further that, unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, a Bearer Security may be delivered in connection with its original issuance only if the Person entitled to receive such Bearer Security shall have furnished a certificate in the form set forth in Exhibit A-1 to this Indenture or such other certificate as may be specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the earlier of the date on which such Bearer Security is delivered and the date on which any temporary Security first becomes exchangeable for such Bearer Security in accordance with the terms of such temporary Security and this Indenture. If any Security shall be represented by a permanent global Bearer Security, then, for purposes of this Section and Section 304, the notation of a beneficial owner’s interest therein upon original issuance of such Security or upon exchange of a portion of a temporary global Security shall be deemed to be delivery in connection with its original issuance of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent global Bearer Security. Except as permitted by Section 306, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all appurtenant coupons for interest then matured have been detached and cancelled. If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time and if the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture establishing such series shall so permit, such Company Order may set forth procedures acceptable to the Trustee for the issuance of such Securities and determining the terms of particular Securities of such series, such as interest rate, maturity date, date of issuance and date from which interest shall accrue. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to TIA Sections 315(a) through 315(d)) shall be fully protected in relying upon,

 

-25-


(1) an Opinion of Counsel stating,

(i) that the form or forms of such Securities and any coupons have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(ii) that the terms of such Securities and any coupons have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

(iii) that such Securities, together with any coupons appertaining thereto, when completed by appropriate insertions and executed and delivered by the Company to the Trustee for authentication in accordance with this Indenture, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with this Indenture and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights, to general equitable principles and to such other qualifications as such counsel shall conclude do not materially affect the rights of Holders of such Securities and any coupons;

(2) an Officers’ Certificate stating, to the best of the knowledge of the signers of such certificate, that no Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(3) an executed supplemental indenture (if any).

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of this Section 303, if all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order, Opinion of Counsel or Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Subsection (c) of this Section at the time of issuance of each Security of such series, but such order, opinion and certificates, with appropriate modifications to cover such future issuances, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series.

(e) The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, the Trustee will not be required to authenticate Securities denominated in a Foreign Currency if the Trustee reasonably believes that it would be unable to perform its duties with respect to such Securities.

(f) Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication and each Bearer Security shall be dated as of the date specified as contemplated by Section 301.

 

-26-


(g) No Security or coupon shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security or Security to which such coupon appertains a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein duly executed by the Trustee or an Authenticating Agent by manual signature of an authorized signatory, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

(h) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 310 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 102 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

Section 304. Temporary Securities .

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

(b) Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form (which shall be exchanged in accordance with Subsection 304(c) or as otherwise provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution), if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series (accompanied by any non-matured coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations; provided, that, no definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided further that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 303. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

 

-27-


(c) (1) Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, this Section 304(c) shall govern the exchange of temporary Securities issued in global form.

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

(3) Without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the date specified in, or determined pursuant to the terms of, any such temporary global Security (the “Exchange Date”), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities, in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such temporary global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the Exchange Date, such temporary global Security shall be surrendered by the Common Depositary to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Securities without charge, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such temporary global Security and upon receipt of the Company Order described in Section 303, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such temporary global Security to be exchanged. The definitive Securities to be delivered in exchange for any such temporary global Security shall be in bearer form, registered form, permanent global bearer form or permanent global registered form, or any combination thereof, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, and, if any combination thereof is so specified, as requested by the beneficial owner thereof; provided, that, unless otherwise specified in such temporary global Security, upon such presentation by the Common Depositary, such temporary global Security is accompanied by a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Euroclear as to the portion of such temporary global Security held for its account then to be exchanged and a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Clearstream as to the portion of such temporary global Security held for its account then to be exchanged, each in the form set forth in Exhibit A-2 to this Indenture or in such other form as may be established pursuant to Section 301; and provided further that definitive Bearer Securities shall be delivered in exchange for a portion of a temporary global Security only in compliance with the requirements of Section 303.

(4) Unless otherwise specified in such temporary global Security, the interest of a beneficial owner of Securities of a series in a temporary global Security shall be exchanged for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor following the Exchange Date when the account holder instructs Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, to request such exchange on his behalf and delivers to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate in the form set forth in Exhibit A-1 to this Indenture (or in such other form as may be established pursuant to Section 301), dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Exchange Date, copies of which certificate shall be available from the offices of Euroclear and Clearstream, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent appointed for such series of Securities and each Paying Agent. Unless otherwise specified in such temporary global Security, any such exchange shall be made free of

 

-28-


charge to the beneficial owners of such temporary global Security, except that a Person receiving definitive Securities must bear the cost of insurance, postage, transportation and the like in the event that such Person does not take delivery of such definitive Securities in person at the offices of Euroclear or Clearstream. Definitive Securities in bearer form to be delivered in exchange for any portion of a temporary global Security shall be delivered only outside the United States.

(5) Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder, except that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, interest payable on a temporary global Security on an Interest Payment Date for Securities of such series occurring prior to the applicable Exchange Date shall be payable to Euroclear and Clearstream on such Interest Payment Date upon delivery by Euroclear and Clearstream to the Trustee of a certificate or certificates in the form set forth in Exhibit A-2 to this Indenture (or in such other forms as may be established pursuant to Section 301), for credit without further interest thereon on or after such Interest Payment Date to the respective accounts of the Persons who are the beneficial owners of such temporary global Security on such Interest Payment Date and who have each delivered to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Interest Payment Date occurring prior to such Exchange Date in the form set forth in Exhibit A-1 to this Indenture (or in such other forms as may be established pursuant to Section 301). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the certifications made pursuant to this clause (5) of Subsection 304(c) shall satisfy the certification requirements of clauses (3) and (4) of this Subsection 304(c) and of Subsection 303(c) of this Indenture and the interests of the Persons who are the beneficial owners of the temporary global Security with respect to which such certification was made will be exchanged for definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor on the Exchange Date or the date of certification if such date occurs after the Exchange Date, without further act or deed by such beneficial owners. Except as otherwise provided in this clause (5) of Subsection 304(c), no payments of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, owing with respect to a beneficial interest in a temporary global Security will be made unless and until such interest in such temporary global Security shall have been exchanged for an interest in a definitive Security. Any interest so received by Euroclear and Clearstream and not paid as herein provided shall be returned to the Trustee prior to the expiration of two years after such Interest Payment Date in order to be repaid to the Company.

Section 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange .

(a) The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or in any office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment a register for each series of Securities (the registers maintained in such office or in any such office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes referred to collectively as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Registered Securities and of transfers of Registered Securities. The Security Register shall be in written form or any other form capable of being

 

-29-


converted into written form within a reasonable time. The Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office, is hereby initially appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Registered Securities and transfers of Registered Securities on such Security Register as herein provided. In the event that the Trustee shall cease to be Security Registrar, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register at all reasonable times.

(b) Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any office or agency in a Place of Payment for the register and transfer of Securities that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, subject to the terms and conditions of this Article Three, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, and tenor.

(c) At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination and of a like aggregate principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the Registered Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities as contemplated by Section 301, Bearer Securities may not be issued in exchange for Registered Securities.

(d) If (but only if) expressly permitted in or pursuant the applicable Board Resolution and (subject to Section 303) set forth in the applicable Officers’ Certificate, or in any indenture supplemental hereto, delivered as contemplated by Section 301, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of any series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the same series of any authorized denomination and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency, with all unmatured coupons and all matured coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured coupon or coupons or matured coupon or coupons in default, any such permitted exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing coupon or coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons at an office or agency located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such office or agency in a permitted exchange for a Registered Security of the same series and like tenor after the close of business at such office or agency on (1) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (2) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the

 

-30-


coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

(e) Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any permanent global Security shall be exchangeable only as provided in this Subsection 305(f). If any beneficial owner of an interest in a permanent global Security is entitled to exchange such interest for Securities of such series and of like tenor and principal amount of another authorized form and denomination, as specified as contemplated by Section 301 and provided that any applicable notice provided in the permanent global Security shall have been given, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interest may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such permanent global Security shall be surrendered by the Common Depositary or such other depositary as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Securities without charge and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such permanent global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such permanent global Security to be exchanged which, unless the Securities of the series are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof; provided, that, no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of Securities to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date if the Security for which exchange is requested may be among those selected for redemption; and provided further that no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a permanent global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a permanent global Security after the close of business at the office or agency where such exchange occurs on (1) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (2) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but will be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such permanent global Security is payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

-31-


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

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

(i) No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 906, 1107 or 1305 not involving any transfer.

(j) The Company shall not be required (1) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security if such Security may be among those selected for redemption during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before, and ending at the close of business on (i) if such Securities are issuable only as Registered Securities, the day of the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and (ii) if such Securities are issuable as Bearer Securities, the day of the first publication of the relevant notice of redemption or, if such Securities are also issuable as Registered Securities and there is no publication, the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption, or (2) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except, in the case of any Registered Security to be redeemed in part, the unredeemed portion thereof, or (3) to exchange any Bearer Security so selected for redemption except that such a Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of that series and like tenor, provided that such Registered Security shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption, or (4) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

(k) Each Holder of a Security agrees to indemnify the Company and the Trustee against any liability that may result from the transfer, exchange or assignment of such Holder’s Security in violation of any provision of this Indenture and/or applicable United States Federal or state securities law.

(l) 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 Security (including any transfers between or among Depository Participants or beneficial owners of interests in any Global Security) 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.

 

-32-


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

(a) If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company, together with, in proper cases, such security or indemnity as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to save each of them or any agent of either of them harmless, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount, and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

(b) If there shall be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (1) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or coupon, and (2) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or coupon has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains (with all appurtenant coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen), a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of the Subsections 306(a) and 306(b), in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, pay such Security or coupon; provided, that, payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any interest on Bearer Securities shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the coupons appertaining thereto.

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

(e) Every new Security of any series, together with its coupons, if any, issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon appertains, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security and its coupons, if any, or the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series and their coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

 

-33-


(f) The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons.

Section 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved; Optional Interest Reset .

(a) Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 301, interest, if any, on any Registered Security that is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 1002; provided, that, each installment of interest, if any, on any Registered Security may at the Company’s option be paid by (1) mailing a check for such interest, payable to or upon the written order of the Person entitled thereto pursuant to Section 309, to the address of such Person as it appears on the Security Register or (2) transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee.

(b) Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, payment of interest, if any, may be made, in the case of a Bearer Security, by transfer to an account located outside the United States maintained by the payee.

(c) Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301, every permanent global Security will provide that interest, if any, payable on any Interest Payment Date will be paid to each of Euroclear and Clearstream with respect to that portion of such permanent global Security held for its account by the Common Depositary, for the purpose of permitting each of Euroclear and Clearstream to credit the interest, if any, received by it in respect of such permanent global Security to the accounts of the beneficial owners thereof.

(d) In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business (at an office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series) on any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business (at such office or agency) on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date and interest will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

(e) Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 301, any interest on any Registered Security of any series that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) of this Subsection:

(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities of such series (or their

 

-34-


respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Registered Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment (which shall not be less than 20 days after such notice is received by the Trustee), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Subsections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so given, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2) of this Subsection. In case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series after the close of business at such office or agency on any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the coupon relating to such proposed date of payment and Defaulted Interest will not be payable on such proposed date of payment in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

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

(f) The provisions of this Subsection 307(f) may be made applicable to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301 (with such modifications, additions or substitutions as may be specified pursuant to such Section 301). The interest rate (or the spread or spread multiplier used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) on any Security of such series may be reset by the Company on the date or dates specified on the face of such Security (each an

 

-35-


“Optional Reset Date”). The Company may exercise such option with respect to such Security by notifying the Trustee of such exercise at least 45 but not more than 60 days prior to an Optional Reset Date for such Security. Not later than 40 days prior to each Optional Reset Date, the Trustee shall transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 106, to the Holder of any such Security a notice (the “Reset Notice”) indicating whether the Company has elected to reset the interest rate (or the spread or spread multiplier used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable), and if so (1) such new interest rate (or such new spread or spread multiplier, if applicable) and (2) the provisions, if any, for redemption during the period from such Optional Reset Date to the next Optional Reset Date or if there is no such next Optional Reset Date, to the Stated Maturity of such Security (each such period a “Subsequent Interest Period”), including the date or dates on which or the period or periods during which and the price or prices at which such redemption may occur during the Subsequent Interest Period.

(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, not later than 20 days prior to the Optional Reset Date, the Company may, at its option, revoke the interest rate (or the spread or spread multiplier used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) provided for in the Reset Notice and establish a higher interest rate (or a spread or spread multiplier providing for a higher interest rate, if applicable) for the Subsequent Interest Period by causing the Trustee to transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 106, notice of such higher interest rate (or such spread or spread multiplier providing for a higher interest rate, if applicable) to the Holder of such Security. Such notice shall be irrevocable. All Securities with respect to which the interest rate (or the spread or spread multiplier used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) is reset on an Optional Reset Date, and with respect to which the Holders of such Securities have not tendered such Securities for repayment (or have validly revoked any such tender) pursuant to Subsection 307(h), will bear such higher interest rate (or such spread or spread multiplier providing for a higher interest rate, if applicable).

(h) The Holder of any such Security may have the option to elect repayment by the Company of the principal of such Security on each Optional Reset Date at a price equal to the principal amount thereof plus interest accrued to such Optional Reset Date. In order to obtain repayment on an Optional Reset Date, the Holder must follow the procedures set forth in Article Thirteen for repayment at the option of Holders except that the period for delivery or notification to the Trustee shall be at least 25 but not more than 35 days prior to such Optional Reset Date and except that, if the Holder has tendered any Security for repayment pursuant to the Reset Notice, the Holder may, by written notice to the Trustee, revoke such tender or repayment until the close of business on the tenth day before such Optional Reset Date.

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

 

-36-


Section 308. Optional Extension of Maturity .

(a) The provisions of this Section 308 may be made applicable to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301 (with such modifications, additions or substitutions as may be specified pursuant to such Section 301). The Stated Maturity of any Security of such series may be extended at the option of the Company for the period or periods specified on the face of such Security (each an “Extension Period”) up to but not beyond the date (the “Final Maturity”) set forth on the face of such Security. The Company may exercise such option with respect to any Security by notifying the Trustee in writing of such exercise at least 45 but not more than 60 days prior to the Stated Maturity of such Security in effect prior to the exercise of such option (the “Original Stated Maturity”). If the Company exercises such option and upon receipt of written direction from the Company, the Trustee shall transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 106, to the Holder of such Security not later than 40 days prior to the Original Stated Maturity a notice (the “Extension Notice”) indicating (i) the election of the Company to extend the Stated Maturity, (ii) the new Stated Maturity, (iii) the interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable), if any, applicable to the Extension Period and (iv) the provisions, if any, for redemption during such Extension Period. Upon the Trustee’s transmittal of the Extension Notice, the Stated Maturity of such Security shall be extended automatically and, except as modified by the Extension Notice and as described in Subsection 308(b), such Security will have the same terms as prior to the transmittal of such Extension Notice.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, not later than 20 days before the Original Stated Maturity of such Security, the Company may, at its option, revoke the interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) provided for in the Extension Notice and establish a higher interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula used to calculate such higher interest rate, if applicable) for the Extension Period by causing the Trustee to transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 106, notice of such higher interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) to the Holder of such Security. Such notice shall be irrevocable. All Securities with respect to which the Stated Maturity is extended will bear such higher interest rate.

(c) If the Company extends the Stated Maturity of any Security, the Holder will have the option to elect repayment of such Security by the Company on the Original Stated Maturity at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, plus interest accrued to such date. In order to obtain repayment on the Original Stated Maturity once the Company has extended the Stated Maturity thereof, the Holder must follow the procedures set forth in Article Thirteen for repayment at the option of Holders, except that the period for delivery or notification to the Trustee shall be at least 25 but not more than 35 days prior to the Original Stated Maturity and except that, if the Holder has tendered any Security for repayment pursuant to an Extension Notice, the Holder may by written notice to the Trustee revoke such tender for repayment until the close of business on the tenth day before the Original Stated Maturity.

 

-37-


Section 309. Persons Deemed Owners .

(a) Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest, if any, on such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Registered Security be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company, or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(b) Title to any Bearer Security and any coupons appertaining thereto shall pass by delivery. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security and the bearer of any coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security or coupon be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company, or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(c) None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Security in global form or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

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

Section 310. Cancellation .

(a) All Securities and coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, repayment at the option of the Holder, registration of transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and coupons and Securities and coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. If the Company shall so acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. Cancelled Securities and coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in its customary manner, unless by a Company Order the Company directs that cancelled Securities be returned to the Company.

 

-38-


Section 311. Computation of Interest .

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to Securities of any series, interest, if any, on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 312. Currency and Manner of Payments in Respect of Securities .

(a) Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, with respect to Registered Securities of any series not permitting the election provided for in Subsection (b) of this Section or the Holders of which have not made the election provided for in Subsection (b) of this Section, and with respect to Bearer Securities of any series, except as provided in Subsection (d) of this Section, payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on any Registered or Bearer Security of such series will be made in the Currency in which such Registered Security or Bearer Security, as the case may be, is payable. The provisions of this Section 312 may be modified or superseded with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301.

(b) It may be provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to Registered Securities of any series that Holders shall have the option, subject to Subsection (d) and (e) of this Section, to receive payments of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on such Registered Securities in any of the Currencies which may be designated for such election by delivering to the Trustee a written election with signature guarantees and in the applicable form established pursuant to Section 301, not later than the close of business on the Election Date immediately preceding the applicable payment date. If a Holder so elects to receive such payments in any such Currency, such election will remain in effect for such Holder or any transferee of such Holder until changed by such Holder or such transferee by written notice to the Trustee (but any such change must be made not later than the close of business on the Election Date immediately preceding the next payment date to be effective for the payment to be made on such payment date and no such change of election may be made with respect to payments to be made on any Registered Security of such series with respect to which an Event of Default has occurred or with respect to which the Company has deposited funds pursuant to Article Four or Fourteen or with respect to which a notice of redemption has been given by the Company or a notice of option to elect repayment has been sent by such Holder or such transferee). Any Holder of any such Registered Security who shall not have delivered any such election to the Trustee of such series of Registered Securities not later than the close of business on the applicable Election Date will be paid the amount due on the applicable payment date in the relevant Currency as provided in Subsection (a) of this Section. The Trustee shall notify the Exchange Rate Agent as soon as practicable after the Election Date of the aggregate principal amount of Registered Securities for which Holders have made such written election.

(c) Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, if the election referred to in Subsection (b) of this Section has been provided for pursuant to Section 301, then, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, not later than the fourth Business Day after the

 

-39-


Election Date for each payment date for Registered Securities of any series, the Exchange Rate Agent will deliver to the Company a written notice specifying the Currency in which Registered Securities of such series are payable, the respective aggregate amounts of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Registered Securities to be paid on such payment date, specifying the amounts in such Currency so payable in respect of the Registered Securities as to which the Holders of Registered Securities of such Series shall have elected to be paid in another Currency as provided in Subsection (b) of this Section. If the election referred to in Subsection (b) of this Section has been provided for pursuant to Section 301 and if at least one Holder has made such election, then, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, on the second Business Day preceding such payment date the Company will deliver to the Trustee for such series of Registered Securities an Exchange Rate Officer’s Certificate in respect of the Dollar or Foreign Currency payments to be made on such payment date. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, the Dollar or Foreign Currency amount receivable by Holders of Registered Securities who have elected payment in a Currency as provided in Subsection (b) of this Section shall be determined by the Company on the basis of the applicable Market Exchange Rate in effect on the second Business Day (the “Valuation Date”) immediately preceding each payment date, and such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(d) If a Conversion Event occurs with respect to a Foreign Currency in which any of the Securities are denominated or payable other than pursuant to an election provided for pursuant to Subsection (b) of this Section, then with respect to each date for the payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any on the applicable Securities denominated or payable in such Foreign Currency occurring after the last date on which such Foreign Currency was used (the “Conversion Date”), the Dollar shall be the currency of payment for use on each such payment date. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, the Dollar amount to be paid by the Company to the Trustee and by such Trustee or any Paying Agent to the Holders of such Securities with respect to such payment date shall be, in the case of a Foreign Currency other than a currency unit, the Dollar Equivalent of the Foreign Currency or, in the case of a currency unit, the Dollar Equivalent of the Currency Unit, in each case as determined by the Exchange Rate Agent in the manner provided in Subsection (f) or (g) of this Section.

(e) Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, if the Holder of a Registered Security denominated in any Currency shall have elected to be paid in another Currency as provided in Subsection (b) of this Section, and a Conversion Event occurs with respect to such elected Currency, such Holder shall receive payment in the Currency in which payment would have been made in the absence of such election; and if a Conversion Event occurs with respect to the Currency in which payment would have been made in the absence of such election, such Holder shall receive payment in Dollars as provided in Subsection (d) of this Section.

(f) The “Dollar Equivalent of the Foreign Currency” shall be determined by the Exchange Rate Agent and shall be obtained for each subsequent payment date by converting the specified Foreign Currency into Dollars at the Market Exchange Rate on the Conversion Date.

 

-40-


(g) The “Dollar Equivalent of the Currency Unit” shall be determined by the Exchange Rate Agent and subject to the provisions of Subsection (h) of this Section shall be the sum of each amount obtained by converting the Specified Amount of each Component Currency into Dollars at the Market Exchange Rate for such Component Currency on the Valuation Date with respect to each payment.

(h) For purposes of this Section 312, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

A “Component Currency” shall mean any currency which, on the Conversion Date, was a component currency of the relevant currency unit, including, but not limited to, the euro.

A “Specified Amount” of a Component Currency shall mean the number of units of such Component Currency or fractions thereof which were represented in the relevant currency unit, including, but not limited to, the euro, on the Conversion Date. If after the Conversion Date the official unit of any Component Currency is altered by way of combination or subdivision, the Specified Amount of such Component Currency shall be divided or multiplied in the same proportion. If after the Conversion Date two or more Component Currencies are consolidated into a single Currency, the respective Specified Amounts of such Component Currencies shall be replaced by an amount in such single Currency equal to the sum of the respective Specified Amounts of such consolidated Component Currencies expressed in such single Currency, and such amount shall thereafter be a Specified Amount and such single Currency shall thereafter be a Component Currency. If after the Conversion Date any Component Currency shall be divided into two or more currencies, the Specified Amount of such Component Currency shall be replaced by amounts of such two or more currencies, having an aggregate Dollar Equivalent value at the Market Exchange Rate on the date of such replacement equal to the Dollar Equivalent of the Specified Amount of such former Component Currency at the Market Exchange Rate immediately before such division, and such amounts shall thereafter be Specified Amounts and such currencies shall thereafter be Component Currencies. If, after the Conversion Date of the relevant currency unit, including, but not limited to, the euro, a Conversion Event (other than any event referred to above in this definition of “Specified Amount”) occurs with respect to any Component Currency of such currency unit and is continuing on the applicable Valuation Date, the Specified Amount of such Component Currency shall, for purposes of calculating the Dollar Equivalent of the Currency Unit, be converted into Dollars at the Market Exchange Rate in effect on the Conversion Date of such Component Currency.

“Election Date” shall mean the Regular Record Date for the applicable series of Registered Securities or at least 16 days prior to Maturity, as the case may be, or such other prior date for any series of Registered Securities as specified pursuant to clause 13 of Section 301 by which the written election referred to in Subsection 312(b) may be made.

(i) All decisions and determinations of the Exchange Rate Agent regarding the Dollar Equivalent of the Foreign Currency, the Dollar Equivalent of the Currency Unit, the Market Exchange Rate and changes in the Specified Amounts as specified above shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company, the Trustee and all Holders of such Securities denominated or payable in the relevant Currency. The Exchange Rate Agent shall promptly give written notice to the Company and the Trustee of any such decision or determination.

 

-41-


(j) In the event that the Company determines in good faith that a Conversion Event has occurred with respect to a Foreign Currency, the Company will immediately give written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Exchange Rate Agent (and such Trustee will promptly thereafter give notice in the manner provided for in Section 106 to the affected Holders) specifying the Conversion Date. In the event the Company so determines that a Conversion Event has occurred with respect to the euro or any other currency unit in which Securities are denominated or payable, the Company will immediately give written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Exchange Rate Agent (and such Trustee will promptly thereafter give notice in the manner provided in Section 106 to the affected Holders) specifying the Conversion Date and the Specified Amount of each Component Currency on the Conversion Date. In the event the Company determines in good faith that any subsequent change in any Component Currency as set forth in the definition of Specified Amount above has occurred, the Company will similarly give written notice to the Trustee and the Exchange Rate Agent.

(k) The Trustee of the appropriate series of Securities shall be fully justified and protected in conclusively relying and acting upon information received by it from the Company and the Exchange Rate Agent and shall not otherwise have any duty or obligation to determine the accuracy or validity of such information independent of the Company or the Exchange Rate Agent.

Section 313. Appointment and Resignation of Successor Exchange Rate Agent .

(a) Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, if and so long as the Securities of any series (1) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (2) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one Exchange Rate Agent. The Company will cause the Exchange Rate Agent to make the necessary foreign exchange determinations at the time and in the manner specified pursuant to Section 301 for the purpose of determining the applicable rate of exchange and, if applicable, for the purpose of converting the issued Foreign Currency into the applicable payment Currency for the payment of principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, pursuant to Section 312.

(b) No resignation of the Exchange Rate Agent and no appointment of a successor Exchange Rate Agent pursuant to this Section shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Exchange Rate Agent as evidenced by a written instrument delivered to the Company and the Trustee of the appropriate series of Securities accepting such appointment executed by the successor Exchange Rate Agent.

(c) If the Exchange Rate Agent shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of the Exchange Rate Agent for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Exchange Rate Agent or Exchange Rate Agents with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Exchange Rate Agent may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of

 

-42-


such series and that, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, at any time there shall only be one Exchange Rate Agent with respect to the Securities of any particular series that are originally issued by the Company on the same date and that are initially denominated and/or payable in the same Currency).

Section 314. CUSIP Numbers .

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

ARTICLE IV

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture .

(a) Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, this Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Request (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Securities of such series expressly provided for herein or pursuant hereto and any right to receive Additional Amounts, as provided in Section 1005), and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series when

(1) either

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

 

-43-


(ii) all Securities of such series and, in the case of subclauses (A) or (B) below, any coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(A) have become due and payable, or

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

(C) if redeemable at the option of the Company, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, and the Company, in the case of subclauses (A), (B) or (C) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose an amount in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable, sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and such coupons not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

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

(b) Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 611 if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (1) of Subsection 401(a), the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and Subsection 1003(d) and the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to Securities of such series under Sections 305, 306, 1002 and 1005, with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any rights of Holders to require the Company to repay such Securities as contemplated by Section 1301 and with respect to any rights of Holders to convert or exchange such Securities into other Securities, shall survive such satisfaction and discharge. These obligations shall continue to be governed and construed in accordance with Section 111.

Section 402. Application of Trust Funds .

Subject to the provisions of Subsection 1003(d), all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities, the coupons and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any

 

-44-


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, if any) and interest, if any, for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company.

ARTICLE V

REMEDIES

Section 501. Events of Default.

(a) “Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to any particular series of Securities, means any one of the following events as such events may be otherwise amended in accordance with Section 301 (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether or not it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(1) default in the payment of any interest upon, or any Additional Amount payable in respect of, any Security of that series or of any coupon appertaining thereto, when such interest or coupon becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(2) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security of that series at its Maturity; or

(3) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of any Security of that series; or

(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture with respect to any Security of that series (other than a covenant or agreement a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

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

(i) commences a voluntary case or proceedings,

 

-45-


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

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

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

(v) issues a public announcement admitting its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due; or

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

(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,

(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

(iii) orders the winding-up or liquidation of the Company,

(iv) and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or

(7) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.

(b) The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code, as amended from time to time, or any similar foreign, Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any custodian, receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or other similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

Section 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment .

(a) If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clauses (5) and (6) of Subsection 501(a) with respect to the Company) with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal (or, if any Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) plus accrued and unpaid interest of all the Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interests or specified portion thereof shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in clauses (5) and (6) of Subsection 501(a) with respect to the Company occurs, the amounts described above with respect to the Outstanding Securities of all series shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of

 

-46-


the Trustee or any Holder. Upon payment of such principal and interest, all of the Company’s obligations under the Securities of such Series and this Indenture, other than obligations under Section 606, shall terminate.

(b) At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter provided in this Article, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

(1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient in cash to pay all principal, interest and Additional Amounts which have become due other than by such declaration of acceleration, interest or any such overdue amounts, and amounts owing the Trustee;

(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the nonpayment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 514; and

(3) such rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction.

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

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

(a) The Company covenants that if:

(1) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest or Additional Amounts on any Security of any series and any related coupon when such interest or Additional Amounts becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

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

then the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series and coupons, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities and coupons for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, with interest upon any overdue principal (and premium, if any) and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest, if any, at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, 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.

 

-47-


(b) If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon Securities of such series and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series, wherever situated.

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

Section 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .

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

(1) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and premium, if any, or in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal as may be provided for in the terms thereof and premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

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

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder 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 606.

(b) 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,

 

-48-


arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or coupon in any such proceeding.

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

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

Section 506. Application of Money Collected .

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

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee, including its agents and counsel and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606;

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

THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company.

Section 507. Limitation on Suits .

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

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

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

 

-49-


(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

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

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or coupon shall have the right which is absolute and unconditional to receive payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, on such Security or payment of such coupon on the respective due dates expressed in such Security or coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies .

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

Section 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative .

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons in Subsection 306(f), no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities or coupons is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

-50-


Section 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver .

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

Section 512. Control by Holders of Securities .

With respect to any series, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,

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

(c) the Trustee need not take any action which might involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders of Securities of such series not consenting.

Section 513. Undertaking for Costs .

All parties to this Indenture agree that 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 attorney’s 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, provided that this Section 513 shall not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 508 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the then Outstanding Securities.

Section 514. Waiver of Past Defaults .

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

(1) in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts on any Security of such series or any related coupons, or

 

-51-


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

(b) 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 Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 515. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws .

The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury or other law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

ARTICLE VI

THE TRUSTEE

Section 601. Notice of Defaults .

Within five days after the earlier of receipt from the Company of notice of the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default hereunder or the date such occurrence hereunder actually becomes known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall transmit to all Holders of Securities of such series, in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), notice of such Default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such Default shall have been cured or waived; provided, that, except in the case of a Default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment with respect to the Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities and coupons of such series; and provided further that in the case of any Default or breach of the character specified in clause (4) of Subsection 501(a) with respect to the Securities and coupons of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof unless otherwise specified in accordance with Section 301.

Section 602. Certain Rights of Trustee .

(a) Subject to the provisions of TIA Section 315(a) through 315(d):

 

-52-


(1) The Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.

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

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

(4) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

(5) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, determined as provided in Sections 101 and 104.

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

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

(8) The Trustee shall 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 of Securities of any series or any related coupons pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

(9) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or

 

-53-


investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney but in the case of any certificate or opinion specifically required by the Indenture to be delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee shall have a duty to examine the same to determine whether they conform to the Indenture requirements.

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

(11) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture other than any liabilities arising out of the negligence of the Trustee.

(12) 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 to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

(13) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.

(b) The Trustee shall not be required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

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

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

 

-54-


Section 604.  May Hold Securities .

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

Section 605. Money Held in Trust .

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

Section 606. Compensation and Reimbursement .

(a) The Company agrees:

(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder, including but not limited to the reasonable fees and expenses of its agents and counsel, as shall be agreed upon in writing from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

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

(3) to indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any and all loss, damage, claims, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its own part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by the Company or any Holder or any other Person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.

(b) As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a claim prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on particular Securities or any coupons.

(c) When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in clause (5) or (6) of Subsection 501(a) occurs, the expenses and compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

-55-


Section 607. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility .

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be eligible to act as Trustee under TIA Section 310(a)(1) and shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 608. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor .

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

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company.

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

(d) If at any time:

(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of TIA Section 310(b) after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or

(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 607 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or

(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company by or pursuant to a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to TIA Section 315(e), any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

 

-56-


(e) If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of a notice of resignation or the delivery of an Act of removal, the Trustee resigning or being removed or any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of Securities for at least six months, may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

(f) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time, except as provided in Section 613, there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series). If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to Securities of such series.

(g) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series in the manner provided for notices to the Holders of Securities in Section 106. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

Section 609. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor .

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

 

-57-


(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which

(1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates,

(2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and

(3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in Subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

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

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

Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation

 

-58-


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

Section 611. Appointment of Authenticating Agent .

(a) At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument in writing signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, a copy of which instrument shall be promptly furnished to the Company. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company and, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301, shall at all times be a bank or trust company or corporation organized and doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America or of any State or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authorities. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. In case at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

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

 

-59-


(c) An Authenticating Agent for any series of Securities may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee for such series and to the Company. The Trustee for any series of Securities may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee for such series may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve in the manner set forth in Section 106. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent herein. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

(d) The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation including reimbursement of its reasonable expenses for its services under this Section.

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

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

 

[                                                                                   ]

as Trustee

By  

 

  as Authenticating Agent
By  

 

  Authorized Signatory

Section 612. Conflicting Interests .

The Trustee shall comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

-60-


Section 613. Appointment of Co-Trustee .

(a) For the purpose of meeting any legal requirements of any jurisdiction in which the Company may at the time be located in connection with the enforcement of any right or the taking of any action on behalf of the Holders of any Securities issued hereunder, the Trustee shall have the power and may execute and deliver all instruments necessary to appoint one or more Persons to act as a co-trustee or co-trustees, or separate trustee or separate trustees, such powers, duties, obligations, rights and trusts as the Trustee may consider necessary or desirable. Each co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be required to meet the terms of eligibility as a trustee under Section 607. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Holders and the Company of the appointment of a co-trustee or separate trustee under this section.

(b) Every separate trustee and co-trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, be appointed and act subject to the following provisions and conditions:

(1) all rights, powers, duties and obligations conferred or imposed upon the Trustee shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Trustee and such separate trustee or co-trustee jointly (it being understood that such separate trustee or co-trustee is not authorized to act separately without the Trustee joining in such act), except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act or acts are to be performed the Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act or acts, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and performed singly by such separate trustee or co-trustee, but solely at the direction of the Trustee;

(2) no trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of any other trustee hereunder;

(3) the Trustee may at any time accept the resignation of or remove any separate trustee or co-trustee;

(4) any notice, request or other writing given to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been given to each of the then separate trustees and co-trustees, as effectively as if given to each of them. Every instrument appointing any separate trustee or co-trustee shall refer to this Indenture and the conditions of this Article Six. Each separate trustee and co-trustee, upon its acceptance of the trusts conferred, shall be vested with the estates or property specified in its instrument of appointment, either jointly with the Trustee or separately, as may be provided therein, subject to all the provisions of this Indenture, specifically including every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct of, affecting the liability of, or affording protection or rights (including the rights to compensation, reimbursement and indemnification hereunder) to, the Trustee. Every such instrument shall be filed with the Trustee; and

(5) any separate trustee or co-trustee may at any time constitute the Trustee its agent or attorney-in-fact with full power and authority, to the extent not prohibited by law, to do any lawful act under or in respect of this Indenture on its behalf and in its name for the purposes of enforcing any rights or taking any other action on behalf of the Holders of any Securities issued hereunder.

 

-61-


Section 614. Trustee’s Application for Instructions from the Company .

Any application by the Trustee for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Trustee, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Trustee under this Indenture and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Trustee in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five Business Days after the date any officer of the Company actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action (or the effective date in the case of an omission), the Trustee shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.

ARTICLE VII

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

Section 701. Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders .

The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:

(a) semiannually, not later than 15 days after each Regular Record Date for Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Registered Securities as of such Regular Record Date, or if there is no Regular Record Date for interest for such series of Securities, semiannually, upon such dates as are set forth in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificates indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;

provided, that, so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar, no such list shall be required to be furnished.

(c) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 701 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

(d) The rights of the Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.

 

-62-


(e) Every Holder of Securities or coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Paying Agent nor any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with TIA Section 312, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under TIA Section 312(b).

Section 702. Reports by Trustee .

Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 after the first issuance of Securities pursuant to this Indenture, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities as provided in TIA Section 313(c) a brief report dated as of such May 15 if required by TIA Section 313(a).

A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange, if any, upon which the Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of the listing or de-listing of the Securities on any stock exchange.

Section 703. Reports by Company .

The Company will:

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

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

(c) transmit by mail to the Holders of Securities, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Subsection (a) and (b) of this Section 703 as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

 

-63-


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

Section 704. Calculation of Original Issue Discount .

If an original issue discount shall have accrued on Outstanding Securities in any calendar year, the Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each such calendar year

(a) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on Outstanding Securities as of the end of such year and

(b) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”) as the Trustee may reasonably request in order for it to prepare any necessary filings or reports under the Code.

ARTICLE VIII

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

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

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person or convey or transfer its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless:

(a) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the corporation (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture and on all the Securities and this Indenture;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) the Company and the successor Person have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 802. Successor Person Substituted .

(a) Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 801,

 

-64-


the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the successor Person to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor had been named as the Company herein; and in the event of any such conveyance or transfer (except by a lease), the Company shall be discharged from all its obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and coupons and may be dissolved and liquidated.

(b) Such successor entity thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company, any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor entity, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations prescribed in this Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor entity thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All the Securities of any series so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities of such series theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

(c) In case of any such merger in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or any such consolidation, sale, lease, assignment, transfer or conveyance, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

Section 803. Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel .

Any consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, assignment, transfer or lease permitted under Section 801 is also subject to the condition that the Trustee shall have received an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer, assignment or lease, and the assumption by any successor Person and any such supplemental indenture, comply with the provisions of this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

ARTICLE IX

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders .

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

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

 

-65-


(b) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or

(c) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series); provided, that, in respect of any such additional Events of Default such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of that or those series of Securities to which such additional Events of Default apply to waive such default; or

(d) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of or any premium or interest on Bearer Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or

(e) to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture; provided that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; or

(f) to secure the Securities pursuant to the requirements of such indenture supplement, if applicable; or

(g) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series and any related coupons as permitted by Sections 201 and 301, including the provisions and procedures relating to Securities convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any Person (including the Company); or

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

 

-66-


(i) to close this indenture with respect to the authentication and delivery of additional series of Securities, to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture; provided that such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series or any related coupons in any material respect; or

(j) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Sections 401, 1402 and 1403; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series and any related coupons or any other series of Securities in any material respect; or

(k) to comply with the requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.

Section 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders .

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

(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, subject to the provisions of Section 308; or reduce the principal amount thereof (or premium, if any) or the rate of interest (or change the manner of calculation of interest), thereon, or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or change any obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 1005 (except as contemplated by Section 801(a) and permitted by Section 901(a)), or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or Indexed Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 504, or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option of the Holder of any Security, or change any Place of Payment where, or the Currency in which, any Security or any premium or interest or Additional Amount thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be), or adversely affect any right to convert or exchange any Security as may be provided pursuant to Section 301 herein, or

 

-67-


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

(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 514 or Section 1007, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture that affect such series cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(4) cause the Securities to be expressly subordinated to other indebtedness of the Company.

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

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

(d) The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons entitled to consent to any indenture supplemental hereto. If a record date is fixed, the Holders at the close of Business on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such supplemental indenture, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided that unless such consent shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having been obtained prior to the date which is 90 days after such record date, any such consent previously given shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be cancelled and of no further effect.

Section 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures .

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon (subject to the provisions of Article Six hereof), an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures .

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall

 

-68-


be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder and of any coupon appertaining thereto shall be bound thereby.

Section 905. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act .

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

Section 906. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures .

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

ARTICLE X

COVENANTS

Section 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest .

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay not later than 11:00 am New York City time on each Interest Payment Date the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any, on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of such series of Securities, any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on Bearer Securities on or before Maturity, other than Additional Amounts, if any, payable as provided in Section 1005 in respect of principal of (or premium, if any, on) such a Security, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature. Unless otherwise specified with respect to Securities of any series pursuant to Section 301, at the option of the Company, all payments of principal may be paid by check to the registered Holder of the Registered Security or other person entitled thereto against surrender of such Security or wire transfer to an account in the United States maintained by the Payee.

Section 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency .

(a) If Securities of a series are issuable only as Registered Securities, the Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of that series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities

 

-69-


of that series and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company will maintain:

(1) in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or Minneapolis, Minnesota, an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where any Registered Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for exchange, where Securities of that series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served and where Bearer Securities of that series and related coupons may be presented or surrendered for payment in the circumstances described in the clause (2) of this Subsection (and not otherwise),

(2) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, in a Place of Payment for that series which is located outside the United States, an office or agency where Securities of that series and related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided, that, if the Securities of that series are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company will maintain a Paying Agent for the Securities of that series in Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of that series are listed on such exchange, and

(3) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, in a Place of Payment for that series located outside the United States an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for exchange, where Securities of that series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of each such office or agency.

(b) If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of that series and the related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment at the offices specified in the Security, in London, England, and the Company hereby appoints the same as its agent to receive such respective presentations, surrenders, notices and demands, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

(c) Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, no payment of principal, premium or interest on Bearer Securities shall be made at any office or agency of the Company in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United

 

-70-


States; provided, that, if the Securities of a series are payable in Dollars, payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on any Bearer Security shall be made at the office of the Company’s Paying Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or Minneapolis, Minnesota, if (but only if) payment in Dollars of the full amount of such principal, premium or interest, as the case may be, at all offices or agencies outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture, is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

(d) The Company may from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all of such purposes, and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, that, no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in accordance with the requirements set forth above for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301 with respect to a series of Securities, the Company hereby designates as a Place of Payment for each series of Securities the office or agency of the Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and initially appoints the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office as Paying Agent in such city and as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

(e) Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, if and so long as the Securities of any series

(1) are denominated in a Currency other than Dollars,

(2) may be payable in a Currency other than Dollars, or

(3) so long as it is required under any other provision of the Indenture,

the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one Exchange Rate Agent.

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

(a) If the Company or any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of them shall at any time act as Paying Agent with respect to any series of any Securities and any related coupons, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Subsections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on Securities of such series so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

(b) Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities and any related coupons, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of

 

-71-


(or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum (in the Currency described in Subsection 1003(a)) sufficient to pay the principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, so becoming due, and the Paying Agent shall hold such sum in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Paying Agent will promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by the Company to make such payment.

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

(d) Except as otherwise provided in the Securities of any series, 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, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company upon Company Request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment of such principal, premium or interest on any Security, without interest thereon, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, that, the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series, or mailed to each Holder of Registered Securities of such series, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 1004. Corporate Existence .

Subject to Article Eight, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and material rights and franchises (charter and statutory); provided, that, neither the Company shall be required to preserve any such right or franchise if it shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer necessary or desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company; and provided further, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit a sale, transfer or conveyance of a Subsidiary or any of its assets in compliance with the terms of the Indenture.

Section 1005. Additional Amounts .

(a) If any Securities of a series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts, the Company will pay to the Holder of a Security of such series or any coupon appertaining thereto Additional Amounts as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301. Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of (or

 

-72-


premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security of any series or payment of any related coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts provided by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 301 to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms and express mention of the payment of Additional Amounts (if applicable) in any provisions hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

(b) Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, if the Securities of a series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts, at least 10 days prior to the first Interest Payment Date with respect to that series of Securities (or if the Securities of that series will not bear interest prior to Maturity, the first day on which a payment of principal and any premium is made), and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of principal, premium or interest if there has been any change with respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officers’ Certificate, the Company will furnish the Trustee and the Company’s principal Paying Agent or Paying Agents, if other than the Trustee, with an Officers’ Certificate instructing the Trustee and such Paying Agent or Paying Agents whether such payment of principal, premium or interest on the Securities of that series shall be made to Holders of Securities of that series or any related coupons who are not United States persons without withholding for or on account of any tax, assessment or other governmental charge described in the Securities of the series. If any such withholding shall be required, then such Officers’ Certificate shall specify by country the amount, if any, required to be withheld on such payments to such Holders of Securities of that series or related coupons and the Company will pay to the Trustee or such Paying Agent the Additional Amounts required by the terms of such Securities. In the event that the Trustee or any Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall not so receive the above-mentioned certificate, then the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall be entitled (1) to assume that no such withholding or deduction is required with respect to any payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest with respect to any Securities of a series or related coupons until it shall have received a certificate advising otherwise and (2) to make all payments of principal of (or premium, if any) and interest with respect to the Securities of a series or related coupons without withholding or deductions until otherwise advised. The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any Paying Agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officers’ Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section.

Section 1006. Statement as to Compliance .

The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture and, if the Company is in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which he or she may have knowledge. For purposes of this Section 1006, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture.

 

-73-


Section 1007. Waiver of Certain Covenants .

With respect to the Securities of any series, the Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition specified pursuant to Section 301 as being subject to this Section 1007, if before or after the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series affected by such term, provision or condition, by Act of such Holders, 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 1008. Statement by Officers as to Default .

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, as soon as possible and in any event within ten (10) days after the Company becomes aware of the occurrence of any Event of Default or an event which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default, an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the details of such Event of Default or default and the action which the Company proposes to take with respect thereto.

ARTICLE XI

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

Section 1101. Applicability of Article .

Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

Section 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee .

The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all of the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.

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

If less than all the Securities of any series issued on the same day with the same terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series

 

-74-


issued on such date with the same terms not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series.

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

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

Section 1104. Notice of Redemption .

(a) Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106 not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 301, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, but failure to give such notice in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Security designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other such Security or portion thereof.

(b) Any notice that is mailed or sent by electronic transmission to the Holders of Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice. All notices of redemption shall state:

(1) the Redemption Date,

(2) the Redemption Price and the amount of accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 1106,

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

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

(5) that on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 1106 will become due and payable upon each such Security, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

 

-75-


(6) the Place or Places of Payment where such Securities, together in the case of Bearer Securities with all coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any,

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

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

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

(10) the CUSIP number of such Security, if any.

(c) Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price .

On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, which it may not do in the case of a sinking fund payment under Article Twelve, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Subsections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) sufficient to pay on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price of, and (unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301) accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on, all the Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date .

(a) Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities of any series so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Subsections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) (together with

 

-76-


accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date), and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any) such Securities shall if the same were interest-bearing cease to bear interest and the coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, that, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of coupons for such interest; and provided further that installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is prior to (or, if specified pursuant to Section 301, on) the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.

(b) If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, that, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons.

(c) If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate of interest set forth in such Security or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, at the Yield to Maturity of such Security.

Section 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part .

Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part (pursuant to the provisions of this Article or of Article Twelve) shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge a new Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. However, if less than all the Securities of any series with differing issue dates, interest rates and stated maturities are to be redeemed, the Company in its sole discretion shall select the particular Securities to be redeemed and shall notify the Trustee in writing thereof at least 45 days prior to the relevant redemption date.

 

-77-


ARTICLE XII

SINKING FUNDS

Section 1201. Applicability of Article .

(a) The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series.

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

Section 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities .

Except as otherwise specifically contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series, the Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of a series, (a) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any previously called for redemption) together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured coupons appertaining thereto and (b) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, as provided for by the terms of such Securities; provided that such Securities so delivered or applied as a credit have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the applicable Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

Section 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund .

Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for Securities of any series, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Subsections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202, and the optional amount, if any, to be

 

-78-


added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered and credited. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.

ARTICLE XIII

REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

Section 1301. Applicability of Article .

Repayment of Securities of any series before their Stated Maturity at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 301) in accordance with this Article.

Section 1302. Repayment of Securities .

Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at the Repayment Price thereof, together with interest, if any, thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in or pursuant to the terms of such Securities. The Company covenants that on or before the Repayment Date it will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company or any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of them is acting as Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Subsections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of, and (unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid on such date.

Section 1303. Exercise of Option .

Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. To be repaid at the option of the Holder, any Security so providing for such repayment, with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Security duly completed by the Holder (or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), must be received by the Company at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 45 days nor later than 30 days prior to the Repayment Date. If less than the entire Repayment

 

-79-


Price of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the portion of the Repayment Price of such Security to be repaid, in increments of the minimum denomination for Securities of such series, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid, must be specified. Any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.

Section 1304. When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable .

(a) If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article and as provided by or pursuant to the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) such Securities shall, if the same were interest-bearing, cease to bear interest and the coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be repaid, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for repayment in accordance with such provisions, together with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Repayment Date, the Repayment Price of such Security so to be repaid shall be paid by the Company, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Repayment Date; provided, that, coupons whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Repayment Date shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of such coupons; and provided further that installments of interest on Registered Securities, whose Stated Maturity is prior to (or, if specified pursuant to Section 301, on) the Repayment Date shall be payable (but without interest thereon, unless the Company shall default in the payment thereof) to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.

(b) If any Bearer Security surrendered for repayment shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant coupons maturing after the Repayment Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the amount payable therefor as provided in Section 1302 an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing coupons, or the surrender of such missing coupon or coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made as provided in the preceding sentence, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided, that, interest represented by coupons shall be payable only at an office or agency located outside the United States (except as otherwise provided in Section 1002) and, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, only upon presentation and surrender of those coupons.

 

-80-


(c) If any Security surrendered for repayment shall not be so repaid upon surrender thereof, the Repayment Price shall, until paid, bear interest from the Repayment Date at the rate of interest set forth in such Security or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, at the Yield to Maturity of such Security.

Section 1305. Securities Repaid in Part .

Upon surrender of any Registered Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.

ARTICLE XIV

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 1401. Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .

If pursuant to Section 301 provision is made for either or both of (a) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 1402 or (b) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 1403, then the provisions of such Section or Sections, as the case may be, together with the other provisions of this Article (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 1402 (if applicable) or Section 1403 (if applicable) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article.

Section 1402. Defeasance and Discharge .

Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall each be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “defeasance”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 1405 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (a) and (b) of this Section 1402, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:

(a) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 1404 and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due,

 

-81-


(b) the obligations of the Company with respect to such Securities under Sections 304, 305, 306, 1002 and 1003 and with respect to the payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by Section 1005 with respect to the rights, if any, of the holders of such Securities to require the Company to repay such Securities as contemplated by Article Thirteen and with respect to the rights, if any, of holders to convert or exchange such Securities into other Securities,

(c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and

(d) this Article Fourteen. Subject to compliance with this Article Fourteen, the Company may exercise its option under this Section 1402 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 1403 with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.

Section 1403. Covenant Defeasance .

Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall each be released from its obligations under any other covenant specified pursuant to Section 301, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance”), and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to not be “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 shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under clauses (4) or (7) of Subsection 501(a) or otherwise except as specified in accordance with Section 301, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be unaffected thereby.

Section 1404. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .

The following shall be the conditions to application of Section 1402 or Section 1403 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any coupons appertaining thereto:

 

-82-


(a) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 607 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article Fourteen applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, (1) an amount (in such Currency in which such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity), or (2) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (3) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or nationally recognized independent investment banking firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (i) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.

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

(c) No Default or Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as clauses (5) and (6) of Subsection 501(a) are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(d) In the case of an election under Section 1402, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (1) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (2) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

(e) In the case of an election under Section 1403, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for

 

-83-


Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance under Section 1402 or the covenant defeasance under Section 1403 (as the case may be) have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that either (1) as a result of a deposit pursuant to subsection (a) above and the related exercise of the Company’s option under Section 1402 or Section 1403 (as the case may be), registration is not required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, by the Company, with respect to the trust funds representing such deposit or by the trustee for such trust funds or (2) all necessary registrations under said Act have been effected.

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

Section 1405. Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions .

(a) Subject to the provisions of Subsection 1003(d), all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 301) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 1405, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 1404 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

(b) Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Security pursuant to Section 301, if, after a deposit referred to in Subsection 1404(a) has been made, (1) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Subsection 312(b) or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Subsection 1404(a) has been made in respect of such Security, or (2) a Conversion Event occurs as contemplated in Subsection 312(d) or 312(e) or by the terms of any Security in respect of which the deposit pursuant to Subsection 1404(a) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion

 

-84-


Event based on the applicable Market Exchange Rate for such Currency in effect on the second Business Day prior to each payment date, except, with respect to a Conversion Event, for such Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event.

(c) The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 1404 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 such Outstanding Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto.

(d) Anything in this Article Fourteen to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in Section 1404 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Article.

Section 1406. Reinstatement .

If the Trustee or any Paying Agent is unable to apply any money in accordance with Section 1405 by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and such Securities and any related coupons shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 1402 or 1403, as the case may be, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 1405; provided, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any such Security or any related coupon following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities and any related coupons to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

ARTICLE XV

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

Section 1501. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called .

If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, a meeting of Holders of Securities of such series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 1502. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings .

(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, to be held at such time and at such place in the

 

-85-


Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or in London as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the Holders of at least 10 % in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the trustee shall not have made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in Subsection (a) of this Section.

Section 1503. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings .

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

Section 1504. Quorum; Action .

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

 

-86-


(b) Subject to the foregoing, at the reconvening of any meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum the Persons entitled to vote 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities at the time shall constitute a quorum for the taking of any action set forth in the notice of the original meeting.

(c) Except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided, that except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of not less than such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series.

(d) Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the related coupons, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1504, if any action is to be taken at a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action that this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities affected thereby, or of the Holders of such series and one or more additional series:

(1) there shall be no minimum quorum requirement for such meeting; and

(2) the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series that vote in favor of such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action shall be taken into account in determining whether such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action has been made, given or taken under this Indenture.

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

(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Indenture, the Company may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of a series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other

 

-87-


matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 or by having the signature of the Person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 104 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.

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

(c) At any meeting each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided, that, no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

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

Section 1506. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings .

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

 

-88-


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

ARTICLE XVI

GUARANTEE

Section 1601. Unconditional Guarantee.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Article to the contrary, the provisions of this Article shall be applicable only to, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Securities of any series designated, pursuant to Section 301, as entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee of each of the Guarantors.

(b) For value received, each of the Guarantors hereby fully, unconditionally and absolutely guarantees (the “Guarantee”) to the Holders of such series of Securities and to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities and all other amounts due and payable under this Indenture and the Securities by the Company, when and as such principal, premium, if any, and interest shall become due and payable, whether at the stated maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, according to the terms of the Securities and this Indenture, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 1603.

(c) Failing payment when due of any amount guaranteed pursuant to the Guarantee, for whatever reason, each of the Guarantors will be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Unless otherwise provided in any supplemental indenture, the Guarantee hereunder is intended to be a general, unsecured, senior obligation of each of the Guarantors and will rank pari passu in right of payment with all unsecured debt of such Guarantor that is not, by its terms, expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Guarantee. Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be full, unconditional and absolute, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Securities, the Guarantee (including the Guarantee of any other Guarantor) or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Securities with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company or any other Guarantor, or any action to enforce the same or any other circumstances which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of the Guarantors. Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that in the event of a default in payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of the Holders or, subject to Section 507, by the Holders, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture, directly against such Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee without first proceeding against the Company or any other Guarantor.

(d) The obligations of each of the Guarantors under this Article shall be as aforesaid full, unconditional and absolute and shall not be impaired, modified, released or limited by any

 

-89-


occurrence or condition whatsoever, including, without limitation, (A) any compromise, settlement, release, waiver, renewal, extension, indulgence or modification of, or any change in, any of the obligations and liabilities of the Company or any of the Guarantors contained in the Securities or this Indenture, (B) any impairment, modification, release or limitation of the liability of the Company, any of the Guarantors or either of their estates in bankruptcy, or any remedy for the enforcement thereof, resulting from the operation of any present or future provision of any applicable bankruptcy law, or other statute or from the decision of any court, (C) the assertion or exercise by the Company, any of the Guarantors or the Trustee of any rights or remedies under the Securities or this Indenture or their delay in or failure to assert or exercise any such rights or remedies, (D) the assignment or the purported assignment of any property as security for the Securities, including all or any part of the rights of the Company or any of the Guarantors under this Indenture, (E) the extension of the time for payment by the Company or any of the Guarantors of any payments or other sums or any part thereof owing or payable under any of the terms and provisions of the Securities or this Indenture or of the time for performance by the Company or any of the Guarantors of any other obligations under or arising out of any such terms and provisions or the extension or the renewal of any thereof, (F) the modification or amendment (whether material or otherwise) of any duty, agreement or obligation of the Company or any of the Guarantors set forth in this Indenture, (G) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets, marshaling of assets and liabilities, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of, or other similar proceeding affecting, the Company or any of the Guarantors or any of their respective assets, or the disaffirmance of the Securities, the Guarantee or this Indenture in any such proceeding, (H) the release or discharge of the Company or any of the Guarantors from the performance or observance of any agreement, covenant, term or condition contained in any of such instruments by operation of law, (I) the unenforceability of the Securities, the Guarantee or this Indenture or (J) any other circumstances (other than payment in full or discharge of all amounts guaranteed pursuant to the Guarantee) which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge of a surety or guarantor.

(e) Each of the Guarantors hereby (A) waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of the merger, insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company or any of the Guarantors, and all demands whatsoever, (B) acknowledges that any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee may be transferred and that the benefit of its obligations hereunder shall extend to each holder of any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee without notice to it and (C) covenants that the Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the Guarantee. Each of the Guarantors further agrees that if at any time all or any part of any payment theretofore applied by any Person to the Guarantee is, or must be, rescinded or returned for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation, the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or any of the Guarantors, the Guarantee shall, to the extent that such payment is or must be rescinded or returned, be deemed to have continued in existence notwithstanding such application, and the Guarantee shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, as though such application had not been made.

(f) Each of the Guarantors shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders and the Trustee against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by such Guarantor pursuant to the

 

-90-


provisions of this Indenture, provided, however, that such Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce or to receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all of the Securities and the Guarantee shall have been paid in full or discharged.

Section 1602. Execution and Delivery of Guarantee.

(a) To further evidence the Guarantee set forth in Section 1601, each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that a notation relating to such Guarantee, substantially in the form attached to the supplemental indenture for the applicable Securities, shall be endorsed on each Security entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and executed by either manual or facsimile signature of an officer of such Guarantor, or in the case of a Guarantor that is a limited partnership, an officer of the general partner of each Guarantor. Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that the Guarantee set forth in Section 1601 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Security a notation relating to the Guarantee. If any officer of the Guarantor, or in the case of a Guarantor that is a limited partnership, any officer of the general partner of the Guarantor, whose signature is on this Indenture or a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates such Security or at any time thereafter, the Guarantee of such Security shall be valid nevertheless. The delivery of any Security by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of the Guarantee set forth in this Indenture on behalf of the Guarantors.

(b) The Trustee hereby accepts the trusts in this Indenture upon the terms and conditions herein set forth.

Section 1603. Limitation on Guarantors’ Liability.

Each Guarantor and by its acceptance hereof each Holder of a Security entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the guarantee by such Guarantor pursuant to its Guarantee not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of any Federal or state law. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Holders of a Security entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor and to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under the Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under Federal or state law.

Section 1604. Release of Guarantors from Guarantee.

(a) The Guarantee of a Guarantor will be released:

(1) upon any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation), in accordance with this Indenture, to any Person other than the Company;

(2) if such Guarantor merges with and into the Company, with the Company surviving such merger; or

 

-91-


(3) if the Company exercises its Legal Defeasance option or Covenant Defeasance option pursuant to Section 1401 with respect to such series of Securities or if the obligations under this Indenture are discharged in accordance with Section 401.

(b) The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument (such instrument to be prepared by the Company or Company Counsel) evidencing any release of a Guarantor from the Guarantee upon receipt of a written request of the Company accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel that the Guarantor is entitled to such release in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture. Any Guarantor not so released remains liable for the full amount of principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest on the Securities entitled to the benefits of such Guarantee as provided in this Indenture, subject to the limitations of Section 1603.

Section 1605. Guarantor Contribution.

In order to provide for just and equitable contribution among the Guarantors, the Guarantors hereby agree, inter se, that in the event any payment or distribution is made by any Guarantor (a “Funding Guarantor”) under its Guarantee, such Guarantor shall be entitled to a contribution from each other Guarantor (if any) in a pro rata amount based on the net assets of each Guarantor (including the Funding Guarantor) as of the most recently completed fiscal quarter of such Guarantor, for all payments, damages and expenses incurred by that Funding Guarantor in discharging the Company’ obligations with respect to the Securities or any other Guarantor’s obligations with respect to its Guarantee.

 

-92-


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
By:  

            /s/ Stuart W. Booth

  Name:   Stuart W. Booth
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

By:  

            /s/ Maddy Hall

  Name:   Maddy Hall
  Title:   Vice President


EXHIBIT A

FORMS OF CERTIFICATES

 

A-1


EXHIBIT A-1

FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE GIVEN BY PERSON ENTITLED

TO RECEIVE BEARER SECURITY OR TO OBTAIN INTEREST

PAYABLE PRIOR TO THE EXCHANGE DATE

CERTIFICATE

[Insert title or sufficient description of Securities to be delivered]

This is to certify that, as of the date hereof, and except as set forth below, the above-captioned Securities held by you for our account (i) are owned by person(s) that are not citizens or residents of the United States, domestic partnerships, domestic corporations or any estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source or a trust whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United States persons who have the authority to control all of its decisions (“United States person(s)”), (ii) are owned by United States person(s) that are (a) foreign branches of United States financial institutions (financial institutions, as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.165-12(c)(1)(v) are herein referred to as “financial institutions”) purchasing for their own account or for resale, or (b) United States person(s) who acquired the Securities through foreign branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Securities through such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either case (a) or (b), each such United States financial institution hereby agrees, on its own behalf or through its agent, that you may advise Central Garden & Pet Company or its agent that such financial institution will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) are owned by United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and, in addition, if the owner is a United States or foreign financial institution described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)), this is to further certify that such financial institution has not acquired the Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.

As used herein, “United States” means the United States of America (including the states and the District of Columbia); and its “possessions” include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.

We undertake to advise you promptly by facsimile on or prior to the date on which you intend to submit your certification relating to the above-captioned Securities held by you for our account in accordance with your Operating Procedures if any applicable statement herein is not correct on such date, and in the absence of any such notification it may be assumed that this certification applies as of such date.

This certificate excepts and does not relate to [U.S.$]                      of such interest in the above-captioned Securities in respect of which we are not able to certify and as to which we understand an exchange for an interest in a Permanent Global Security or an exchange for and delivery of definitive Securities (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) cannot be made until we do so certify.

 

A-1-1


We understand that this certificate may be required in connection with certain tax legislation in the United States. If administrative or legal proceedings are commenced or threatened in connection with which this certificate is or would be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy thereof to any interested party in such proceedings.

Dated:                     

[To be dated no earlier than the

15th day prior to (i) the Exchange

Date or (ii) the relevant Interest

Payment Date occurring prior to

the Exchange Date, as applicable]

[Name of Person Making Certification]

 

 

(Authorized Signatory)
Name:
Title:

 

A-1-2


EXHIBIT A-2

FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO BE GIVEN BY EUROCLEAR AND

CLEARSTREAM BANKING SOCIETE ANONYME IN CONNECTION WITH THE

EXCHANGE OF A PORTION OF A TEMPORARY GLOBAL SECURITY OR TO OBTAIN

INTEREST PAYABLE PRIOR TO THE EXCHANGE DATE

CERTIFICATE

[Insert title or sufficient description of Securities to be delivered]

This is to certify that, based solely on written certifications that we have received in writing, by tested telex or by electronic transmission from each of the persons appearing in our records as persons entitled to a portion of the principal amount set forth below (our “Member Organizations”) substantially in the form attached hereto, as of the date hereof, [U.S.$]                      principal amount of the above-captioned Securities (i) is owned by person(s) that are not citizens or residents of the United States, domestic partnerships, domestic corporations or any estate the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source or a trust whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United States persons who have the authority to control all of its decisions (“United States person(s)”), (ii) is owned by United States person(s) that are (a) foreign branches of United States financial institutions (financial institutions, as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations Section 1.165-12(c)(1)(v) are herein referred to as “financial institutions”) purchasing for their own account or for resale, or (b) United States person(s) who acquired the Securities through foreign branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Securities through such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either case (a) or (b), each such financial institution has agreed, on its own behalf or through its agent, that we may advise Central Garden & Pet Company or its agent that such financial institution will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) is owned by United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and, to the further effect, that financial institutions described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)) have certified that they have not acquired the Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.

As used herein, “United States” means the United States of America (including the states and the District of Columbia); and its “possessions” include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.

We further certify that (i) we are not making available herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) any portion of the temporary global Security representing the above-captioned Securities excepted in the above-referenced certificates of Member Organizations and (ii) as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any of our Member Organizations to the effect that the statements made by such Member Organizations with respect to any portion of the part submitted herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) are no longer true and cannot be relied upon as of the date hereof.

 

A-2-1


We understand that this certification is required in connection with certain tax legislation in the United States. If administrative or legal proceedings are commenced or threatened in connection with which this certificate is or would be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certificate or a copy thereof to any interested party in such proceedings.

Dated:                     

[To be dated no earlier than

the Exchange Date or the

relevant Interest Payment

Date occurring prior to the

Exchange Date, as applicable]

 

[Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New

York, Brussels Office,] as Operator

of the Euroclear System

[Clearstream Banking societe anonyme]
By:  

 

 

A-2-2

EXHIBIT 4.3

 

 

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY,

as Issuer

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO, as Guarantors

AND

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

 

 

8  1 / 4 % SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2018

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE DATED AS OF

March 8, 2010

 

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page
   ARTICLE 1   
   ESTABLISHMENT; DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE   
SECTION 1.01.    Establishment    1
SECTION 1.02.    Definitions    2
SECTION 1.03.    Other Definitions    26
SECTION 1.04.    Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act    26
SECTION 1.05.    Rules of Construction    26
   ARTICLE 2   
   THE NOTES   
SECTION 2.01.    Form and Dating    27
SECTION 2.02.    Registrar and Paying Agent    28
SECTION 2.03.    Outstanding Notes    28
SECTION 2.04.    Treasury Notes    29
SECTION 2.05.    Additional Notes    29
SECTION 2.06.    Parity with the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes    29
   ARTICLE 3   
   REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT   
SECTION 3.01.    Redemption in Part    29
SECTION 3.02.    Notice of Redemption    29
SECTION 3.03.    Optional Redemption    30
SECTION 3.04.    Mandatory Redemption    31
SECTION 3.05.    Offer to Purchase    31
   ARTICLE 4   
   COVENANTS   
SECTION 4.01.    Payment of Notes    33
SECTION 4.02.    Maintenance of Office or Agency    33
SECTION 4.03.    Reports    33
SECTION 4.04.    Compliance Certificate    34
SECTION 4.05.    Restricted Payments    34
SECTION 4.06.    Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries    37
SECTION 4.07.    Incurrence of Indebtedness    38
SECTION 4.08.    Asset Sales    38
SECTION 4.09.    Affiliate Transactions    40
SECTION 4.10.    Liens    41
SECTION 4.11.    Offer to Repurchase upon Change of Control    42
SECTION 4.12.    Corporate Existence    43
SECTION 4.13.    No Senior Subordinated Debt    43
SECTION 4.14.    Additional Guarantors    43
SECTION 4.15.    Limitation on Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries    43

 

i


SECTION 4.16.    Suspension of Covenants    43
   ARTICLE 5   
   SUCCESSORS   
SECTION 5.01.    Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets    44
SECTION 5.02.    Successor Corporation Substituted    46
   ARTICLE 6   
   DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES   
SECTION 6.01.    Events of Default    46
SECTION 6.02.    Acceleration    48
   ARTICLE 7   
   TRUSTEE   
SECTION 7.01.    Duties of Trusties    48
   ARTICLE 8   
   LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE   
SECTION 8.01.    Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance    48
SECTION 8.02.    Legal Defeasance and Discharge    49
SECTION 8.03.    Covenant Defeasance    49
SECTION 8.04.    Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance    49
SECTION 8.05.    Deposited Money and U.S. Government Securities to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions    50
SECTION 8.06.    Satisfaction and Discharge    51
SECTION 8.07.    Repayment to Company    51
SECTION 8.08.    Reinstatement    51
SECTION 8.09.    Survival    52
   ARTICLE 9   
   AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER   
SECTION 9.01.    Without Consent of Holder    52
SECTION 9.02.    With Consent of Holders of Notes    52
SECTION 9.03.    Compliance with Trust Indenture Act    54
SECTION 9.04.    Revocation and Effect of Consents    54
SECTION 9.05.    Trustee to Sign Amendments    54
   ARTICLE 10   
   SUBORDINATION   
SECTION 10.01.    Agreement to Subordinate    54
SECTION 10.02.    Liquidation, Dissolution, Bankruptcy    55
SECTION 10.03.    Default on Senior Debt    55
SECTION 10.04.    Occurrence of an Event of Default    56

 

ii


SECTION 10.05.    When Distribution Must Be Paid Over    56
SECTION 10.06.    Subrogation    56
SECTION 10.07.    Relative Rights    56
SECTION 10.08.    Notice: Subordination May Not Be Impaired by the Company    56
SECTION 10.09.    Rights of Trustee and Paying Agents    57
SECTION 10.10.    Distribution or Notice to Representative    57
SECTION 10.11.    Not to Prevent Events of Default or Limit Rights to Accelerate    57
SECTION 10.12.    Trustee Moneys Not Subordinated    57
SECTION 10.13.    Trustee Entitled to Rely    57
SECTION 10.14.    Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    58
SECTION 10.15.    Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Debt of the Company    58
SECTION 10.16.    Amendments    58
SECTION 10.17.    Reliance by Holders of Senior Debt of the Company on Subordination Provisions    58
   ARTICLE 11   
   GUARANTEES   
SECTION 11.01.    Guarantees    58
SECTION 11.02.    Release of Guarantor    58
SECTION 11.03.    Contribution    59
SECTION 11.04.    Parity with Guarantees Delivered Under the Existing Indenture    59
   ARTICLE 12   
   SUBORDINATION OF GUARANTEES   
SECTION 12.01.    Agreement to Subordinate    59
SECTION 12.02.    Liquidation, Dissolution, Bankruptcy    59
SECTION 12.03.    Default on Senior Debt of Guarantor    60
SECTION 12.04.    Demand for Payment    60
SECTION 12.05.    When Distribution Must Be Paid Over    60
SECTION 12.06.    Subrogation    60
SECTION 12.07.    Relative Rights    60
SECTION 12.08.    Subordination May Not Be Impaired by Guarantor    60
SECTION 12.09.    Rights of Trustee and Paying Agents    61
SECTION 12.10.    Distribution or Notice to Representative    61
SECTION 12.11.    Article 12 Not to Prevent Events of Default or Limit Right to Demand Payment    61
SECTION 12.12.    Trustee Entitled to Rely    61
SECTION 12.13.    Trustee to Effectuate Subordination    61
SECTION 12.14.    Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Debt of Guarantor    62
   ARTICLE 13   
   MISCELLANEOUS   
SECTION 13.01.    Trust Indenture Act Controls    62
SECTION 13.02.    Notices    62
SECTION 13.03.    Rules by Trustee and Agents    63
SECTION 13.04.    No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders    63
SECTION 13.05.    Governing Law    63
SECTION 13.06.    No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements    63
SECTION 13.07.    Successors    63
SECTION 13.08.    Severability    64
SECTION 13.09.    Counterpart Originals    64
SECTION 13.10.    Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.    64

 

iii


SECTION 13.11.    Note Purchases by Company and Affiliates    64
SECTION 13.12.    Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity    64
SECTION 13.13.    Waiver of Jury Trial    64

 

EXHIBITS   
Exhibit A    Form of Note
Exhibit B    Form of Guarantee

 

iv


This FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of March 8, 2010 (this “ First Supplemental Indenture ”), is by and between Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (such corporation and any successor as defined in the Base Indenture (as defined below), the “ Company ”), the Guarantors (as defined below) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (such institution and any successor as defined in the Base Indenture, the “ Trustee ”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company has previously executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), with the Trustee providing for the issuance from time to time of one or more series of the Company’s senior debt securities;

WHEREAS, Section 301 of the Base Indenture provides that the Company and the Trustee may enter into an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture to establish the form or terms of Securities (as defined in the Base Indenture) of any series as permitted by Section 301 and Section 901 of the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Company is entering into this First Supplemental Indenture to establish the form and terms of the Notes (as defined below);

WHEREAS, the Base Indenture is incorporated herein by reference and the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, is herein called the “ Indenture ” as that term is defined in the Base Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all conditions necessary to authorize the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture and to make it a valid and binding obligation of the Company have been done or performed.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes.

ARTICLE 1

ESTABLISHMENT; DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

SECTION 1.01. Establishment .

(a) There is hereby established a new series of Securities to be issued under this Indenture, to be designated as the Company’s 8  1 / 4 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (the “ Notes ”).

(b) There is to be authenticated and delivered on the date hereof $400 million aggregate principal amount of Notes issued on the date hereof (the “ Initial Notes ”).

(c) The Notes shall be issued in the form of one or more permanent Notes in substantially the form set out in Exhibit A hereto.

(d) Each Note shall be dated the date of authentication thereof and shall bear interest from the date of original issuance thereof or from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for.

(e) With respect to the Notes (and any Guarantees endorsed thereon) only, the Base Indenture shall be supplemented pursuant to Sections 201, 301 and 901 thereof to establish the terms of the Notes (and any Guarantees endorsed thereon) as set forth in this First Supplemental Indenture, including as follows:

(i) The provisions of Article IV of the Base Indenture are deleted and replaced in their entirety by the provisions of Section 8.06 of this First Supplemental Indenture;

 

1


(ii) The provisions of Article VIII of the Base Indenture are deleted and replaced in their entirety by the provisions of Article 5 of this First Supplemental Indenture;

(iii) The provisions of Article IX of the Base Indenture are deleted and replaced in their entirety by the provisions of Article 9 of this First Supplemental Indenture;

(iv) The provisions of Article X of the Base Indenture are deleted and replaced in their entirety by the provisions of Article 4 of this First Supplemental Indenture;

(v) The provisions of Article XIV of the Base Indenture are deleted and replaced in their entirety by the provisions of Article 8 of this First Supplemental Indenture;

(vi) The provisions in Sections 501 and 502 of the Base Indenture are deleted and replaced in their entirety by the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.02 of this First Supplemental Indenture;

(vii) The provisions in Section 703 of the Base Indenture are deleted and replaced in their entirety by the provisions of Section 4.03 of this First Supplemental Indenture;

(viii) The provisions of Article XII of the Base Indenture shall not be applicable to the Notes;

(ix) The provisions of Article XVI of the Base Indenture shall be applicable to the Notes as specified in Section 11.01 of this First Supplemental Indenture; and

(x) The form of the securities representing the Notes required to be established pursuant to Article II of the Base Indenture shall be established in accordance with Article 2 of this First Supplemental Indenture.

To the extent that the provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture conflict with any provision of the Base Indenture, the provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall govern and be controlling, solely with respect to the Notes (and any Guarantees endorsed thereon).

(f) The Notes shall rank pari passu with the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes and the Guarantees shall rank pari passu with the guarantees of the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes.

(g) Unless otherwise expressly specified, references in this First Supplemental Indenture to specific Article numbers or Section numbers refer to Articles and Sections contained in this First Supplemental Indenture, and not the Base Indenture or any other document.

SECTION 1.02. Definitions .

(a) All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined below shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Base Indenture.

(b) The following are definitions used in this First Supplemental Indenture and to the extent that a term is defined both herein and in the Base Indenture, unless otherwise specified, the definition in this First Supplemental Indenture shall govern solely with respect to the Notes (and any Guarantee endorsed thereon).

Acquired Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness of a Person or any of its Subsidiaries existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or at the time it merges or consolidates with or into the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or that is assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, including Indebtedness incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation or contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or such acquisition, merger or consolidation.

 

2


“Additional Notes ” means, subject to the Company’s compliance with Section 4.07, additional principal amounts of Notes (other than Initial Notes) issued under, and subject to, the terms of this Indenture after the Issue Date (other than pursuant to Sections 304, 305, 306 or 1107 of the Base Indenture).

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any specified Person, any other Person who directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified Person. The term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative of the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company) in whom a Securitization Entity makes an Investment in connection with a Qualified Securitization Transaction shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries solely by reason of such Investment.

Agent ” means any Registrar or Paying Agent.

Applicable Premium ” means, with respect to any Notes on any Redemption Date, the greater of:

 

  (1) 1.0% of the principal amount of the Note; or

 

  (2) The excess, if any, of:

 

  (a) the present value at such Redemption Date of (i) the redemption price of the Notes at March 1, 2014 (such redemption price being set forth in Section 3.03 hereof), plus (ii) all required interest payments due on such Note through March 1, 2014 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the Redemption Date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate, as of such Redemption Date plus 50 basis points; over

 

  (b) the principal amount of such Note.

Asset Acquisition ” means (a) an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in any other Person pursuant to which such Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, or shall be merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, or (b) the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of the assets of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) other than in the ordinary course of business.

Asset Sale ” means any direct or indirect sale, issuance, conveyance, transfer, lease (other than operating leases entered into in the ordinary course of business), assignment or other transfer for value by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to any Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of:

 

  (1) any Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, or

 

  (2) any other property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company other than in the ordinary course of business;

provided , however , that Asset Sales or other dispositions shall not include:

 

  (a) a transaction or series of related transactions for which the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries receive aggregate consideration of less than $25 million;

 

  (b) the sale, lease, conveyance, disposition or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company as permitted under Section 5.01 hereof or any disposition that constitutes a Change of Control;

 

  (c) the sale or discount, in each case without recourse, of accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business, but only in connection with the compromise or collection thereof;

 

3


  (d) disposals or replacements of obsolete equipment in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (e) the sale, lease, conveyance, disposition or other transfer by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of assets or property to one or more Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with Investments permitted under Section 4.05 hereof or pursuant to any Permitted Investment;

 

  (f) sales or contributions of accounts receivable, equipment and related assets (including contract rights) of the type specified in the definition of “Qualified Securitization Transaction” to a Securitization Entity for the fair market value thereof, including cash in an amount at least equal to 75% of the fair market value thereof as determined in accordance with GAAP (for the purposes of this clause (f), Purchase Money Notes shall be deemed to be cash);

 

  (g) a Restricted Payment that is permitted by Section 4.05 hereof;

 

  (h) sales, dispositions of cash or Cash Equivalents;

 

  (i) the creation of a Lien (but not the sale or other disposition of the property subject to such Lien); and

 

  (j) the license of patents, trademarks, copyrights and know-how to third Persons in the ordinary course of business.

Bankruptcy Law ” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors, or the law of any other jurisdiction relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, winding up, liquidation, reorganization or the relief of debtors.

Board of Directors ” means

 

  (1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation;

 

  (2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors of the general partner of the partnership; and

 

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

Board Resolution ” means, with respect to any Person, a resolution of such Person duly adopted by the Board of Directors of such Person and in full force and effect.

Borrowing Base ” means, as of any date, an amount equal to:

 

  (1) 85% of the face amount of all accounts receivable owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding such date that were not more than 90 days past due; plus

 

  (2) 50% of the book value of all inventory owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding such date.

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

Capital Stock ” means:

 

  (1) with respect to any Person that is a corporation, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated and whether or not voting) of corporate stock, including each class of Common Stock and Preferred Stock, of such Person and

 

4


  (2) with respect to any Person that is not a corporation, any and all partnership or other equity interests of such Person.

Capitalized Lease Obligations ” 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.

Cash Equivalents ” means:

 

  (1) marketable direct obligations issued by or unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States Government or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

  (2) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having one of the three highest ratings obtainable from either S&P or Moody’s;

 

  (3) commercial paper maturing no more than one year from the date of creation thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at least P-1 from Moody’s;

 

  (4) certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued by any bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia or any U.S. branch of a foreign bank or by a bank organized under the laws of any foreign country recognized by the United States of America, in each case having at the date of acquisition thereof combined capital and surplus of not less than $250 million (or the foreign currency equivalent thereof);

 

  (5) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clause (1) above entered into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (4) above; and

 

  (6) investments in money market funds which invest substantially all their assets in securities of the types described in clauses (1) through (5) above.

Certificated Note ” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 203 of the Base Indenture, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note” attached thereto.

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events:

 

  (1) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person or group of related Persons for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act (a “Group”), other than to the Permitted Holders;

 

  (2) the approval by the holders of Capital Stock of the Company of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company (whether or not otherwise in compliance with the provisions of this Indenture);

 

  (3) any Person or Group (other than the Permitted Holders) shall become the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of shares representing more than 50% of the total ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of the Company; or

 

5


  (4) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors.

Clearstream Banking ” means Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, or its nominee.

Company ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Indenture.

Common Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, interests or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or non-voting) of such Person’s common stock, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or issued after the Issue Date, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.

Consolidated EBITDA ” means, with respect to any Person, for any period, the sum (without duplication) of such Person’s:

 

  (1) Consolidated Net Income; and

 

  (2) to the extent Consolidated Net Income has been reduced thereby:

 

  (a) all income tax expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP;

 

  (b) Consolidated Interest Expense;

 

  (c) Consolidated Non-cash Charges less any non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period, all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP;

 

  (d) restructuring costs, facilities relocation costs and acquisition integration costs and fees, including cash severance payments made in connection with acquisitions;

 

  (e) any expenses or charges related to any Equity Offering, Permitted Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by this Indenture, including a Refinancing thereof, and any amendment or modification to the terms of any such transaction;

 

  (f) any write-offs, write-downs or other non-cash charges, excluding any such charge that represents an accrual or reserve for a cash expenditure for a future period;

 

  (g) the amount of any expense related to minority interests; and

 

  (h) the amount of any earn out payments, contingent consideration or deferred purchase price of any kind in conjunction with acquisitions, excluding any such amount that represents an accrual or reserve for a cash expenditure for a future period.

 

  (3) decreased by (without duplication) non-cash gains increasing Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period, excluding any gains that represent the reversal of any accrual of, or cash reserve for, anticipated cash charges in any prior period (other than such cash charges that have been added back to Consolidated Net Income in calculating Consolidated EBITDA in accordance with this definition).

 

6


Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio ” means, with respect to any Person, the ratio of Consolidated EBITDA of such Person during the four full fiscal quarters (the “Four-Quarter Period”) ending prior to the date of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for which internal financial statements are available (the “Transaction Date”) to Consolidated Fixed Charges of such Person for the Four-Quarter Period. In addition to and without limitation of the foregoing, for purposes of this definition, “Consolidated EBITDA” and “Consolidated Fixed Charges” shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis for the period of such calculation to:

 

  (1) the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness or the issuance of any Designated Preferred Stock of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (and the application of the proceeds thereof) giving rise to the need to make such calculation and any incurrence or repayment of other Indebtedness or the issuance or redemption of other Preferred Stock (and the application of the proceeds thereof), occurring during the Four-Quarter Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the Four-Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such incurrence or repayment or issuance or redemption, as the case may be (and the application of the proceeds thereof), had occurred on the first day of the Four-Quarter Period;

 

  (2) any Asset Sales or other dispositions or Asset Acquisitions (including, without limitation, any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make such calculation as a result of such Person or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries (including any Person who becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the Asset Acquisition) incurring, assuming or otherwise being liable for Acquired Indebtedness and also including any Consolidated EBITDA attributable to the assets which are the subject of the Asset Acquisition or Asset Sale or other disposition), investments, mergers, consolidations and disposed operations (as determined in accordance with GAAP) occurring during the Four-Quarter Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the Four-Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date, as if such Asset Sale or other disposition or Asset Acquisition (including the incurrence or assumption of any such Acquired Indebtedness), investment, merger, consolidation or disposed operation occurred on the first day of the Four-Quarter Period. If such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries directly or indirectly guarantees Indebtedness of a third Person, the preceding sentence shall give effect to the incurrence of such guaranteed Indebtedness as if such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person had directly incurred or otherwise assumed such other Indebtedness that was so guaranteed; and

 

  (3) any designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and any designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary, in either case during the Four-Quarter Period or at any time subsequent to the last day of the Four-Quarter Period and on or prior to the Transaction Date.

Furthermore, in calculating “Consolidated Fixed Charges” for purposes of determining the denominator (but not the numerator) of this “Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio”:

 

  (1) interest on outstanding Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis as of the Transaction Date and which will continue to be so determined thereafter shall be deemed to have accrued at a fixed rate per annum equal to the rate of interest on such Indebtedness in effect on the Transaction Date; and

 

  (2) notwithstanding clause (1) of this paragraph, interest on Indebtedness determined on a fluctuating basis, to the extent such interest is covered by agreements relating to Interest Swap Obligations, shall be deemed to accrue at the rate per annum resulting after giving effect to the operation of such agreements.

For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to an acquisition of assets, the amount of income or earnings relating thereto and the amount of Consolidated Interest Expense associated with any Indebtedness incurred in connection therewith, the pro forma calculations shall be determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company. In addition, any such pro forma calculation may include adjustments appropriate, in the reasonable determination of the Company as set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, to reflect operating expense reductions reasonably expected to result from any acquisition or merger within a reasonable period of time.

Consolidated Fixed Charges ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of, without duplication:

 

  (1) Consolidated Interest Expense; plus

 

7


  (2) the product of (x) the amount of all cash dividend payments on any series of Preferred Stock of such Person times (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current effective consolidated federal, state and local income tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal (as estimated in good faith by the chief financial officer of the Company, which estimate shall be conclusive).

Consolidated Interest Expense ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the sum of, without duplication:

 

  (1) the aggregate of all cash and non-cash interest expense (net of interest income) with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including the net costs or benefits associated with Interest Swap Obligations, for such period determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP, but excluding (i) amortization or write-off of debt issuance costs, deferred financing or liquidity fees, commissions, fees and expenses, (ii) any expensing of bridge, commitment and other financing fees, and (iii) commissions and discounts related to any Qualified Securitization Transaction;

 

  (2) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period;

 

  (3) the interest component of Capitalized Lease Obligations paid, accrued and/or scheduled to be paid or accrued by such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;

 

  (3) dividends declared and paid in cash or Disqualified Stock in respect of Disqualified Stock, excluding dividends payable in Qualified Stock; and

 

  (4) interest accruing on any Indebtedness of any other Person (other than a Subsidiary) to the extent such Indebtedness is guaranteed by (or secured by the assets of) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and such Indebtedness is accelerated or any payment is actually made in respect of such Guarantee.

Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the aggregate net income (or loss) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded therefrom to the extent otherwise included, without duplication:

 

  (1) gains and losses from Asset Sales (without regard to the $25 million limitation set forth in the definition thereof) and the related tax effects according to GAAP;

 

  (2) the net income (or loss) from disposed or discontinued operations or any net gains or losses on disposal of disposed or discontinued operations, and the related tax effects according to GAAP;

 

  (3) the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (other than a Guarantor) to the extent that the declaration of dividends or similar distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of that income is not at the date of determination wholly permitted without any prior governmental approval (which has not been obtained) or, directly or indirectly, by the operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule, or governmental regulation applicable to that Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders, unless such restriction with respect to the payment of dividends or similar distributions has been legally waived; provided that Consolidated Net Income of the Company will be increased by the amount of dividends or other distributions or other payments actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period, to the extent not already included therein;

 

  (4) any non-cash impairment charge or asset write-off, in each case pursuant to GAAP, and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP;

 

  (5) the net loss of any Person, other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;

 

8


  (6) any non-cash compensation charges and deferred compensation charges, including any arising from existing stock options resulting from any merger or recapitalization transaction; provided, however, that Consolidated Net Income for any period shall be reduced by any cash payments made during such period by such Person in connection with any such deferred compensation (but only to the extent that that the Company incurred a non-cash compensation or deferred compensation charge after the Issue Date relating to such deferred compensation, and such charge was excluded from Consolidated Net Income in accordance with this clause (6)), whether or not such reduction is in accordance with GAAP;

 

  (7) all extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring charges, gains and losses (including, without limitation, all restructuring costs, facilities relocation costs, acquisition integration costs and fees, including cash severance payments made in connection with acquisitions, and any expense or charge related to the repurchase of Capital Stock or warrants or options to purchase Capital Stock), and the related tax effects according to GAAP;

 

  (8) inventory purchase accounting adjustments and amortization and impairment charges resulting from other purchase accounting adjustments in connection with acquisition transactions; and

 

  (9) the net income of any Person, other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, except to the extent of cash dividends or distributions paid to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company by such Person.

Consolidated Non-cash Charges ” means, with respect to any Person, for any period, the aggregate depreciation, depletion, amortization and other non-cash charges, impairments and expenses of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries reducing Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP (excluding any such charges that require an accrual of or a reserve for cash payments for any future period).

Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who:

 

  (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the Issue Date; or

 

  (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board at the time of such nomination or election.

Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee ” shall be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 13.02 hereof, or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Company.

Credit Facility ” means the Credit Agreement dated as of February 28, 2006, as amended to date, among the Company, the Subsidiary Borrowers party thereto, the lenders party thereto in their capacities as lenders thereunder, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as administrative agent, Bank of America, N.A. as syndication agent and CIBC World Markets Corp., SunTrust Bank and Union Bank of California, N.A. as co-documentation agents, and any other agent party thereto, together with the related instruments, documents and agreements thereto (including, without limitation, any notes, letters of credit, guarantee agreements and security documents), and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, replacements, renewals, restatements, refundings or refinancings thereof and any indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount borrowable thereunder or alters the maturity thereof ( provided that such increase in borrowings is permitted under Section 4.07 hereof).

Currency Agreement ” with respect to any specified Person, means any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement designed to protect such specified Person against fluctuations in currency values.

 

9


Custodian ” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.02(a) as Custodian with respect to the Notes, which shall hold the Notes for and on behalf of the Depositary, and any and all successors thereto appointed as custodian hereunder and having become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

Default ” means an event or condition the occurrence of which is, or with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.

Depositary ” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 2.02(b) hereof as the Depositary with respect to the Notes, which shall hold the Notes for and on behalf of the Depositary and any and all successors thereto appointed as depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

Designated Non-cash Consideration ” means any non-cash consideration received by the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale that is designated as Designated Non-cash Consideration pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate executed by the principal financial officer and any of the other executive officers of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such Asset Sale. Any particular item of Designated Non-cash Consideration will cease to be considered to be outstanding once it has been sold for cash or Cash Equivalents.

Designated Preferred Stock ” means Preferred Stock that is so designated as Designated Preferred Stock pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate executed by the principal financial officer and any of the other executive officers of the Company, on the issuance date thereof, the cash proceeds of which are excluded from the calculation set forth in clause (iii)(B) of Section 4.05(a) hereof.

Designated Senior Debt ” means:

 

  (1) Indebtedness under the Credit Facility; and

 

  (2) any other Indebtedness constituting Senior Debt which, at the time of determination, has an aggregate principal amount of at least $20 million and is specifically designated in the instrument evidencing such Senior Debt as “Designated Senior Debt” by the Company.

Disqualified Capital Stock ” means, with respect to any Person, 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) or upon the happening of any event:

 

  (1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than redeemable only for Capital Stock of such Person which is not itself Disqualified Stock) pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;

 

  (2) is convertible or exchangeable at the option of the holder for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock; or

 

  (3) is mandatorily redeemable or must be purchased upon the occurrence of certain events or otherwise, in whole or in part;

in each case on or prior to the final maturity date of the Notes; provided , however , that any Capital Stock that would not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock but for provisions thereof giving holders thereof the right to require such Person to purchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of an “asset sale” or “change of control” occurring prior to the final maturity date of the Notes shall not constitute Disqualified Capital Stock if:

(i) the “asset sale” or “change of control” provisions applicable to such Capital Stock are not more favorable to the holders of such Capital Stock than the terms applicable to the Notes and described in Sections 4.08 and 4.11 hereof; and

 

10


(ii) any such requirement only becomes operative after compliance with such terms applicable to the Notes, including the purchase of any Notes tendered pursuant thereto.

The amount of any Disqualified Capital Stock that does not have a fixed redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Capital Stock as if such Disqualified Capital Stock were redeemed, repaid or repurchased on any date on which the amount of such Disqualified Stock is to be determined pursuant to this Indenture; provided , however , that if such Disqualified Capital Stock could not be required to be redeemed, repaid or repurchased at the time of such determination, the redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be the book value of such Disqualified Capital Stock as reflected in the most recent internal financial statements of such Person.

Domestic Restricted Subsidiary ” means any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is incorporated under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia.

Equity Offering ” means any offering of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and all regulations issued pursuant thereto.

Euroclear ” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute or statutes thereto.

Existing Bonds Issue Date ” means January 30, 2003.

Existing Indenture ” means the indenture, dated as of January 30, 2003, as supplemented from time to time, among the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

Existing Senior Subordinated Notes ” means the Company’s outstanding $150 million 9.125% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 and the related guarantees issued under the Existing Indenture.

fair market value ” means, with respect to any asset or property, the price which could be negotiated in an arm’s-length, free market transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer, neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete the transaction. Fair market value shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company acting reasonably and in good faith.

Foreign Restricted Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Domestic Restricted Subsidiary.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles 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 of America, as in effect as of the Issue Date.

Global Note ” means the global Note representing the Notes in registered global form substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto issued in accordance with Article 2 hereof.

Global Note Legend ” means the legend set forth in the forms of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A , which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.

Guarantee ” means:

 

  (1) the guarantee of the Notes by Domestic Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; and

 

11


  (2) the guarantee of the Notes by any Restricted Subsidiary required under the terms of Section 4.14 hereof.

Guarantor ” means any Restricted Subsidiary that incurs a Guarantee; provided that upon the release and discharge of such Restricted Subsidiary from its Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture, such Restricted Subsidiary shall cease to be a Guarantor.

Hedging Agreement ” means, with respect to any Person, any agreement with respect to the hedging of price risk associated with the purchase of commodities used in the business of such Person, so long as any such agreement has been entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for purposes of speculation.

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

Indebtedness ” means with respect to any Person, at any date of determination, 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);

 

  (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 and the amount of the Obligation so secured;

 

  (8) all Obligations under Currency Agreements and Interest Swap Obligations 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, if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters or credit) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Indebtedness” will exclude:

 

  (i) in connection with the purchase by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any business, post-closing payment adjustments to which the seller may become entitled to the extent such payment is determined by a final closing balance sheet or such payment depends on the performance of such business after the closing; provided , however , that, at the time of closing, the amount of any such payment is not determinable and, to the extent such payment thereafter becomes fixed and determined, the amount is paid within 60 days thereafter;

 

12


  (ii) any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes;

 

  (iii) worker’s compensation claims, self-insurance obligations, performance, surety, appeal and similar bonds and completion guarantees provided in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (iv) obligations arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business, provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within two Business Days of its Incurrence; and

 

  (v) any Indebtedness defeased or called for redemption.

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 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. For the purposes of calculating the amount of Indebtedness of a Securitization Entity outstanding as of any date, the face or notional amount of any interest in receivables or equipment that is outstanding as of such date shall be deemed to be Indebtedness of the Securitization Entity but any such interests held by Affiliates of such Securitization Entity shall be excluded for purposes of such calculation.

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

Initial Notes ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.01(b) hereof.

Interest Payment Dates ” shall have the meaning set forth in paragraph 1 of the Notes.

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, options, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements.

Investment ” means, with respect to any Person, any direct or indirect loan or other extension of credit (including, without limitation, a guarantee) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to others or any payment for property or services for the account or use of others), or any purchase or acquisition by such Person of any Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities or evidences of Indebtedness issued by, any Person. “Investment” shall exclude extensions of trade credit by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with normal trade practices of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be. Except as otherwise provided herein, the amount of an Investment shall be its fair market value at the time the Investment is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in its fair market value.

Investment Grade Rating ” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P, or an equivalent rating by any other Rating Agency.

Issue Date ” means March 8, 2010.

Legal Holiday ” means a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the city of New York, the city in which the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located or any other place of payment on the Notes are authorized by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.

 

13


Lien ” means any lien, mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, security interest, charge or encumbrance of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof and any agreement to give any security interest).

Marketable Securities ” means publicly traded debt or equity securities that are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and that were issued by a corporation whose debt securities are rated in one of the three highest rating categories by either S&P or Moody’s.

Net Cash Proceeds ” means, with respect to any Asset Sale, the proceeds in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents including payments in respect of deferred payment obligations when received in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents (other than the portion of any such deferred payment constituting interest) received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from such Asset Sale net of:

 

  (1) reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and fees relating to such Asset Sale- (including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees and sales commissions and title and recording tax expenses);

 

  (2) all Federal, state, provincial, foreign and local taxes required to be accrued as a liability under GAAP, as a consequence of such Asset Sale;

 

  (3) appropriate amounts to be provided by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with such Asset Sale- and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, after such Asset Sale-, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities, liabilities related to environmental matters and liabilities under any indemnification obligations associated with such Asset Sale;

 

  (4) all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such Asset Sale; and

 

  (5) all payments made on any Indebtedness which is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Sale-, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon or other security agreement of any kind with respect to such assets, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Sale-, or by applicable law, be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Sale.

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

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

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, signed by two Officers of the Company, at least one of whom shall be the principal executive officer, the Treasurer, Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, the principal accounting officer, or principal financial officer of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion from legal counsel (which Opinion of Counsel shall reasonably be acceptable to the Trustee and shall meet the requirements of Section 13.05 hereof). Counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or any Subsidiary.

Participant ” means, with respect to any Depositary, a Person who is a participant of or has an account with such Depositary (and, with respect to DTC, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream Banking).

 

14


Paying Agent ” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association until it resigns or is replaced in accordance with Section 2.02 and thereafter means its successor.

Permitted Business ” means any business (including stock or assets) that derives a majority of its revenues from the business engaged in by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on the Issue Date, any other business in the consumer products industry and/or activities that are reasonably similar, ancillary or related to, or a reasonable extension, development or expansion of, the businesses in which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Issue Date or any business in the consumer products industry.

Permitted Holders ” means (i) William E. Brown, (ii) the spouse or lineal descendants of William E. Brown or (iii) any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other entity, the controlling equity interests in which are held by or for the benefit of William E. Brown and/or his spouse or lineal descendants.

Permitted Indebtedness ” means, without duplication, each of the following:

 

  (1) Indebtedness under the Notes (other than any Additional Notes) and the related Guarantees;

 

  (2) Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred pursuant to the Credit Facility in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of:

 

  (i) $400 million less:

 

  (A) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness of Securitization Entities at the time outstanding in excess of $100 million;

 

  (B) the amount of all mandatory principal payments actually made by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary since the Issue Date with the Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale in respect of term loans under the Credit Facility (excluding any such payments to the extent refinanced at the time of payment and any payments on the term loans as a result of this offering); and

 

  (C) further reduced by any repayments of revolving credit borrowings under the Credit Facility with the Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale that are accompanied by a corresponding commitment reduction thereunder; or

 

  (ii) provided that the Company has an asset-based Credit Facility, the Borrowing Base as of the date of such incurrence.

 

  (3) other indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on the Issue Date and not described in clauses (1) and (2) above;

 

  (4) Interest Swap Obligations of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries covering Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that any Indebtedness to which any such Interest Swap Obligations correspond is otherwise permitted to be incurred under this Indenture; provided, further , that such Interest Swap Obligations are entered into, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, to protect the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from fluctuation in interest rates on its outstanding Indebtedness;

 

  (5) Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary under Hedging Agreements and Currency Agreements;

 

  (6) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any such Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however , that

 

  (a) if the Company or any Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness owing to a non-Guarantor, such Indebtedness must be expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations with respect to the notes, and

 

15


  (b) (1) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof and (2) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof (other than in either case by way of granting a Lien permitted under this Indenture or in connection with the exercise of remedies by a secured creditor) shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (6);

 

  (7) Indebtedness (including Capitalized Lease Obligations) incurred by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to finance the purchase, lease or improvement of property (real or personal), plant, or equipment (whether through the direct purchase of assets or the Capital Stock of any person owning such assets) in an aggregate principal amount outstanding not to exceed $75 million;

 

  (8) Refinancing Indebtedness (other than Refinancing Indebtedness with respect to Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clauses (2), (6), (7), (10), (11), (12), (14), (15) and (16) of this definition);

 

  (9) guarantees by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries of each other’s Indebtedness; provided that such Indebtedness is permitted to be incurred under this Indenture;

 

  (10) Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, earn out or other similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with the disposition or acquisition of any business, assets or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, other than guarantees of Indebtedness incurred by any Person acquiring of all or any portion of such business, assets or Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition ; provided that in the case of a disposition, the maximum assumable liability in respect of all such Indebtedness shall at no time exceed the gross proceeds actually received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such disposition;

 

  (11) obligations in respect of performance and surety bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (12) (i) the incurrence by a Securitization Entity of Indebtedness in a Qualified Securitization Transaction that is nonrecourse to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (except for Standard Securitization Undertakings); and (ii) and the incurrence of Indebtedness in a Qualified Securitization Transaction;

 

  (13) Indebtedness incurred in connection with the acquisition of a Permitted Business or as a result of the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that on the date of the incurrence of such Indebtedness, after giving effect to the incurrence thereof and the use of proceeds therefrom, either

 

  (a) the Company would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio or

 

  (b) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company would be (x) equal to or greater than 1.75 to 1 and (y) greater than the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness;

 

16


  (14) additional Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (which amount may, but need not, be incurred in whole or in part under a credit facility) in an aggregate principal amount that does not exceed $75 million at any one time outstanding;

 

  (15) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; provided, however , that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of incurrence;

 

  (16) Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries represented by letters of credit for the account of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, issued in the ordinary course of business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, in order to provide security for workers’ compensation claims or payment obligations in connection with self-insurance or similar requirements in the ordinary course of business and other Indebtedness with respect to workers’ compensation claims, self-insurance obligations, performance, surety and similar bonds and completion guarantees provided by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business; and

 

  (17) the accrual of interest, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, and the payment of dividends on Disqualified Capital Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Capital Stock will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of Disqualified Capital Stock for purposes of this covenant; provided , in each such case, that the amount thereof is included in Consolidated Fixed Charges of the Company as accrued.

For purposes of determining compliance with Section 4.07 hereof, in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Indebtedness described in clauses (1) through (17) above or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio provisions of such covenant, the Company shall, in its sole discretion, divide and classify (or later redivide and reclassify) such item of Indebtedness in any manner that complies with such covenant. Accrual of interest, accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, and the payment of dividends on Disqualified Capital Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Capital Stock will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of Disqualified Capital Stock for purposes of Section 4.07 hereof.

Permitted Investments ” means:

 

  (1) Investments by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in which an Affiliate of the Company that is not a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company holds a minority interest) (whether existing on the Issue Date or created thereafter) or any other Person (including by means of any transfer of cash or other property) if as a result of such Investment such other Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in which an Affiliate of the Company that is not a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company holds a minority interest) or that will merge with or consolidate into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and Investments in the Company by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;

 

  (2) Investments in cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

  (3) loans and advances (including payroll, travel and similar advances) to employees and officers of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for bona fide business purposes incurred in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice or to fund such person’s purchase of Capital Stock of the Company pursuant to compensatory plans approved by the Board of Directors in good faith;

 

17


  (4) Currency Agreements, Hedging Agreements and Interest Swap Obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with this Indenture;

 

  (5) Investments in securities of trade creditors or customers received pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of such trade creditors or customers or in good faith settlement of delinquent obligations of such trade creditors or customers;

 

  (6) Investments received in compromise or resolution of litigation, arbitration or other disputes with persons who are not Affiliates;

 

  (7) Investments made by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of consideration received in connection with an Asset Sale made in compliance with Section 4.08 hereof;

 

  (8) Investments existing on the Issue Date;

 

  (9) accounts receivable or notes receivable created or acquired in the ordinary course of business;.

 

  (10) guarantees by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company permitted to be incurred under this Indenture;

 

  (11) additional Investments having an aggregate fair market value, taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (11) that are at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (A) $75 million and (B) 7.5% of the Company’s Total Assets;

 

  (12) any Investment by the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company in a Securitization Entity or any Investment by a Securitization Entity in any other Person in connection with a Qualified Securitization Transaction; provided that any Investment in a Securitization Entity is in the form of a Purchase Money Note or an equity interest;

 

  (13) purchases or redemptions of Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Subordinated Indebtedness);

 

  (14) Investments the payment for which consists exclusively of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company;

 

  (15) any Investment in any Person to the extent it consists of prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits made in the ordinary course of business; and

 

  (16) (a) the redemption on or about February 14, 2003 of the Company’s 6% Convertible Subordinated Notes due 2003; and (b) the redemption or repurchase of the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes.

Permitted Junior Securities ” means:

 

  (1) Capital Stock in the Company or any Guarantor of the Notes; or

 

  (2) debt securities that are subordinated to all Senior Debt and debt securities that are issued in exchange for Senior Debt to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Notes and the Guarantees are subordinated to Senior Debt under this Indenture and have a Stated Maturity after (and do not provide for scheduled principal payments prior to) the Stated Maturity of any Senior Debt and any debt securities issued in exchange for Senior Debt;

 

18


provided , however , that, if such Capital Stock or debt securities are distributed in a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, such Capital Stock or debt securities are distributed pursuant to a plan of reorganization consented to by each class of Designated Senior Debt.

Permitted Liens ” means:

 

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

 

  (2) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary;

 

  (3) Liens on property (including Capital Stock) existing at the time of acquisition of the property by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such acquisition and do not extend to any property other than that acquired;

 

  (4) Liens to secure the performance of statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (5) Liens to secure Indebtedness (including Capitalized Lease Obligations) permitted by clause (7) of the definition of “Permitted Indebtedness” covering only the assets acquired with such Indebtedness;

 

  (6) Liens existing on the Issue Date;

 

  (7) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently concluded, provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as is required in conformity with GAAP has been made therefor;

 

  (8) Liens on (i) the assets of a Securitization Entity securing Indebtedness owing by any Securitization Entity pursuant to any Qualified Securitization Transaction and (ii) any right, title and interest of any originator in any equipment or assets transferred or intended to be transferred by such originator pursuant to the documents entered into in connection with a Qualified Securitization Transaction;

 

  (9) Liens on assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries securing Senior Debt that was permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred;

 

  (10) Liens upon specific items of inventory or other goods and proceeds of any Person securing such Person’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 inventory or other goods;

 

  (11) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business for amounts which are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

  (12) any pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, employment and unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;

 

19


  (13) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, or arising as a result of process payments under government contracts to the extent required or imposed by applicable laws, all to the extent incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (14) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the real property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person conducted and proposed to be conducted at such real property;

 

  (15) financing statements with respect to a lessor’s rights in and to personal property leased to such Person in the ordinary course of such Person’s business;

 

  (16) Liens granted by a Subsidiary in favor of a licensor under any intellectual property license agreement entered into by such Subsidiary, as licensee, in the ordinary course of such Subsidiary’s business; provided that (i) such Liens do not encumber any property other than the intellectual property licensed by such Subsidiary pursuant to the applicable license agreement and the property manufactured or sold by such Subsidiary utilizing such intellectual property and (ii) the value of the property subject to such Liens does not, at any time, exceed $10 million;

 

  (17) Liens securing the Notes and the Guarantees;

 

  (18) Liens securing Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by clauses (2) and (6) of this definition; provided that such Liens do not extend to any property other than the property which secured the Indebtedness so Refinanced; and

 

  (19) Liens securing trust funds deposited with the trustee under the Existing Indenture in an amount required to, and solely for the purpose of, discharging the Existing Indenture in accordance with Article 7 thereof.

Person ” means an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, trust or joint venture, or a governmental agency or political subdivision thereof.

Preferred Stock ” of any Person means any Capital Stock of such Person that has preferential rights to any other Capital Stock of such Person with respect to dividends or redemptions or upon liquidation.

Productive Assets ” means assets (including Capital Stock) that are used or usable by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in Permitted Businesses.

Purchase Money Note ” means a promissory note of a Securitization Entity evidencing a line of credit, which may be irrevocable, from the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in connection with a Qualified Securitization Transaction to a Securitization Entity, which note shall be repaid from cash available to the Securitization Entity other than amounts required to be established as reserves pursuant to agreements, amounts paid to investors in respect of interest and principal and amounts paid in connection with the purchase of newly generated receivables.

Qualified Capital Stock ” means any Capital Stock that is not Disqualified Capital Stock.

Qualified Proceeds ” means assets that are used or useful in, or Capital Stock of any Person engaged in, a Permitted Business; provided that the fair market value of any such assets or Capital Stock shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company in good faith.

 

20


Qualified Securitization Transaction ” means any transaction or series of transactions that may be entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries may sell, convey or otherwise transfer to:

 

  (1) a Securitization Entity (in the case of a transfer by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries); and

 

  (2) any other Person (in the case of a transfer by a Securitization Entity),

or may grant a security interest in any accounts receivable or equipment (whether now existing or arising or acquired in the future) of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and any assets related thereto including, without limitation, all collateral securing such accounts receivable and equipment, all contracts and contract rights and all guarantees or other obligations in respect of such accounts receivable and equipment, proceeds of such accounts receivable and equipment and other assets (including contract rights) which are customarily transferred or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted in connection with assets securitization transactions involving accounts receivable and equipment.

Rating Agencies ” means Moody’s and S&P or if Moody’s or S&P or both shall not make a rating on the notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company that shall be substituted for Moody’s or S&P or both, as the case may be.

Redemption ” means the satisfaction and discharge on the Issue Date of the Existing Indenture and the redemption of any Existing Senior Subordinated Notes following the expiration of the tender offer relating to such notes announced concurrently with the offering of the Notes.

Refinance ” means, in respect of any security or Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue a security or Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such security or Indebtedness in whole or in part. “ Refinanced ” and “ Refinancing ” shall have correlative meanings.

Refinancing Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to extend, refinance, renew, replace, defease or refund other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness); provided that:

 

  (1) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all Required Premiums and expenses incurred in connection therewith); and

 

  (2) in the case of Indebtedness other than Senior Debt, such Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date the same as or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being extended, refinanced, renewed, replaced, defeased or refunded.

Registrar ” means the “Security Registrar” as defined in Section 305 of the Base Indenture.

Regular Record Date ” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date, means the applicable date specified as a “Record Date” on the face of the Note.

Responsible Officer ,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer (including any Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Assistant Treasurer or Trust Officer) within the Corporate Trust Department of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) with direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

21


Representative ”, when used with respect to any Designated Senior Debt, means the indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or representative in respect of any Designated Senior Debt; provided that if, and for so long as, any Designated Senior Debt lacks such a representative, then the Representative for such Designated Senior Debt shall at all times constitute the holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount of such Designated Senior Debt in respect of any Designated Senior Debt.

Restricted Subsidiary ” of any Person means any Subsidiary of such Person which at the time of determination is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., or any successor thereto.

Sale and Leaseback Transaction ” means any direct or indirect arrangement with any Person or to which any such Person is a party providing for the leasing to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of any property, whether owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary at the Issue Date or later acquired, which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary to such Person or to any other Person from whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such property.

SEC ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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

Securitization Entity ” means a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company (or another Person in which the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company makes an Investment and to which the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company transfers accounts receivable or equipment and related assets) which engages in no activities other than in connection with the financing of accounts receivable or equipment and which is designated by the Board of Directors of the Company (as provided below) as a Securitization Entity:

 

  (1) no portion of the Indebtedness or any other Obligations (contingent or otherwise) of which:

 

  (a) is guaranteed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (excluding guarantees of Obligations (other than the principal of, and interest on, Indebtedness) pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings);

 

  (b) is recourse to or obligates the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in any way other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings; or

 

  (c) subjects any property or asset of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof, other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings;

 

  (2) with which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company has any material contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding other than on terms no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons that are not Affiliates of the Company, other than fees payable in the ordinary course of business in connection with servicing receivables of such entity other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings; and

 

  (3) to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company has any obligations to maintain or preserve such entity’s financial condition or cause such entity to achieve certain levels of operating results other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings.

Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a certified copy of the Board Resolution of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complied with foregoing conditions.

 

22


Senior Debt ” means the principal of, premium, if any, and interest (including any interest accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition of bankruptcy at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest is an allowed or allowable claim under applicable law) on any Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter created, incurred or assumed, unless, in the case of any particular Indebtedness, the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding expressly provides that such Indebtedness shall be subordinate or pari passu in right of payment to the Notes or the Guarantees, as the case may be. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, “Senior Debt” shall also include the principal of, premium, if any, and interest (including any interest accruing subsequent to the filing of a petition of bankruptcy at the rate provided for in the documentation with respect thereto, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim under applicable law) on, and all other amounts owing in respect of

 

  (x) all monetary obligations of every nature of the Company or any Guarantor under the Credit Facility, including, without limitation, obligations to pay principal and interest, reimbursement obligations under letters of credit, fees, expenses and indemnities (and guarantees thereof);

 

  (y) all Interest Swap Obligations (and guarantees thereof); and

 

  (z) all obligations (and guarantees thereof) under Currency Agreements and Hedging Agreements, in each case whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter incurred.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Senior Debt” shall not include:

 

  (i) any Indebtedness of the Company or a Guarantor owed to the Company or to a Subsidiary of the Company;

 

  (ii) any Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor owed to, or guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor on behalf of, any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company (including, without limitation, amounts owed for compensation) other than a shareholder who is also a lender (or an Affiliate of a lender) under the Credit Facility;

 

  (iii) any amounts payable or other liability to trade creditors (including guarantees thereof or instruments evidencing such liabilities but excluding secured purchase money obligations);

 

  (iv) Indebtedness represented by Disqualified Capital Stock;

 

  (v) any liability for Federal, state, local or other taxes owed or owing by the Company or any of the Guarantors;

 

  (vi) that portion of any Indebtedness incurred in violation of this Indenture provisions set forth in Section 4.07 hereof (but, as to any such obligation, no such violation shall be deemed to exist for purposes of this clause (vi) if the holder(s) of such obligation or their representative and the Trustee shall have received an Officers’ Certificate of the Company to the effect that the incurrence of such Indebtedness does not (or in the case of revolving credit indebtedness, that the incurrence of the entire committed amount thereof at the date on which the initial borrowing thereunder is made would not) violate such provisions of this Indenture);

 

  (vii) Indebtedness which, when incurred and without respect to any election under Section 1111(b) of Title 11, United States Code, is without recourse to the Company or any of the Guarantors, as applicable; and

 

  (viii) any Indebtedness which is, by its express terms, Senior Subordinated Debt or subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of the Guarantors.

Senior Subordinated Debt means with respect to a Person, the Notes and the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes (in the case of the Company), a Guarantee and a guarantee of the Existing Senior Subordinated

 

23


Notes (in the case of a Guarantor) and any other Indebtedness of such Person that specifically provides that such Indebtedness is to rank pari passu with the Notes or such Guarantee, as the case may be, in right of payment and is not subordinated by its terms in right of payment to any Indebtedness or other obligation of such Person which is not Senior Debt of such Person.

Significant Subsidiary ” with respect to any Person, means any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person that satisfies the criteria for a “significant subsidiary” set forth in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.

Standard Securitization Undertakings ” means representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities entered into by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company which are reasonably customary, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company in an accounts receivable or equipment transaction.

Stated Maturity ” means, with respect to any installment of interest or principal (including any sinking fund payment) on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the original documentation governing such Indebtedness, and shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for their payment.

Subordinated Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary if the instrument creating or evidencing such Indebtedness or pursuant to which such Indebtedness is outstanding expressly provides that such Indebtedness is subordinated or junior in right of payment to the Notes or the Guarantee of such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

Subsidiary ” with respect to any Person, means:

 

  (i) any corporation of which the outstanding Capital Stock having at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors under ordinary circumstances shall at the time be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person; or

 

  (ii) any other Person of which at least a majority of the voting interest under ordinary circumstances is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person.

TIA ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) and the rules and regulations thereunder as in effect on the date which this Indenture is qualified under the TIA.

Total Assets ” means, as of any date, the total consolidated assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as set forth on the Company’s most recently available internal consolidated balance sheet as of such date.

Treasury Rate ” means, at the time of computation, the yield to maturity of United States Treasury Securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519) which has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the 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 March 1, 2014; provided , however , that if the period from the redemption date to March 1, 2014 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury Security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury Securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to March 1, 2014 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury Securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.

Unrestricted Subsidiary ” of any Person means:

 

  (1) any Subsidiary of such Person that at the time of determination shall be or continue to be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the Board of Directors of such Person in the manner provided below;

 

24


  (2) Tech Pac, L.L.C.; and

 

  (3) any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Subsidiary (including any newly acquired or newly formed Subsidiary) to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary owns any Capital Stock of; or owns or holds any Lien on any property of, the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Subsidiary of the Subsidiary to be so designated or another Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that:

 

  (1) the Company certifies to the Trustee that such designation complies with Section 4.05 hereof; and

 

  (2) each Subsidiary to be so designated and each of its Subsidiaries has not at the time of designation, and does not thereafter, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable with respect to any Indebtedness pursuant to which the lender has recourse to any of the assets of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary only if (x) immediately after giving effect to such designation, the Company is able to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness) in compliance with the Section 4.07 hereof covenant and (y) immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Any such designation by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the foregoing provisions.

Actions taken by an Unrestricted Subsidiary will not be deemed to have been taken, directly or indirectly, by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.

U.S. Government Securities ” means direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the issuer’s option.

Weighted Average Life to Maturity ” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:

 

  (1) the then outstanding aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness; into

 

  (2) the sum of the total of the products obtained by multiplying;

 

  (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payment of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof; by

 

  (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) which will elapse between such date and the making of such payment.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary ” of any Person means any Subsidiary of such Person of which all the outstanding voting securities (other than in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that is incorporated in a jurisdiction other than a State in the United States of America or the District of Columbia, directors’ qualifying shares or an immaterial amount of shares required to be owned by other Persons pursuant to applicable law) are owned by such Person or any Wholly Owned Subsidiary of such Person.

 

25


SECTION 1.03. Other Definitions .

 

Term

  

Defined in Section

Acceleration Notice    6.02
Affiliate Transaction    4.09
Asset Sale Offer    4.08
Asset Sale Offer Amount    4.08
Asset Sale Offer Payment Date    4.08
Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date    4.08
Change of Control Offer    4.11
Change of Control Payment Date    4.11
Company    Preamble
Covenant Defeasance    8.03
Covenant Suspension Event    4.16
DTC    2.01(b)
Events of Default    6.01
Incur    4.07
Legal Defeasance    8.02
Notes    Preamble
Offer to Purchase    3.05(a)
Offer Period    3.05(b)
Offer Amount    3.05(b)
pay the Notes    10.03
Paying Agent    2.02(a)
Payment Blockage Notice    10.03
Purchase Date    3.05(b)
Redemption Date    2.03(d)
Restricted Payment    4.05
Reversion Date    4.16(a)
Surviving Entity    5.01(a)(i)
Suspended Covenants    4.16(a)
Suspension Date    4.16(a)
Suspension Period    4.16(a)
Trustee    Preamble

SECTION 1.04. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act .

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

(b) The following TIA terms used in this First Supplemental Indenture have the following meanings: “indenture securities” means the Notes and the Guarantees;

“indenture security holder” means a Holder;

“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture;

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

“obligor” on the Notes means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Notes.

(c) 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 and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings so assigned to them either in the TIA, by another statute or SEC rule, as applicable.

SECTION 1.05. Rules of Construction .

(a) Unless the context otherwise requires:

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

 

26


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

(iii) “or” is not exclusive;

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

(v) all references in this instrument to “Articles,” “Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated Articles, Sections and subdivisions of this instrument as originally executed;

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

(vii) “including” means “including without limitation”;

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

(ix) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the TIA shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement or successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time thereunder.

ARTICLE 2

THE NOTES

Pursuant to Section 201 of the Base Indenture, the provisions of this Article 2 establish the form of the Notes under this First Supplemental Indenture, and to the extent that any provisions of this Article 2 are duplicative, or in contradiction with, the Base Indenture, the provisions of this Article 2 shall govern the Notes.

SECTION 2.01. Form and Dating .

(a) General . The Notes shall be issued in series of senior subordinated notes consisting of 8  1 / 4 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto, which is hereby incorporated in and expressly made part of this Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage in addition to those set forth on Exhibit A . The Notes shall be dated the date of authentication. The Notes shall be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The terms and provisions contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby. However, to the extent any provision of the Notes conflicts with the express provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture, the provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

(b) Book-Entry Provisions . This Section 2.01(b) shall only apply to Global Notes. Notes issued in global form will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon and the “Schedule of Increases or Decreases in the Global Note” attached thereto). Each Global Note shall be registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee and deposited with a custodian for DTC, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided. Participants and Indirect Participants shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by a Depositary or by the Trustee as the custodian for such Depositary or under such Global Note, and such Depositary shall be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any Agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any Agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification,

 

27


proxy or other authorization furnished by a Depositary or impair, as between a Depositary and its Participants or Indirect Participants, the Applicable Procedures or the operation of customary practices of such Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.

(c) Certificated Notes . Except as otherwise provided herein, owners of beneficial interests in Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Certificated Notes.

For greater certainty, the provisions of this Section 2.01(c) are subject to the requirements relating to notations, legends or endorsements on Notes required by law, stock exchange rule, or agreements to which any the Company is subject, if any.

(d) Euroclear and Clearstream Banking 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 Banking will be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes that are held by Participants through Euroclear or Clearstream Banking.

SECTION 2.02. Registrar and Paying Agent .

(a) The Company initially appoints Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as (i) Registrar and Paying Agent in connection with the Notes and (ii) the Custodian with respect to the Global Notes. The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. 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. All Agents appointed under this Indenture shall be appointed pursuant to agency agreements among the Company, the Trustee and the Agent, as applicable. The obligations of any Registrar as Paying Agent shall be several and not joint.

(b) The Company initially appoints DTC to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.

SECTION 2.03. Outstanding Notes .

(a) The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those cancelled 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 2.03 as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.04 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note.

(b) If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 306 of the Base Indenture, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a protected purchaser (as defined in Section 8-303 of the Uniform Commercial Code).

(c) 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.

(d) If a Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) segregates and holds in trust, in accordance with this Indenture, on a date of redemption (a “Redemption Date”) or maturity date, money sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest payable on that date with respect to the Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding and shall cease to accrue interest.

(e) For purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Notes have taken any action as herein described, the principal amount of the Notes as of (i) if a record date has been set with respect to the taking of such action, such date or (ii) if no such record date has been set, the date the taking of such action by the Holders of such requisite principal amount is certified to the Trustee by the Company.

 

28


SECTION 2.04. Treasury Notes .

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, amendment, supplement, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company, or by any Affiliate of the Company, shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, amendment, supplement, waiver or consent, only Notes that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

SECTION 2.05. Additional Notes .

The Company shall be entitled, subject to its compliance with Section 4.07 hereof, to issue Additional Notes under this Indenture in an unlimited aggregate principal amount which shall have identical terms as the Initial Notes, other than with respect to the date of issuance, any required legends, issue price and first payment of interest. The Initial Notes and any Additional Notes shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase.

With respect to any Additional Notes, the Company shall set forth in a resolution of its Board of Directors and an Officers’ Certificate, a copy of each which shall be delivered to the Trustee, the following information:

(a) the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture; and

(b) the issue price, the issue date and the CUSIP, ISIN and/or Common Code number(s) of such Additional Notes.

SECTION 2.06. Parity with the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes .

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any provision of this Indenture or any Notes issued hereunder on the date hereof, the Notes issued under this Indenture on the date hereof shall rank in parity in all respects to the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes issued or issuable under the Existing Indenture.

ARTICLE 3

REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT

SECTION 3.01. Redemption in Part .

If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed or purchased in an offer to purchase at any time, selection of such series for redemption or purchase will be made by the Trustee 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, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part, except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed, the entire outstanding amount of the Notes held by such Holder shall be redeemed. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption.

SECTION 3.02. Notice of Redemption .

Subject to the provisions of Section 3.05 hereof, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a Redemption Date, the Company shall 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.

 

29


The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed (including the CUSIP, ISIN or Common Code number) and shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date;

(b) the redemption price;

(c) 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 shall be issued upon cancellation of the original Note;

(d) the name and address of the applicable Paying Agent;

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

(f) 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;

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

(h) that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP, ISIN and/or Common Code number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense; provided , however , that the Company gives the Trustee at least 5 Business Days prior notice of such request. Any redemption and notice thereof may, in the Company’s discretion, be subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent.

SECTION 3.03. Optional Redemption .

(a) At any time prior to March 1, 2014, the Company may redeem all or part of the Notes (which includes Additional Notes, if any) at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, but not including, the “Redemption Date”, subject to the rights of Holders of the Notes on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date.

(b) On or after March 1, 2014, the Company may redeem all or part of the Notes at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the applicable Redemption Date, if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on March 1 of the years indicated below:

 

Year

   Percentage  

2014

   104.125

2015

   102.063

2016 and thereafter

   100.000

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 3.03, at any time prior to March 1, 2013, the Company may on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (which includes Additional Notes, if any) issued at a redemption price (expressed, as a percentage of principal amount) of 108.25%, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the Redemption Date, with the net cash proceeds from one or more Equity Offerings; provided , however , that

 

30


(1) at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of each of the Notes issued under this Indenture (which includes the Additional Notes, if any) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption (excluding Notes held, directly or indirectly, by the Company or any of its Affiliates); and

(2) the redemption must occur within 90 days of the date of the closing of any such Equity Offering.

(d) Any prepayment pursuant to this Section 3.03 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.02 hereof and applicable sections of Article XI of the Base Indenture.

SECTION 3.04. Mandatory Redemption .

Except as set forth in Section 4.08 and 4.11 hereof, the Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

SECTION 3.05. Offer to Purchase .

(a) In the event that, pursuant to Section 4.08 or 4.11 hereof, the Company shall be required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes and, at the Company’s option, holders of other pari passu Indebtedness (each an “ Offer to Purchase ”), it shall follow the procedures specified below.

(b) The Offer to Purchase shall remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement and no longer, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “ Offer Period ”). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the “ Purchase Date ”), the Company shall purchase the principal amount of Notes required to be purchased pursuant to Section 4.08 or 4.11 hereof (the “ Offer Amount ”) or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered in response to the Offer to Purchase. Payment for any Notes so purchased shall be made in the same manner as interest payments are made.

If the Purchase Date is on or after a Regular Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Offer to Purchase.

Upon the commencement of the Offer to Purchase, the Company shall send, by first class mail, a notice to each of the Holders, which shall not be later than 10 days after the Company becomes obligated to make an Offer to Purchase with a copy to the Trustee. The notice shall contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. The Offer to Purchase shall be made to all Holders. The notice, which shall govern the terms of the Offer to Purchase, shall state:

(1) that the Offer to Purchase is being made pursuant to this Section 3.05 and Section 4.08 or 4.11 hereof, as the case may be, and the length of time the Offer to Purchase shall remain open;

(2) the Offer Amount (including information as to any other pari passu Indebtedness included in the Offer to Purchase), the purchase price and the Purchase Date;

(3) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrete or accrue interest;

(4) that, unless the Company defaults in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer to Purchase shall cease to accrue interest after the Purchase Date;

(5) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Offer to Purchase may only elect to have all of such Note purchased and may not elect to have only a portion of such Note purchased;

 

31


(6) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Offer to Purchase shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Company, a Depositary, if appointed by the Company, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date;

(7) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Company, the applicable Depositary or the applicable Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased;

(8) that, in the case of an Offer to Purchase, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes tendered by Holders into an Offer to Purchase exceeds the Offer Amount, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased (i) if the Notes are listed, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the Notes are then listed or (ii) if the Notes are not so listed, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Company so that only Notes in denominations of $1,000, or integral multiples thereof, shall be purchased provided that no Notes of a principal amount of less than $2,000 shall be redeemed in part); and

(9) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer).

In the case of an Offer to Purchase, no later than the date upon which written notice of an Offer to Purchase is delivered to the Trustee as provided above, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate as to the allocation of the Net Proceeds from the Asset Sale pursuant to which such Offer to Purchase is being made and the compliance of such allocation with the provisions of Section 4.08. On such date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with the applicable Paying Agent an amount equal to the Offer Amount to be held for payment in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

On or before the Purchase Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, in accordance with clause (8) above, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Offer to Purchase, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered, and shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.05. The Company, the applicable Depositary or the applicable Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Company for purchase, and the Company shall promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon written request from the Company, shall authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the Holder thereof. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Offer to Purchase on the Purchase Date.

Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.05 any purchase pursuant to this Section 3.05 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 through 3.02 hereof and applicable sections of Article XI of the Base Indenture.

 

32


ARTICLE 4

COVENANTS

SECTION 4.01. Payment of Notes .

The Company shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if any, interest on, the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and in this Indenture. Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if the applicable Paying Agent, if other than the Company or a Subsidiary thereof, holds as of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the due date (or such other time as the Company and the Paying Agent may mutually agree from time to time), 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 and the Paying Agent is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders on that date. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

SECTION 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency .

(a) The Company shall maintain an office or agency (which may be an office or drop facility of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee or Registrar) where Notes may be presented or 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 shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

(b) 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. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

(c) The Company hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, as one such office, drop facility or agency of the Company in accordance with Section 4.02(a).

SECTION 4.03. Reports .

(a) Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Trustee and Holders (i) all quarterly and annual financial information that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such forms, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” that describes the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries and, with respect to the annual information only, a report thereon by the Company’s certified independent accountants, and (ii) all current information that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports, in each case, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations. For so long as the Notes are outstanding, whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Company shall file a copy of all such information and reports with the SEC for public availability within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations (unless the SEC will not accept such a filing) and make such information available to securities analysts and prospective investors.

(b) The Company shall at all times comply with TIA § 314(a).

(c) Should the Company deliver to the Trustee any such information, reports or certificates or any annual reports, information, documents and other reports pursuant to TIA § 314(a), delivery of such information, reports or certificates or any annual reports, information, documents and other reports to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).

Each report or document required to be furnished or delivered pursuant to the Indenture shall be deemed to have been so furnished or delivered on the date on which the Company posts such document on its website at

 

33


www.central.com, or when such document is posted on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov; provided that the Company shall either (i) deliver paper copies of all such documents or (ii) provide copies of all such documents by electronic delivery to the Trustee or any Holder that requests the Company to deliver copies of all such documents until a request to cease delivering copies of all such documents is given by the Trustee or such Holder.

SECTION 4.04. Compliance Certificate .

(a) The Company and each Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture and, if the Company is in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which he or she may have knowledge. For purposes of this Section 4.04, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture.

SECTION 4.05. Restricted Payments .

(a) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

(1) declare or pay any dividend or make any distribution on or in respect of shares of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary’s Capital Stock to holders of such Capital Stock (other than dividends or distributions payable in Qualified Capital Stock of the Company and dividends or distributions payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and other than pro rata dividends or other distributions made by a Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary to minority stockholders (or owners of an equivalent interest in the case of a Subsidiary that is an entity other than a corporation));

(2) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Capital Stock of the Company or of any direct or indirect parent of the Company or of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or any warrants, rights or options to purchase or acquire shares of any class of such Capital Stock;

(3) purchase, defease, redeem, prepay, decrease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to any scheduled final maturity, scheduled repayment or scheduled sinking fund payment, any Indebtedness of the Company, or of any Guarantor, that is subordinate or junior in right of payment to the Notes or any Guarantee, as applicable (other than (x) any Indebtedness permitted under clause (6) of the definition of “Permitted Indebtedness” and (y) the purchase, defeasance or other acquisition of such Indebtedness purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of such purchase, defeasance or other acquisition); or

(4) make any Investment (other than Permitted Investments)

(each of the foregoing actions set forth in clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) being referred to as a “Restricted Payment”); unless at the time of such Restricted Payment and immediately after giving effect thereto:

(i) no Default or an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(ii) the Company would, at the time of such Restricted Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.07; and

(iii) the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments (including such proposed Restricted Payment) made subsequent to the Existing Bonds Issue Date (other than Restricted Payments made pursuant to clauses (2), (3), (4), (5), (7) and (8) of Section 4.05(b)) is less than the sum of, without duplication, the following:

(A) 50% of the cumulative Consolidated Net Income (or if cumulative Consolidated Net Income shall be a loss, minus 100% of such loss) of the Company earned during the period (treated as one accounting period) from the first day of the Company’s second fiscal quarter of fiscal year 2003 to the end of the Company’s most recent ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment; plus

 

34


(B) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the fair market value of property other than cash that would constitute Marketable Securities or a Permitted Business received by the Company from any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company) from the issuance and sale subsequent to the Existing Bonds Issue Date of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company (other than Designated Preferred Stock); plus

(C) the amount by which Indebtedness of the Company is reduced on the Company’s balance sheet upon the conversion or exchange subsequent to the Existing Bonds Issue Date of any Indebtedness of the Company for Qualified Capital Stock of the Company (less the amount of any cash, or the fair value of any other property, distributed by the Company upon such conversion or exchange); provided , however , that the foregoing amount shall not exceed the net cash proceeds received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the sale of such Indebtedness; plus

(D) an amount equal to the sum of (I) 100% of the aggregate net proceeds (including the fair market value of property other than cash that would constitute Marketable Securities or a Permitted Business) received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the Existing Bonds Issue Date (A) from any sale or other disposition of any Investment (other than a Permitted Investment) in any Person (including an Unrestricted Subsidiary) made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (B) representing the return of capital or principal (excluding dividends and distributions otherwise included in Consolidated Net Income) with respect to such Investment, and (II) the portion (proportionate to the Company’s equity interest in an Unrestricted Subsidiary) of the fair market value of the net assets of an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time such Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated a Restricted Subsidiary; provided , however , that, in the case of item (II), the foregoing sum shall not exceed, in the case of any Unrestricted Subsidiary, the amount of Investments (excluding Permitted Investments) previously made (and treated as a Restricted Payment) by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Unrestricted Subsidiary; plus

(E) $10.0 million.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions set forth in Section 4.05(a) shall not prohibit:

(1) the payment of any dividend or the consummation of any irrevocable redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of such dividend or notice of such redemption if the dividend or payment of the redemption price, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of declaration or notice;

(2) any Restricted Payment made out of the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale of, or made by exchange for, Qualified Capital Stock of the Company (other than Capital Stock issued or sold to a Subsidiary of the Company or an employee stock ownership plan or to a trust established by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for the benefit of their employees and other than Designated Preferred Stock) or a substantially concurrent cash capital contribution received by the Company from its shareholders; provided , however , that the net cash proceeds from such sale or such cash capital contribution (to the extent so used for such Restricted Payment) shall be excluded from the calculation of amounts under clause (iii)(B) of Section 4.05(a);

(3) the defeasance, redemption, repurchase or other acquisition of any Indebtedness of the Company or a Guarantor that is subordinate or junior in right of payment to the Notes or the applicable Guarantee through the application of net proceeds of a substantially concurrent sale for cash (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of Refinancing Indebtedness that is subordinate or junior in right of payment to the Notes or the applicable Guarantee;

 

35


(4) the redemption, repurchase, or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Capital Stock of the Company, in each case in connection with the repurchase provisions of employee stock option or stock purchase agreements or other agreements to compensate management employees or upon the death, disability, retirement, severance or termination of employment of management employees; provided that all such redemptions or repurchases pursuant to this clause (4) shall not exceed in any fiscal year $5.0 million (with unused amounts in any calendar year carried over to succeeding calendar years subject to a maximum of $15.0 million in any calendar year; provided that amounts in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed the cash proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from the sale of the Company’s Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) to any member of the management or the Board of Directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary);

(5) repurchases of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise price thereof;

(6) repurchases of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options or the vesting of restricted stock grants to satisfy tax withholding obligations;

(7) additional Restricted Payments since the Issue Date in an aggregate amount not to exceed $40.0 million;

(8) payments of regularly scheduled or accrued dividends on Disqualified Capital Stock issued in compliance with Section 4.07 hereof;

(9) upon occurrence of a Change of Control and within 60 days after the completion of the Change of Control Offer pursuant to Section 4.11 hereof (including the purchase of all Notes tendered), any purchase or redemption of Obligations of the Company that are subordinate or junior in right of payment to the Notes required pursuant to the terms thereof as a result of such Change of Control at a purchase or redemption price not to exceed 101% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any; provided , however , that (A) at the time of such purchase or redemption, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (or would result therefrom) and (B) such purchase or redemption is not made, directly or indirectly, from the proceeds of (or made in anticipation of) any issuance of Indebtedness by the Company or any Subsidiary;

(10) the payment of any dividend by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the holders of its Equity Interests on a pro rata basis and the redemption, purchase, cancellation or other retirement of equity interests in a Restricted Subsidiary; and

(11) redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of the Existing Senior Subordinated Notes.

(c) The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary as specified in the definition of “Unrestricted Subsidiary.” For purposes of making such determination, all outstanding Investments by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (except to the extent repaid in cash) in the Subsidiary so designated shall be deemed to be Restricted Payments at the time of the designation and shall reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.05(a). All of those outstanding Investments shall be deemed to constitute Investments in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Investments at the time of such designation. Such designation shall only be permitted if the Restricted Payment would be permitted at the time and if the Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

(d) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.05, in the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the types of Restricted Payments described above, the Company, in its sole discretion, may order and classify such Restricted Payment in any manner in compliance with this Section 4.05.

 

36


SECTION 4.06. Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries .

The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or consensual restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to:

(a) pay dividends or make any other distributions on or in respect of its Capital Stock;

(b) make loans or advances or pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to the Company or any Guarantor; or

(c) transfer any of its property or assets to the Company or any Guarantor,

except, with respect to clauses (a), (b) and (c), for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:

(1) applicable law, rule, regulation or order;

(2) this Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees;

(3) non-assignment provisions of any contract or any lease of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(4) any instrument governing Acquired Indebtedness, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person or the properties or assets of the Person so acquired;

(5) the Credit Facility in effect on the Issue Date or any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings thereof; provided that any restrictions imposed pursuant to any such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing either (i) contained in, or not materially more restrictive than those contained in, the Credit Facility in effect prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing or (ii) are ordinary and customary with respect to syndicated bank loans in the market at the time such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing are entered into;

(6) agreements existing on the Issue Date to the extent and in the manner such agreements are in effect on the Issue Date;

(7) restrictions on the transfer of assets subject to any Lien permitted under this Indenture imposed by the holder of such Lien;

(8) restrictions imposed by any agreement to sell assets or Capital Stock to any Person pending the closing of such sale which is not prohibited by this Indenture;

(9) any agreement or instrument governing Capital Stock of any Person that is acquired;

(10) any Purchase Money Note or other Indebtedness or other contractual requirements in connection with a Qualified Securitization Transaction;

(11) other Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date or permitted to be incurred under this Indenture; provided that any such restrictions are ordinary and customary with respect to the type of Indebtedness being incurred;

 

37


(12) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

(13) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to in clauses (1) through (4) and (6) through (11) above; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, renewals, increases, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are, in the good faith judgment of the Company’s Board of Directors (evidenced by a Board Resolution) whose judgment shall be conclusively binding, either (i) not materially more restrictive with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in the dividend or other payment restrictions prior to such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing or (ii) ordinary and customary with respect to such instruments or obligations at the time such amendment, modification, restatement, renewal, increase, supplement, refunding, replacement or refinancing are entered into;

(14) encumbrances or restrictions contained in any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness or Capital Stock was incurred or issued in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired; provided that in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred;

(15) customary provisions in joint venture, asset sale, stock purchase and merger agreements and other similar agreements; and

(16) customary provisions in leases, licenses and other agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business.

SECTION 4.07. Incurrence of Indebtedness .

The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee, acquire, become liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to, or otherwise become responsible for payment of (collectively, “ incur ”) any Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness); provided , however , that the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may incur Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Acquired Indebtedness), in each case if on the date of the incurrence of such Indebtedness, after giving effect to the incurrence thereof, the Company’s Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for its most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0.

SECTION 4.08. Asset Sales .

(a) The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless:

(i) the Company or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the fair market value of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company);

(ii) at least 75% of the consideration received by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, from such Asset Sale shall be in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents; provided that the amount of:

(A) any liabilities (as shown on the Company’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet) of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary (other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets;

 

38


(B) any notes or other obligations received by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash within 180 days of the receipt thereof (to the extent of the cash received);

(C) any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Asset Sale having an aggregate fair market value, taken together with all other Designated Non-cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (C) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $75.0 million and 7.5% of Total Assets at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (with the fair market value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value); and

(D) any Productive Assets,

shall, in each of (A), (B), (C) and (D) above, be deemed to be cash for the purposes of this provision; and

(iii) upon the consummation of an Asset Sale, the Company shall apply, or cause such Restricted Subsidiary to apply, the Net Cash Proceeds relating to such Asset Sale within 365 days of receipt thereof:

(A) to prepay any Senior Debt or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor and, in the case of any such Indebtedness under any revolving credit facility, effect a corresponding reduction in the availability under such revolving credit facility (or, if required by the Credit Facility, effect a permanent reduction in the availability under such revolving credit facility regardless of the fact that no prepayment is required in order to do so (in which case no prepayment should be required)),

(B) to reinvest in Productive Assets, ( provided that this requirement shall be deemed satisfied if the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary by the end of such 365-day period has entered into a binding agreement under which it is contractually committed to reinvest in Productive Assets and such investment is consummated within 120 days from the date on which such binding agreement is entered into and, with respect to the amount of such investment, the reference to the 366th day after an Asset Sale in the second following sentence shall be deemed to be a reference to the 121st day after the date on which such binding agreement is entered into (but only if such 121st day occurs later than such 366th day)), and

(C) a combination of prepayment and investment permitted by the foregoing clauses (iii)(A) and (iii)(B).

Pending the final application of any such Net Cash Proceeds, the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary may temporarily reduce Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility, if any, or otherwise invest such Net Cash Proceeds in Cash Equivalents. On the 366th day after an Asset Sale or such earlier date, if any, as the Board of Directors of the Company or of such Restricted Subsidiary determines by Board Resolution not to apply the Net Cash Proceeds relating to such Asset Sale as set forth in clauses (iii)(A), (iii)(B) and (iii)(C) above (the “Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date”), such aggregate amount of Net Cash Proceeds that have not been applied as set forth in clauses (iii)(A), (iii)(B) and (iii)(C) above on or before such Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date (each an “Asset Sale Offer Amount”) shall be applied by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary to make an offer to purchase (the “Asset Sale Offer”) on a date (the “Asset Sale Offer Payment Date”) not less than 30 nor more than 60 days following the applicable Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date, from all Holders and holders of any other Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary ranking pari passu with the Notes requiring the making of such an offer (the “Pari Passu Debt”), on a pro rata basis, the maximum amount of Notes and such other Pari Passu Debt that may be purchased

 

39


with the Asset Sale Offer Amount at a price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to the date of purchase (or, in respect of such other Pari Passu Debt, such lesser price, if any, as may be provided for by the terms of such Pari Passu Debt), in accordance with the procedures (including pro-rating in the event of over-subscription and calculation of the principal amount of Notes denominated in different currencies) set forth in this Indenture.

(b) If at any time any non-cash consideration (including any Designated Non-cash Consideration) received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, as the case may be, in connection with any Asset Sale is converted into or sold or otherwise disposed of for cash (other than interest received with respect to any such non-cash consideration), then such conversion or disposition shall be deemed to constitute an Asset Sale hereunder and the Net Cash Proceeds thereof shall be applied in accordance with this Section 4.08.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Asset Sale Offer Amount is less than $50.0 million, the application of the Net Cash Proceeds constituting such Asset Sale Offer Amount to an Asset Sale Offer may be deferred until such time as such Asset Sale Offer Amount plus the aggregate amount of all Asset Sale Offer Amounts arising subsequent to the Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date relating to such initial Asset Sale Offer Amount from all Asset Sales by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries aggregates at least $50.0 million, at which time the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary shall apply all Net Cash Proceeds constituting all Asset Sale Offer Amounts that have been so deferred to make an Asset Sale Offer (the first date the aggregate of all such deferred Asset Sale Offer Amounts is equal to $50.0 million or more shall be deemed to be an Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date).

Each Asset Sale Offer will be mailed to the record Holders as shown on the register of Holders within 30 days following the Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date, with a copy to the Trustee, and shall comply with the procedures set forth in Section 3.05 hereof. Upon receiving notice of the Asset Sale Offer, Holders may elect to tender their Notes in whole or in part in, in a minimum of $1,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof ( provided that no Note will be purchased in part if such Note would have a remaining amount of less than $2,000), in exchange for cash. To the extent Holders properly tender Notes (and, if applicable, holders of Pari Passu Debt, tender Pari Passu Debt) in an aggregate amount exceeding the Asset Sale Offer Amount Notes of tendering Holders and Pari Passu Debt of holders thereof will be purchased on a pro rata basis (based on amounts tendered). To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes and other Pari Passu Debt tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Asset Sale Offer Amount the Company may use any remaining Asset Sale Offer Amount for general corporate purposes or for any other purpose not prohibited by this Indenture. Upon completion of any such Asset Sale Offer, the Asset Sale Offer Amount shall be reset at zero.

The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of this Section 4.08, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.08 by virtue thereof.

SECTION 4.09. Affiliate Transactions .

(a) The Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into or permit to occur any transaction or series of related transactions (including, without limitation, the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property or the rendering of any service) with, or for the benefit of, any of its Affiliates (an “ Affiliate Transaction ”) involving aggregate payment or consideration in excess of $10.0 million, unless (i) such Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that might reasonably have been obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company; and (ii) the Company delivers to the Trustee with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate payments or consideration in excess of $25.0 million, a Board Resolution adopted by the majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company or a resolution of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company approved by a majority of the members of the Audit Committee approving such Affiliate Transaction and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with clause (i) above.

 

40


(b) The restrictions set forth in Section 4.09(a) hereof shall not apply to:

(1) reasonable fees and compensation paid to, and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors or a committee thereof;

(2) transactions between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or between or among such Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that such transactions are not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture;

(3) any agreement as in effect as of the Issue Date or any amendment thereto or any transaction contemplated thereby (including pursuant to any amendment thereto) or by any replacement agreement thereto so long as any such amendment or replacement agreement is not more disadvantageous to the Holders in any material respect than the original agreement as in effect on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors;

(4) Restricted Payments or Permitted Investments permitted by this Indenture;

(5) transactions effected as part of a Qualified Securitization Transaction;

(6) transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Subsidiary, Capital Stock in, or controls, such Person;

(7) payments or loans to employees or consultants that are approved by a majority of the independent directors of the Company’s Board of Directors or by the Company’s compensation committee;

(8) sales of Qualified Capital Stock to Affiliates of the Company;

(9) transactions permitted by, and complying with, the provisions of Article 5 hereof; and

(10) transactions in which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives an opinion from a nationally recognized investment banking, appraisal or accounting firm that such Affiliate Transaction is either fair, from a financial standpoint, to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or is on terms not materially less favorable than those that might reasonably have been obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company.

SECTION 4.10. Liens .

The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to incur or suffer to exist any Lien securing Indebtedness (other than Permitted Liens or Liens securing Senior Debt) upon any of its assets (including Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary), whether owned at the date the Notes are first issued or thereafter acquired, or any interest therein or any income or profits therefrom, unless:

(a) if such Lien secures Senior Subordinated Debt, the Notes or the Guarantees, as the case may be, are secured on an equal and ratable basis with such Indebtedness for so long as such Senior Subordinated Debt is secured by such Lien; and

(b) if such Lien secures Subordinated Indebtedness, the Lien securing such Subordinated Indebtedness will be subordinated and junior to a Lien securing the Notes or the Guarantees, as the case may be, with the same relative priority as such Indebtedness has with respect to the Notes or the Guarantees.

 

41


Any Lien created for the benefit of the Holders pursuant to the preceding sentence shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Lien on such other Indebtedness and that holders of such other Indebtedness may exclusively control the disposition of property subject to such Lien.

SECTION 4.11. Offer to Repurchase upon Change of Control .

(a) If a Change of Control occurs, each Holder shall have the right to require that the Company purchase all or a portion of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to the offer described below (the “ Change of Control Offer ”), at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest to the date of purchase. Within 30 days following the date upon which the Change of Control occurred, the Company must send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each Holder, which notice shall govern the terms of the Change of Control Offer. Such notice shall state, among other things, the purchase date, which must be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed, other than as may be required by law (the “ Change of Control Payment Date ”). Holders electing to have their Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer shall be required to surrender their Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.

(b) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, 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 no later than 11:00 am New York City time an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof so tendered and (3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the applicable Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the Company. The Paying Agent shall promptly mail to each Holder of Notes so tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee shall promptly authenticate and mail or deliver (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 such new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.

Prior to the mailing of the notice referred to in Section 4.11(a) above, but in any event within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company shall: (i) repay in full all Indebtedness under the Credit Facility, any future credit agreements or other agreements relating to Senior Debt the terms of which require repayment upon a Change of Control; or (ii) obtain the requisite consents under the Credit Facility and all such other Senior Debt to permit the repurchase of the Notes as provided below. The Company’s failure to comply with the covenant described in the immediately preceding sentence shall constitute an Event of Default described in clause (c) and not in clause (b) under Section 6.01 hereof.

(c) The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer. To the extent that the Company complies with the provisions of any such securities laws or regulations, the Company shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.11.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.11, the Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if 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 4.11 hereof and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

(e) A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon, the occurrence of such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control Offer at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.

 

42


SECTION 4.12. Corporate Existence .

Except as otherwise permitted by Article 5 hereof, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.

SECTION 4.13. No Senior Subordinated Debt .

The Company will not, and will not permit any Guarantor to, incur or suffer to exist Indebtedness that is senior in right of payment to the Notes or such Guarantor’s Guarantee, as the case may be, and subordinate in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be.

SECTION 4.14. Additional Guarantors .

(a) The Company shall cause each future Domestic Restricted Subsidiary that Guarantees the Credit Facility after the Issue Date to execute and deliver to the Trustee a Guarantee pursuant to which such Restricted Subsidiary will unconditionally Guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any and interest on the Notes and all other obligations under this Indenture on a senior subordinated basis. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any domestic Subsidiary of the Company that at any time has total assets of less than $1,000,000, as reflected on such Subsidiary’s most recent balance sheet as of the date of determination, or consolidated cash flow for the most recently ended four fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date of determination of less than $500,000, will not be required to become a Guarantor or to execute a Subsidiary Guarantee unless it guarantees other Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company.

(b) In the event any Guarantor is released and discharged in full from all of its obligations under guarantees of the Credit Facility, then the Guarantee of such Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released or discharged; provided that such Restricted Subsidiary has not incurred any Indebtedness in reliance on its status as a Guarantor under Section 4.07 unless such Guarantor’s obligations under such Indebtedness so incurred are satisfied in full and discharged or are otherwise permitted under one of the exceptions available under the definition of “Permitted Indebtedness” at the time of such release to Restricted Subsidiaries.

(c) Each Guarantee will be limited to an amount not to exceed the maximum amount that can be guaranteed by that Restricted Subsidiary without rendering the Guarantee, as it relates to such Restricted Subsidiary, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally.

SECTION 4.15. Limitation on Preferred Stock of Restricted Subsidiaries .

The Company shall not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any Preferred Stock (other than to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) or permit any Person (other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) to own any Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company.

SECTION 4.16. Suspension of Covenants .

(a) During any period of time following the Issue Date that (i) the Notes have Investment Grade Ratings from both Rating Agencies, and (ii) no Default has occurred and is continuing under the Indenture (the occurrence of the events described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being collectively referred to as a “ Covenant Suspension Event ”), the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall not be subject to the following provisions of the Indenture:

(1) Section 4.05;

(2) Section 4.06;

(3) Section 4.07;

(4) Section 4.08;

 

43


(5) Section 4.09;

(6) Section 4.13;

(7) Section 4.14;

(8) Section 4.15; and

(9) clause (a)(ii) of Section 5.01

(collectively, the “ Suspended Covenants ”). Upon the occurrence of a Covenant Suspension Event, the amount of Net Cash Proceeds with respect to any applicable Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date shall be set at zero at such date (the “ Suspension Date ”). In addition, in the event that the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the Suspended Covenants for any period of time as a result of the foregoing, and on any subsequent date (the “ Reversion Date ”) one or both of the Rating Agencies withdraw their Investment Grade Rating or downgrade the rating assigned to the Notes below an Investment Grade Rating or a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing, then the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall thereafter again be subject to the Suspended Covenants with respect to future events. The period of time between the Suspension Date and the Reversion Date is referred to in this description as the “ Suspension Period .” Within 30 days of the Reversion Date, any Restricted Subsidiary that would have been required during the Suspension Period but for the Suspended Covenants by Section 4.14 to execute a supplemental indenture will execute such supplemental indenture required by such Section. Notwithstanding that the Suspended Covenants may be reinstated, no Default or Event of Default will be deemed to have occurred as a result of a failure to comply with the Suspended Covenants during the Suspension Period (or upon termination of the Suspension Period or after that time based solely on events that occurred during the Suspension Period).

(b) On the Reversion Date, all Indebtedness incurred during the Suspension Period will be classified to have been incurred or issued pursuant to Section 4.07 to the extent such Indebtedness would be permitted to be incurred or issued thereunder as of the Reversion Date and after giving effect to Indebtedness incurred or issued prior to the Suspension Period and outstanding on the Reversion Date. To the extent such Indebtedness would not be so permitted to be incurred or issued pursuant to Section 4.07, such Indebtedness will be deemed to have been outstanding on the Issue Date, so that it is classified as permitted under clause (3) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness. Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period will be deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 4.05(a).

(c) The Company shall give the Trustee prompt (and in any event not later than five Business Days after a Covenant Suspension Event) written notice of any Covenant Suspension Event. In the absence of such notice, the Trustee shall assume the Suspended Covenants apply and are in full force and effect. The Company shall give the Trustee prompt (and in any event not later than five Business Days after a Covenant Suspension Event) written notice of any occurrence of a Reversion Date. After any such notice of the occurrence of a Reversion Date, the Trustee shall assume the Suspended Covenants apply and are in full force and effect.

ARTICLE 5

SUCCESSORS

SECTION 5.01. Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets .

(a) The Company shall not, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, consolidate or merge with or into any Person, or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of (or cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of) all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries) to any Person unless:

(i) either: (a) the Company shall be the surviving or continuing corporation; or (b) the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition the properties and assets of the Company and of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries substantially as an entirety (the “Surviving Entity”):

(x) shall be a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia; and

 

44


(y) shall expressly assume, by supplemental indenture (in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee), executed and delivered to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on all of the Notes and the performance of every covenant of the Notes and this Indenture to be performed or observed on the part of the Company; and

(ii) except in the case of a merger of the Company with or into a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and except in the case of a merger entered into solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction, immediately after giving effect to such transaction and the assumption contemplated by clause (i)(b)(y) above (including giving effect to any Indebtedness and Acquired Indebtedness incurred in connection with or in respect of such transaction), the Company or such Surviving Entity, as the case may be, (A) shall be able to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Indebtedness) pursuant to Section 4.07 hereof or (B) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company or the Surviving Entity, as the case may be, and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis would be (x) equal to or greater than 1.75 to 1 and (y) greater than such ratio for the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such transaction; and

(iii) except in the case of a merger of the Company with or into a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and except in the case of a merger entered into solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company in another jurisdiction, immediately after giving effect to such transaction and the assumption contemplated by clause (i)(b)(y) above (including, without limitation, giving effect to any Indebtedness and Acquired Indebtedness incurred and any Lien granted in connection with or in respect of the transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or be continuing; and

(iv) the Company or the Surviving Entity shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture complies with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and that all conditions precedent in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been satisfied.

(b) The Company shall not permit any Guarantor to, consolidate or merge with or into, or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, all or substantially all of its assets to any Person unless:

(i) (except in the case of a Guarantor that has been disposed of in its entirety to another Person (other than to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company), whether through a merger, consolidation or sale of Capital Stock or through the sale of all or substantially all of its assets (such sale constituting the disposition of such Guarantor in its entirety), if in connection therewith the Company provides an Officers’ Certificate to the Trustee to the effect that the Company will comply with its obligations under Section 4.08 in respect of such disposition) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (if not a Guarantor) shall be a Person organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction under which such Guarantor was organized or under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and such Person shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture (in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee), executed and delivered to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Guarantor, if any, under its Guarantee;

 

45


(ii) except in the case of a merger of a Guarantor with or into the Company or another Guarantor and except in the case of a merger entered into solely for the purpose of reincorporating a Guarantor in another jurisdiction, immediately after giving effect to such transaction and the assumption contemplated by the immediately preceding clause (b) (1) (including, without limitation, giving effect to any Indebtedness and Acquired Indebtedness incurred and any Lien granted in connection with or in respect of the transaction), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(iii) except in the case of a merger of a Guarantor with or into the Company or another Guarantor and except in the case of a merger entered into solely for the purpose of reincorporating a Guarantor in another jurisdiction, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and that all conditions precedent in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been satisfied.

In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance and upon the assumption by the successor Person, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the Guarantee of the Notes and the due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Restricted Subsidiary, such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Restricted Subsidiary with the same effect as if it had been named herein as a Restricted Subsidiary. Such successor Person thereupon may cause to be signed any or all of the Guarantees 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 shall 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.

For purposes of the foregoing, the transfer (by lease, assignment, sale or otherwise, in a single transaction or series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of one or more Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company, the Capital Stock of which constitutes all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company. However, transfer of assets between or among the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will not be subject to this Section 5.01.

SECTION 5.02. Successor Corporation Substituted .

Upon any consolidation, combination or merger, or any transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.01 hereof, in which the Company is not the continuing corporation, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, lease or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of the Company under this Indenture and the Notes with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as such and that, in the event of a conveyance or transfer (but not a lease), the conveyor or transferor (but not a lessor) shall be released from the provisions of this Indenture.

ARTICLE 6

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

SECTION 6.01. Events of Default .

Events of Default ” are:

(a) the failure to pay interest on any Notes when the same becomes due and payable and the default continues for a period of 30 days (whether or not such payment is prohibited by Article 10 or Article 12 hereof);

 

46


(b) the failure to pay the principal on any Notes when such principal becomes due and payable, at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise (including the failure to make a payment to purchase Notes tendered pursuant to a Change of Control Offer or an Asset Sale Offer on the date specified for such payment in the applicable offer to purchase) (whether or not such payment is prohibited by Article 10 or Article 12 hereof);

(c) a default in the observance or performance of any other covenant or agreement contained herein if the default continues for a period of 60 days after the Company receives written notice specifying the default (and demanding that such default be remedied) from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes (except in the case of a default with respect to Section 5.01 hereof, which will constitute an Event of Default with such notice requirement but without such passage of time requirement);

(d) the failure to pay at final Stated Maturity (giving effect to any applicable grace periods and any extensions thereof) the principal amount of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (other than the failure by a Securitization Entity to pay Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company), or the acceleration of the final Stated Maturity of any such Indebtedness, if the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness in default for failure to pay principal at final maturity or which has been accelerated, aggregates $30.0 million or more at any time;

(e) one or more judgments in an aggregate amount in excess of $30.0 million (to the extent not covered by independent third party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute the coverage) shall have been rendered against the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and such judgments remain undischarged, unpaid or unstayed for a period of 60 days after such judgment or judgments become final and non-appealable;

(f) except as permitted herein, any Guarantee of any Significant Subsidiary shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full force and effect or any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary, or any Person acting on behalf of such Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under its Guarantee;

(g) the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law:

(i) commences a voluntary case,

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

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

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

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

(i) is for relief against the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case;

(ii) appoints a custodian of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary; or

 

47


(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiaries or any group of Restricted Securities that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary,

and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days.

SECTION 6.02. Acceleration .

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clauses (g) or (h) of Section 6.01 hereof with respect to the Company) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare the principal of and accrued interest on all the Notes to be due and payable immediately by notice in writing to the Company and the Trustee specifying the respective Event of Default and that it is a “notice of acceleration” (the “ Acceleration Notice ”), and the same (i) shall become immediately due and payable or (ii) if there are any amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility, shall become immediately due and payable upon the first to occur of an acceleration under the Credit Facility or five Business Days after receipt by the Company and the Representative under the Credit Facility of such Acceleration Notice but only if such Event of Default is then continuing. If an Event of Default specified in clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01 hereof occurs and is continuing with respect to the Company, then all unpaid principal of, and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all the outstanding Notes shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Notes as described in the preceding paragraph, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may rescind and cancel such declaration and its consequences (i) if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree, (ii) if all existing Events of Default have been cured or waived except nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due solely because of the acceleration, (iii) to the extent the payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest and overdue principal, which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration, has been paid, (iv) if the Company has paid the Trustee its reasonable compensation and reimbursed the Trustee for its expenses, disbursements and advances (including reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and agents), and (v) in the event of the cure or waiver of an Event of Default of the type described in clause (g) or (h) of Section 6.01 hereof, the Trustee shall have received an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel that such Event of Default has been cured or waived. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

ARTICLE 7

TRUSTEE

SECTION 7.01. Duties of Trusties .

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

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 applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article 8.

 

48


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 shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “ Legal Defeasance ”). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes, which shall 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 (a) and (b) below, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Notes 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 shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (a) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive solely from the trust fund described in Section 8.04 hereof, and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal amount of, premium, if any, and interest on such Notes when such payments are due, (b) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Notes under Sections 304, 305 and 306 of the Base Indenture and Section 4.02 hereof, (c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith and (d) the provisions of this Article 8 with respect to Legal Defeasance. 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 shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released from its obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 4.05, 4.06, 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14 and 4.15 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 shall 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 shall continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes shall not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes). For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such 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 shall 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 shall 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, Sections 6.01(d) and 6.01(e) hereof shall not constitute Events of Default.

SECTION 8.04. Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance .

The following shall be the conditions to the application of either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof to the outstanding Notes: In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:

(a) the Company must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, (i) with respect to the Notes, cash in United States dollars, non-callable U.S. Government Securities, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of the Company as evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate, to pay the principal amount at maturity of, premium and interest on the outstanding Notes on the stated date for payment thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be;

(b) in the case of an election under Section 8.02 hereof, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States of America reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

 

49


(c) in the case of an election under Section 8.03 hereof, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States of America reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the Holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

(d) 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 incurrence of Indebtedness all or a portion of the proceeds of which will be used to defease the Notes pursuant to this Article 8 concurrently with such incurrence and the grant of a Lien to secure such Indebtedness) or insofar as Section 6.01(g) or 6.01(h) hereof is concerned, at any time in the period ending on the 91st day after the date of deposit;

(e) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a Default under this Indenture (other than a Default or an Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the grant of any Lien securing such borrowing) or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound;

(f) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel (which may be subject to customary exceptions) to the effect that (A) the trust funds will not be subject to any rights of holders of Senior Debt including, without limitation, those arising under this Indenture, and (B) after the 91st day following the deposit, the trust funds will not be subject to the effect of the preference provisions of Section 547 of the United States Federal Bankruptcy Code;

(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company or others;

(h) the Company shall have delivered 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; and

(i) the Company shall have paid or duly provided for payment of all amounts then due to the Trustee pursuant to Section 606 of the Base Indenture.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Opinion of Counsel required by clause (b) above with respect to a Legal Defeasance need not be delivered if all Notes not therefor delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (A) have become due and payable, or (B) will become due and payable on the maturity date within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company.

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

All cash and non-callable U.S. 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 shall 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, if any, and interest, but such cash and securities need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable U.S. 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.

 

50


Anything in this Article 8 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon the request of the Company any money or non-callable U.S. 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(a) 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. Satisfaction and Discharge .

This Indenture shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect (except as to surviving rights or registration of transfer or exchange of the Notes, as expressly provided for in this Indenture) as to all outstanding Notes of a series when (i) either (a) all the Notes of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or (b) all Notes of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable, pursuant to an optional redemption notice or otherwise, and the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee funds in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to the date of deposit together with irrevocable instructions from the Company directing the Trustee to apply such funds to the payment thereof at maturity or redemption, as the case may be; (ii) the Company has paid all other sums payable under this Indenture by the Company with respect to such series; and (iii) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent under this Indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to such series have been complied with.

SECTION 8.07. Repayment to Company .

Any cash or non-callable U.S. Government Securities deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, 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) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder shall thereafter, as an unsecured creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such cash and securities, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition) notice that such cash and securities remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such cash and securities then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

SECTION 8.08. Reinstatement .

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any cash or non-callable U.S. Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03, 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 obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.02 or 8.03 until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such cash and securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03, as the case may be; provided , however , that, if the Company makes any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders to receive such payment from the cash and securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

51


SECTION 8.09. Survival .

The Trustee’s rights under this Article 8 shall survive termination of this Indenture or the resignation of the Trustee.

ARTICLE 9

AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

SECTION 9.01. Without Consent of Holder .

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

(a) cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

(b) provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes or to alter the provisions of Article 2 or Exhibit A hereof relating to the form of the Notes (including the related definitions) in a manner that does not materially adversely affect any Holder;

(c) provide for the assumption of the Company’s or a Guarantor’s obligations to the Holders of the Notes by a successor to the Company or a Guarantor pursuant to Article 5 or Article 11 hereof;

(d) 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 hereunder of any Holder of the Notes;

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

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

(g) allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a Guarantee with respect to the Notes;

(h) remove a Guarantor which, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, ceases to be liable in respect of its Guarantee;

(i) make appropriate provision in connection with the appointment of a successor trustee; or

(j) conform the text of this Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes to any provision of the “Description of Notes” contained in the final offering document relating to the original offering of the Notes to the extent that such provision in the Description of Notes was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes.

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 Section 602 of the Base Indenture, the Trustee shall join with the Company and the Guarantors 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 shall 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, this Indenture (including Sections 3.05, 4.08 and 4.11 hereof), the Guarantees and the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a

 

52


majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding voting as a single class (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes), and, subject to Sections 508 and 514 of the Base Indenture, any existing Default or Event of Default (other than a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, 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, the Guarantees or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes voting as a single class (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes). Section 2.03 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 602 and 903 of the Base Indenture, the Trustee shall join with the Company 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 shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental Indenture.

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

After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Company shall 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, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amended or supplemental Indenture or waiver. Subject to Sections 508 and 514 of the Base Indenture, 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. However, without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver under this Section 9.02 may not (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):

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

(b) reduce the rate of or change or have the effect of changing the time for payment of interest, including defaulted interest, on any Note;

(c) reduce the principal of or change or have the effect of changing the fixed maturity of any Note, or change the date on which any Note may be subject to redemption or reduce the redemption price therefor;

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

(e) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture protecting the right of each Holder to receive payment of principal of and interest on such Note on or after the due date thereof or to bring suit to enforce such payment, or permitting Holders of a majority in principal amount of Notes to waive Defaults or Events of Default; or

(f) after the Company’s obligation to purchase Notes arises thereunder, amend, change or modify in any material respect the obligation of the Company to make and consummate a Change of Control Offer in the event of a Change of Control or modify any of the provisions or definitions with respect thereto after a Change of Control has occurred.

Any modification or change in any provision of Article 10, Article 12 or the related definitions affecting the subordination or ranking of the Notes in a manner which adversely affects the Holders will require the consent of the Holders of at least 75% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.

 

53


An amendment under this Section may not make any change that adversely affects the rights under Article 10 or 12 hereof or any supplemental indenture to this Indenture providing for a Guarantee of the Notes by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any holder of Senior Debt of the Company or of a Guarantor then outstanding (including any such change of this paragraph of this Section 9.02) unless the holders of such Senior Debt (or their Representative) consent to such change.

For purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Notes have taken any action under this Indenture, the principal amount of Notes shall be determined as of (i) if a record date has been set with respect to the taking of such action, such date or (ii) if no such date has been set, the date the taking of such action by the Holders of such requisite principal amount is certified to the Trustee by the Company.

SECTION 9.03. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act .

Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes shall be set forth in an 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 is a continuing consent by the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion thereof 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 or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to its Note or portion thereof if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date the waiver, supplement or amendment becomes effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver shall become effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter shall bind every Holder.

SECTION 9.05. Trustee to Sign Amendments .

The Trustee shall 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. None of the Company nor any Guarantor may sign an amendment or supplemental indenture until its board of directors (or committee serving a similar function) approves it. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee shall be provided with and (subject to Section 7.01 hereof and, Sections 602 and 903 of the Base Indenture) shall be fully protected in relying upon 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 and that such amended or supplemental indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions and that such amended or supplemental indenture complies with the provisions hereof (including Section 9.03).

ARTICLE 10

SUBORDINATION

SECTION 10.01. Agreement to Subordinate .

The Company agrees, and each Holder by accepting a Note agrees, that the Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes and all Obligations relating thereto are subordinated in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner provided in this Article 10, to the prior payment of all Senior Debt of the Company and all Obligations relating thereto and that the subordination is for the benefit of and enforceable by the holders of such Senior Debt. The Notes shall in all respects rank pari passu with all other Senior Subordinated Debt of the Company and only Indebtedness of the Company that is Senior Debt shall rank senior to the Notes in accordance with the provisions set forth herein. All provisions of this Article 10 shall be subject to Section 10.12.

 

54


SECTION 10.02. Liquidation, Dissolution, Bankruptcy .

Upon any payment or distribution of the assets of the Company to creditors upon a total or partial liquidation or a total or partial dissolution of the Company or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding relating to the Company or its property, in an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or in any marshaling of the Company’s assets and liabilities:

(1) holders of Senior Debt of the Company shall be entitled to receive payment in full in cash of all Obligations in respect of such Senior Debt (including interest after the commencement of any bankruptcy proceeding at the rate specified in the applicable Senior Debt, whether or not allowed or allowable) before Holders shall be entitled to receive any payment (except that Holders of Notes may receive and retain Permitted Junior Securities and payments made from any defeasance trust created pursuant to Section 8.01 hereof); and

(2) until all Obligations in respect of the Senior Debt of the Company are paid in full in cash, any payment or distribution to which Holders would be entitled but for this Article 10 shall be made to holders of such Senior Debt as their interests may appear, except that Holders may receive and retain Permitted Junior Securities and payments made from any defeasance trust created pursuant to Section 8.01 hereof), as their interests may appear.

A distribution may consist of cash, securities or other property, by set-off or otherwise.

SECTION 10.03. Default on Senior Debt .

(a) The Company shall not pay, in cash or in property by set-off or otherwise, the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes or any Obligations related thereto or make any deposit to the trust described in Section 8.04 (except in Permitted Junior Securities or from the trust described in Section 8.04) and may not purchase, redeem or otherwise retire any Notes (collectively, “ pay the Notes ”) if either of the following occurs:

(1) a payment default on Designated Senior Debt occurs and is continuing beyond any applicable grace period; or

(2) any other default occurs and is continuing on any series of Designated Senior Debt that permits holders of such series to accelerate its maturity and the Trustee and the Company receives a notice of such default (a “ Payment Blockage Notice ”) from the holders of any Designated Senior Debt (or their Representative). If the Trustee and the Company receive any such Payment Blockage Notice, no subsequent Payment Blockage Notice will be effective for purposes of this Section unless and until (A) at least 360 days have elapsed since the delivery of the immediately prior Payment Blockage Notice and (B) all scheduled payments of principal, premium and interest on the Notes that have come due have been paid in full in cash.

For purposes of this Section, no nonpayment default which existed or was continuing on the date of delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice to the Trustee will be, or be made, the basis for a subsequent Payment Blockage Notice unless such nonpayment default is cured or waived for a period of not less than 90 consecutive days.

(b) The Company may and will resume payments on and distributions in respect of the Notes and may acquire them upon the earlier of:

(1) in the case of a payment default, upon the date upon which such default is cured or waived, and

(2) in the case of a nonpayment default, upon the earlier of the date on which such nonpayment default is cured or waived or 179 days after the date on which the applicable Payment Blockage Notice is received, unless the maturity of any Senior Debt has been accelerated, in either case, if this Article 10 otherwise permits the payment, distribution or acquisition at the time of such payment or acquisition.

 

55


SECTION 10.04. Occurrence of an Event of Default .

The Company must promptly notify holders of Senior Debt (or their Representative) upon the occurrence of an Event of Default or if payment of the Notes is accelerated because of an Event of Default.

SECTION 10.05. When Distribution Must Be Paid Over .

In the event that the Trustee or any Holder receives any payment of any Obligations with respect to the Notes (other than Permitted Junior Securities and payments made from any defeasance trust created pursuant to Section 8.01 hereof) at a time when the payment is prohibited by this Article 10 and a Responsible Officer of the Trustee or such Holder, as applicable, has actual knowledge that such payment is prohibited by Section 10.03 hereof, such payment will be held by the Trustee or such Holder, in trust for the benefit of, and will be paid forthwith over and delivered, upon written request, to, the holders of Senior Debt as their interests may appear or their representative under the agreement, indenture or other document (if any) pursuant to which Senior Debt may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, for application to the all Obligations with respect to Senior Debt remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay such Obligations in full in accordance with their terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Debt.

With respect to the holders of Senior Debt, the Trustee undertakes to perform only those obligations on the part of the Trustee as are specifically set forth in this Article 10, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Debt will be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee will not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Debt, and will not be liable to any such holders if the Trustee pays over or distributes to or on behalf of Holders or the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holders of Senior Debt are then entitled by virtue of this Article 10, except if such payment is made as a result of the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Trustee.

SECTION 10.06. Subrogation .

After all Senior Debt of the Company is paid in full and until the Notes are paid in full, Holders shall be subrogated to the rights of holders of such Senior Debt to receive distributions applicable to such Senior Debt. A distribution made under this Article 10 to holders of such Senior Debt that otherwise would have been made to Holders is not, as between the Company and Holders, a payment by the Company on such Senior Debt.

SECTION 10.07. Relative Rights .

This Article 10 defines the relative rights of Holders and holders of Senior Debt of the Company. Nothing in this Indenture shall:

(a) impair, as between the Company and Holders, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay principal of and interest on the Notes in accordance with their terms; or

(b) affect the relative rights of Holders and creditors of the Company other than their rights in relation to holders of Senior Debt; or

(c) prevent the Trustee or any Holder from exercising its available remedies upon an Event of Default, subject to the rights of holders of Senior Debt of the Company to receive distributions otherwise payable to Holders.

SECTION 10.08. Notice: Subordination May Not Be Impaired by the Company .

The Company will promptly notify the Trustee and the Paying Agent of any facts known to the Company that would cause a payment of any Obligations with respect to the Notes to violate this Article 10, but failure to give such notice will not affect the subordination of the Notes to the Senior Debt as provided in this Article 10. No right

 

56


of any holder of Senior Debt of the Company to enforce the subordination of the Indebtedness evidenced by the Notes shall be impaired by any act or failure to act by the Company or any Holder or by the failure of the Company or any Holder to comply with this Indenture.

SECTION 10.09. Rights of Trustee and Paying Agents .

Notwithstanding anything in this Article 10, the Trustee or Paying Agents may continue to make payments on the Notes and shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of facts that would prohibit the making of any such payments to or by the Trustee unless and until, not less than two Business Days prior to the date of such payment, a Responsible Officer receives written notice satisfactory to it that payments may not be made under this Article 10. The Company or a Representative or a holder of Senior Debt of the Company may give the notice; provided , however , that, if an issue of Senior Debt of the Company has a Representative, only the Representative may give the notice.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may hold Senior Debt of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. The Paying Agents may do the same with like rights. The Trustee shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 10 with respect to any Senior Debt of the Company that may at any time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Debt; and nothing in Article VI of the Base Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder. Nothing in this Article 10 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 606 of the Base Indenture.

SECTION 10.10. Distribution or Notice to Representative .

Whenever a distribution is to be made or a notice given to holders of Senior Debt of the Company, the distribution may be made and the notice given to their Representative (if any).

SECTION 10.11. Not to Prevent Events of Default or Limit Rights to Accelerate .

The failure to make any payment pursuant to the Notes by reason of any provision in this Article 10 shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of a Default. Nothing in this Article 10 shall have any effect on the right of the Holders or the Trustee to accelerate the maturity of the Notes.

SECTION 10.12. Trustee Moneys Not Subordinated .

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, payments from money or the proceeds of U.S. Government Securities held in trust under Article 8 hereof by the Trustee for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes shall not be subordinated to the prior payment of any Senior Debt of the Company or subject to the restrictions set forth in this Article 10 if the provisions of this Article 10 were not violated at the time funds were deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to Article 8 hereof, and none of the Holders shall be obligated to pay over any such amount to the Company or any holder of Senior Debt of the Company or any other creditor of the Company.

SECTION 10.13. Trustee Entitled to Rely .

Upon any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 10, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to rely (a) upon any order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction in which any proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 10.02 are pending, (b) upon a certificate of the liquidating trustee or Agent or other Person making such payment or distribution to the Trustee or to the Holders or (c) upon a certificate of the Representative of the holders of Senior Debt of the Company or, if there is no Representative, the holders of Senior Debt of the Company for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Debt and other Indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 10. In the event that the Trustee determines, in good faith, that evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Debt of the Company to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 10, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such

 

57


Senior Debt held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 10, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment. The provisions of Sections 602 of the Base Indenture shall be applicable to all actions or omissions of actions by the Trustee pursuant to this Article 10.

SECTION 10.14. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination .

Each Holder by accepting a Note authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate the subordination between the Holders and the holders of Senior Debt of the Company as provided in this Article 10 and appoints the Trustee as attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. If the Trustee does not file a proper proof of claim or proof of debt in the form required in any proceeding referred to in Section 504 of the Base Indenture hereof at least 30 days before the expiration of the time to file such claim, the indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or representative for any Senior Debt (“Representatives”) are hereby authorized to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders of the Notes.

SECTION 10.15. Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Debt of the Company .

The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Debt of the Company and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall mistakenly pay over or distribute to Holders or the Company or any other Person, money or assets to which any holders of such Senior Debt shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 10 or otherwise.

SECTION 10.16. Amendments .

The provisions of this Article 10 and of Article 12 may not be amended or modified without the written consent of the holders of Senior Debt, as required under the agreement, indenture or other document (if any) governing such Senior Debt. In addition, any amendment to, or waiver of, the provisions of this Article 10 or Article 12 that adversely affects the rights of the Holders of the Notes will require the consent of the Holders of at least 75% in aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding.

SECTION 10.17. Reliance by Holders of Senior Debt of the Company on Subordination Provisions .

Each Holder by accepting a Note acknowledges and agrees that the subordination provisions in this Article 10 and in Article 12 are, and are intended to be, an inducement and a consideration to each holder of any Senior Debt of the Company, whether such Senior Debt was created or acquired before or after the issuance of the Notes, to acquire and continue to hold, or to continue to hold, such Senior Debt and such holder of Senior Debt shall be deemed conclusively to have relied on, and is a third party beneficiary of, such subordination provisions in acquiring and continuing to hold, or in continuing to hold, such Senior Debt.

ARTICLE 11

GUARANTEES

SECTION 11.01. Guarantees .

Each Guarantor hereby agrees that Article XVI of the Base Indenture shall be applicable to the Notes.

SECTION 11.02. Release of Guarantor .

Upon the sale (including any sale pursuant to any exercise of remedies by a holder of Senior Debt of the Company or of any Guarantor) or other disposition (including by way of consolidation or merger) of such Guarantor or (b) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor (in case of clauses (a) and (b), other than a sale or disposition to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company and if in connection therewith the Company provides an Officers’ Certificate to the Trustee to the effect that the Company will comply with its

 

58


obligations under Section 4.08 hereof in respect of such disposition), (c) upon the release of such Guarantor from its guarantee, if any, of all pledges and security, if any, granted by such Guarantor in connection with the Credit Facility or (d) upon designation of a Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, such Guarantor shall be deemed released from all obligations under this Article 11 without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. If the Company exercises its Legal Defeasance option or its Covenant Defeasance option in accordance with the provisions of Article 8 hereof or if its obligations under this Indenture are discharged in accordance with Section 8.06 hereof, each Guarantor shall be released from all obligations under this Article 11 without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. At the request of the Company, the Trustee shall execute and deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing the release of a Guarantor pursuant to this Section 11.02.

SECTION 11.03. Contribution .

Each Guarantor that makes a payment under its Guarantee shall be entitled upon payment in full of all Guaranteed Obligations to contribution from each Guarantor, as applicable, in an amount equal to such Guarantor’s pro rata portion of such payment based on the respective net assets of all the Guarantors at the time of such payment determined in accordance with GAAP.

SECTION 11.04. Parity with Guarantees Delivered Under the Existing Indenture .

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any provision of this Indenture or any Notes issued hereunder on the date hereof, the Guarantees delivered under this Indenture on the date hereof shall rank in parity in all respect to the Guarantees delivered or deliverable under the Existing Indenture.

ARTICLE 12

SUBORDINATION OF GUARANTEES

SECTION 12.01. Agreement to Subordinate .

Each Guarantor agrees, and each Holder by accepting a Note agrees, that the Indebtedness evidenced by such Guarantor’s Guarantee and all Obligations relating thereto are subordinated in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner provided in this Article 12, to the prior payment of all Senior Debt of such Guarantor and all Obligations relating thereto and that the subordination is for the benefit of and enforceable by the holders of such Senior Debt. The Guaranteed Obligations of a Guarantor shall in all respects rank pari passu with all other Senior Subordinated Debt of such Guarantor and only Senior Debt of such Guarantor (including such Guarantor’s Guarantee of Senior Debt of the Company) shall rank senior to the Guaranteed Obligations of such Guarantor in accordance with the provisions set forth herein.

SECTION 12.02. Liquidation, Dissolution, Bankruptcy .

Upon any payment or distribution of the assets of any Guarantor to creditors upon a total or partial liquidation or a total or partial dissolution of such Guarantor or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding relating to such Guarantor or its property, in an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or in any marshaling of the Company’s assets and liabilities:

(1) holders of Senior Debt of such Guarantor shall be entitled to receive payment in full in cash of all Obligations in respect of such Senior Debt before Holders shall be entitled to receive any payment pursuant to the Guarantee of such Guarantor; and

(2) until all Obligations in respect of the Senior Debt of any Guarantor is paid in full in cash, any payment or distribution to which Holders would be entitled but for this Article 12 shall be made to holders of such Senior Debt as their interests may appear, except that Holders may receive and retain Permitted Junior Securities.

 

59


A distribution may consist of cash, securities or other property, by set-off or otherwise.

SECTION 12.03. Default on Senior Debt of Guarantor .

The Obligations of each Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to this Article 12 will be junior and subordinated to the Senior Debt of such Guarantor on the same basis as the Notes are junior and subordinated to Senior Debt of the Company. For the purposes of the foregoing sentence, the Trustee and the Holders will have the right to receive and/or retain payments by any of the Guarantors only at such times as they may receive and/or retain payments in respect of the Notes pursuant to this Indenture, including Article 10 hereof.

SECTION 12.04. Demand for Payment .

If a demand for payment is made on a Guarantor pursuant to Article 11 hereof, the Trustee shall promptly notify the holders of the Designated Senior Debt of such Guarantor (or their Representatives) of such demand.

SECTION 12.05. When Distribution Must Be Paid Over .

If a payment or distribution is made to Holders that because of this Article 12 should not have been made to them, the Trustee or the Holders who receive the distribution shall hold it in trust for holders of the relevant Senior Debt of the applicable Guarantor and pay it over to them or their Representatives as their interests may appear. If any Designated Senior Debt of a Guarantor is outstanding, such Guarantor shall not make a payment on its Guarantee until five Business Days after the Representatives of all the issues of Designated Senior Debt of such Guarantor receive notice of such acceleration and, thereafter, shall be entitled to pay the Notes only if this Article 12 otherwise permits payment at that time.

SECTION 12.06. Subrogation .

After all Senior Debt of a Guarantor is paid in full and until the Notes are paid in full, Holders shall be subrogated to the rights of holders of such Senior Debt to receive distributions applicable to Senior Debt of such Guarantor. A distribution made under this Article 12 to holders of such Senior Debt that otherwise would have been made to Holders is not, as between the relevant Guarantors and Holders, a payment by such Guarantor on such Senior Debt.

SECTION 12.07. Relative Rights .

This Article 12 defines the relative rights of Holders and holders of Senior Debt of a Guarantor. Nothing in this Indenture shall:

(a) impair, as between a Guarantor and Holders, the obligation of the such Guarantor, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay its Guarantee to the extent set forth in Article 11; or

(b) affect the relative rights of Holders and creditors of the Guarantors other than their rights in relation to holders of Senior Debt; or

(c) prevent the Trustee or any Holder from exercising its available remedies upon an Event of Default by such Guarantor under its Guarantee, subject to the rights of holders of Senior Debt of such Guarantor to receive distributions otherwise payable to Holders.

SECTION 12.08. Subordination May Not Be Impaired by Guarantor .

No right of any holder of Senior Debt of any Guarantor to enforce the subordination of the Guarantee of such Guarantor shall be impaired by any act or failure to act by such Guarantor or any Holder or by its failure to comply with this Indenture.

 

60


SECTION 12.09. Rights of Trustee and Paying Agents .

Notwithstanding anything in this Article 12, the Trustee or any Paying Agent may continue to make payments on any Guarantee and shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of facts that would prohibit the making of any such payments to or by the Trustee unless and until, not less than two Business Days prior to the date of such payment, a Responsible Officer receives written notice satisfactory to it that payments may not be made under this Article 12. The Company, the relevant Guarantor, the Registrar, the applicable Paying Agent, a Representative or a holder of Senior Debt of any Guarantor may give the notice; provided , however , that, if an issue of Senior Debt of any Guarantor has a Representative, only the Representative may give the notice.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may hold Senior Debt of any Guarantor with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. The Paying Agents may do the same with like rights. The Trustee shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article 12 with respect to any Senior Debt of any Guarantor that may at any time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Debt; and nothing in Article VI of the Base Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder. Nothing in this Article 12 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 606 of the Base Indenture.

SECTION 12.10. Distribution or Notice to Representative .

Whenever a distribution is to be made or a notice given to holders of Senior Debt of any Guarantor, the distribution may be made and the notice given to their Representative (if any).

SECTION 12.11. Article 12 Not to Prevent Events of Default or Limit Right to Demand Payment .

The failure to make any payment to a Guarantee by reason of any provision in this Article 12 shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of a Default. Nothing in this Article 12 shall have any effect on the right of the Holders or the Trustee to make a demand for payment on any Guarantor pursuant to its Guarantee.

SECTION 12.12. Trustee Entitled to Rely .

Upon any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 12, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to rely (a) upon any order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction in which any proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 12.02 are pending, (b) upon a certificate of the liquidating trustee or Agent or other Person making such payment or distribution to the Trustee or to the Holders or (c) upon a certificate of the Representative of the holders of Senior Debt of any Guarantor or, if there is no Representative, the holders of Senior Debt of any Guarantor for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Debt and other indebtedness of such Guarantor, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article 12. In the event that the Trustee determines, in good faith, that evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Debt of any Guarantor to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article 12, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Debt of such Guarantor held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article 12, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment. The provisions of 602 of the Base Indenture shall be applicable to all actions or omissions of actions by the Trustee pursuant to this Article 12.

SECTION 12.13. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination .

Each Holder by accepting a Note authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate the subordination between the Holders and the holders of Senior Debt of any Guarantor as provided in this Article 12 and appoints the Trustee as attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

61


SECTION 12.14. Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Debt of Guarantor .

The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Debt of any Guarantor and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall mistakenly pay over or distribute to Holders or the Company or any other Person, money or assets to which any holders of such Senior Debt shall be entitled by virtue of this Article 12 or otherwise.

ARTICLE 13

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 13.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls .

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision which is required to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, the provision required by the TIA shall control.

If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provisions of the TIA that may be so modified or excluded, the former provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded.

SECTION 13.02. Notices .

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

If to the Company:

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600

Walnut Creek, California 94597

Attention: William E. Brown

Telecopier No. (925) 947-0914

With a copy to:

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

The Orrick Building

405 Howard Street

San Francisco, CA 94105-2625

Attention: John Seegal, Esq.

Brett Cooper, Esq.

Telecopier No. (415) 773-5759

If to the Trustee:

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

707 Wilshire Blvd, 17th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Attention: Corporate Trust Services – Central Garden & Pet Company

Telecopier No.: (213) 614-3355;

For payments and surrender of securities to:

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

625 Marquette Avenue,

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

Attention: Corporate Trust Services – Central Garden & Pet Company

Telecopier No.: (612) 667-5047

 

62


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

All notices and communications (other than those sent to the Trustee or Holders) 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 receipt acknowledged, if sent by facsimile transmission; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next-day delivery. All notices and communications to the Trustee or Holders shall be deemed duly given and effective only upon receipt.

Any notice or communication to a Holder shall 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 security register for the Notes. Any notice or communication shall 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 shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.

All notices to Holders will be validly given if mailed to them at their respective addresses in the register of the Holders, if any, maintained by the Registrar. 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 shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

SECTION 13.03. 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 13.04. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders .

No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or of the Guarantors under the Notes, this Indenture, the Guarantees 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.

SECTION 13.05. Governing Law .

THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS INDENTURE AND THE NOTES 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 13.06. 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 13.07. Successors .

All covenants and agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors. All covenants and agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.

 

63


SECTION 13.08. Severability .

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

SECTION 13.09. Counterpart Originals .

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

SECTION 13.10. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc .

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

SECTION 13.11. Note Purchases by Company and Affiliates .

The Company and its Affiliates shall be permitted to purchase Notes, whether through private purchase, open market purchase, tender offer, or otherwise. Such purchase or acquisition shall not operate as or be deemed for any purpose to be a redemption of the Indebtedness represented by such Notes. Any Notes purchased or acquired by the Company may be delivered to the Trustee and, upon such delivery the Indebtedness represented thereby shall be deemed to be satisfied.

SECTION 13.12. Agent for Service; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity .

(a) By the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Guarantors that are not incorporated or otherwise organized under the laws of any State (including the District of Columbia) of the United States (A) acknowledge that they will, by separate written instrument, designate and appoint the Company (and any successor entity) as their authorized agent upon which process may be served in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Indenture that may be instituted in any Federal or state court in the State of New York, New York County or brought under Federal or state securities laws, and acknowledge that the Company will accept such designation, (B) submit for themselves and their property to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit or proceeding, (C) consent that any such proceeding may be brought in any such court and waives trial by jury and any objection that any of them may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such proceeding in any such court or that such proceeding was brought in any inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same, (D) agree that service of process upon the Company and written notice of said service to such Guarantors in accordance with Section 13.02 shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon such Guarantors in any such suit or proceeding and (E) agree that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right to sue in any other jurisdiction.

(b) To the extent that any Guarantor may be entitled, in any jurisdiction in which judicial proceedings may at any time be commenced with respect to or arising out of this Indenture, to claim for itself or its revenues, assets or properties immunity (whether by reason of sovereignty or otherwise) from suit, from the jurisdiction of any court (including but not limited to any court of the United States of America or the State of New York), from attachment prior to judgment, from set-off, from execution of a judgment or from any other legal process, and to the extent that in any such jurisdiction there may be attributed such an immunity (whether or not claimed), such Guarantor hereby irrevocably agrees not to claim and hereby irrevocably waives such immunity to the extent permitted by law.

SECTION 13.13. 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.

[Signatures on following page]

 

64


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

 

ISSUER:

C ENTRAL G ARDEN  & P ET C OMPANY

By:

 

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

  Name:   Stuart W. Booth
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
GUARANTORS:
F OUR P AWS P RODUCTS L TD .
G RANT L ABORATORIES , I NC .
K AYTEE P RODUCTS , I NCORPORATED
M ATTHEWS R EDWOOD  & N URSERY S UPPLY , I NC .
P ENNINGTON S EED , I NC .
S EEDS W EST , I NC .
A LL -G LASS A QUARIUM C O ., I NC .
T.F.H. P UBLICATIONS , I NC .
W ELLMARK I NTERNATIONAL
P ENNINGTON S EED , I NC . OF N EBRASKA
G RO T EC , I NC .
B2E C ORPORATION
B2E B IOTECH LLC
C EDAR W ORKS , LLC
F ARNAM C OMPANIES , I NC .
G ULFSTREAM H OME  & G ARDEN , I NC .
I NTERPET USA, LLC
N EW E NGLAND P OTTERY , LLC
P ETS I NTERNATIONAL , L TD .
M ATSON , LLC

By:

 

/s/ Stuart W. Booth

  Name:   Stuart W. Booth
    Title:   Authorized Officer

Signature Page to the First Supplemental Indenture

 

65


TRUSTEE:
W ELLS F ARGO B ANK , N ATIONAL A SSOCIATION

By:

 

/s/ Maddy Hall

  Name:   Maddy Hall
  Title:   Vice President

Signature Page to the First Supplemental Indenture

 

66


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

 

No.[    ]    $[            ]
   CUSIP No. 153527AG1

8  1 / 4 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018

Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation, promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of [            ] Dollars ($[            ]) on March 1, 2018.

Interest Payment Dates: March 1 and September 1, commencing September 1, 2010.

Record Dates: February 15 and August 15.

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

 

67


IN WITNESS THEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officer.

 

Dated:                      , 20     

  CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
  By:  

 

    Name:
    Title:

Signature Page to the Global Note

 

68


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF

AUTHENTICATION

[WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION],

as Trustee, certifies that this is one of the Global Notes referred to in the within mentioned Indenture.

By:

 

 

  Authorized Signatory

Signature Page to the Global Note

 

69


[GLOBAL NOTE LEGEND]

THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY AND REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF 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 (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 305 OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 305 OF THE INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 311 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY.

UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS 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.

 

70


[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF GLOBAL NOTE]

8  1 / 4 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the First Supplemental Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated or, if not defined in the First Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture referred to below.

 

1. Interest

Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (such corporation, and its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “Company”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate per annum shown above. The Company will pay interest semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing September 1, 2010. 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 of this Note. The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal and premium, if any, and interest on overdue installments of interest, to the extent lawful, at a rate that is 1% per annum in excess of the rate then in effect. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

2. Method of Payment

The Company will pay interest on the Notes to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on March 1 or September 1 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 with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be payable as to principal, premium 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 Minneapolis, Minnesota, or, at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders, and provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds will be required with respect to principal of and interest and premium on all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which shall have provided wire transfer instructions no later than 30 days immediately preceding the relevant due date for payment (or such other date as the Trustee may accept in its judgment), to the Company or the Principal Paying Agent. Such payment shall be in such coin or currency of the United States of America at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

 

3. Paying Agent and Registrar

Initially, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the “Trustee”), will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may appoint and change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any holder. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.

 

4. Indenture

The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), between the Company and the Trustee as supplemented by that First Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee. The Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture are collectively referred to herein as the “ Indenture ”. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of the Indenture (the “TIA”). Terms defined in the Indenture and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the TIA for a statement of those 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.

 

71


The Company shall be entitled, subject to its compliance with Section 4.07 of the First Supplemental Indenture, to issue Additional Notes pursuant to Section 2.05 of the First Supplemental Indenture. The Initial Notes issued on the date hereof and any Additional Notes will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture.

 

5. Optional Redemption

At any time prior to March 1, 2014, the Company may redeem all or a part of the Notes (which includes Additional Notes, if any) upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of redemption (the “ Redemption Date ”), subject to the rights of Holders of Notes on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date.

On and after March 1, 2014, the Company shall be entitled at its option to redeem all or a portion of the Notes at the redemption prices set forth below (expressed in percentages of principal amount on the Redemption Date) plus accrued interest to, but not including, the Redemption Date, if redeemed during the 12-month period commencing on March 1 of the years set forth below:

 

Year

   Redemption Price  

2014

   104.125

2015

   102.063

2016 and thereafter

   100.00

In addition, prior to March 1, 2013, the Company shall be entitled at its option on one or more occasions to redeem Notes in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes issued (which includes the Additional Notes, if any) at a redemption price (expressed, as a percentage of principal amount) of 108.25%, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the Redemption Date, with the net cash proceeds from one or more Equity Offerings; provided , however , that (1) at least 65% of such aggregate principal amount of Notes (which includes the Additional Notes, if any) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of each such redemption (other than Notes held, directly or indirectly, by the Company or its Affiliates); and (2) each such redemption occurs within 90 days after the date of the closing of the related Equity Offering.

 

6. 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 of Notes to be redeemed at each such Holder’s registered address.

 

7. Repurchase at Option of Holder

If a Change of Control occurs, each Holder shall have the right to require that the Company purchase all or a portion of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to the offer described in the Indenture (the “ Change of Control Offer ”), at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest to the date of purchase. Within 30 days following the date upon which the Change of Control occurred, the Company must send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each Holder, which notice shall govern the terms of the Change of Control Offer and shall be in compliance with the Indenture. Holders electing to have their Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer shall be required to surrender their Notes, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the change of control Payment Date.

 

72


If the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary consummates any Asset Sales, under certain circumstances the Company is required to commence an offer to all Holders of Notes (an “ Asset Sale Offer ”) pursuant to Section 4.08 of the Indenture. The Asset Sale Offer may also be made to holders of other Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary ranking pari passu with the Notes requiring the making of such an offer (“ Pari Passu Debt ”). Pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer, the Company shall offer to purchase on a date not less than 30 nor more than 60 days following the applicable Asset Sale Offer Trigger Date, from all Holders and holders of any other Pari Passu Debt of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, on a pro rata basis, the maximum amount of Notes and such other Pari Passu Debt that may be purchased with the Asset Sale Offer Amount at a price equal to 100% of their principal amount in accordance with the procedures (including pro-rating in the event of over-subscription and calculation of the principal amount of notes denominated in different currencies) set forth in the Indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to the date of purchase (or, in respect of such other Pari Passu Debt, such lesser price, if any, as may be provided for by the terms of such Pari Passu Debt in accordance with the procedures (including pro-rating in the event of over-subscription and calculation of the principal amount of Notes denominated in different currencies) set forth in the Indenture). If the aggregate principal amount of Notes or such other Pari Passu Debt surrendered by holders thereof exceeds the amount of Asset Sale Offer Amount, the Notes will be purchased on a pro rata basis. Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase will receive an Asset Sale Offer from the Company prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Notes purchased by completing the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Notes.

 

8. Denominations; Transfer; Exchange

The Notes are in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange any Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case of a Note to be redeemed in part, the portion of the Note not to be redeemed) or any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or 15 days before an Interest Payment Date.

 

9. Persons Deemed Owners

The registered Holder of this Note may be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

 

10. Discharge and Defeasance

Subject to certain conditions, the Company at any time shall be entitled to terminate some or all of its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. government securities for the payment of principal and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.

 

11. Amendment, Waiver

Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes voting as a single class (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes), and any existing Default or Event of Default (other than a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, 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 the Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes voting as a single class (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for, or purchase of, the Notes). Without the consent of any Holder of a Note, the Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes may be amended to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes or to alter the provisions of Article 2 of the First Supplemental Indenture or Exhibit A to

 

73


the First Supplemental Indenture relating to the form of the Notes (including the related definitions) in a manner that does not materially adversely affect any Holder, to provide for the assumption of the Company’s or any Guarantor’s obligations to Holders of the Notes by a successor to the Company or a Guarantor pursuant to Article 5 or Article 11 of the First Supplemental Indenture, 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 the Indenture of any such Holder, to comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the TIA, to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the Indenture, to allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a Guarantee with respect to the Notes, to remove a Guarantor, which, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, ceases to be liable in respect of its Guarantee, to make appropriate provision in connection with the appointment of a successor trustee, or to conform the text of the Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes to any provision in the Description of Notes contained in the final offering document relating to the original offering of the Notes to the extent that such provision in the Description of Notes was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision in the Indenture, the Guarantees or the Notes.

 

12. Defaults and Remedies

Events of Default include: (i) the failure to pay interest on any Notes when the same becomes due and payable and the default continues for a period of 30 days (whether or not such payment is prohibited by Article 10 or Article 12 of the First Supplemental Indenture); (ii) the failure to pay the principal on any Notes when such principal becomes due and payable, at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise (including the failure to make a payment to purchase Notes tendered pursuant to a Change of Control Offer or Asset Sale Offer on the date specified for such payment in the applicable offer to purchase) (whether or not such payment is prohibited by Article 10 or Article 12 of the First Supplemental Indenture); (iii) a default in the observance or performance of any other covenant or agreement contained in the Indenture if the default continues for a period of 60 days after the Company receives written notice specifying the default (and demanding that such default be remedied) from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes (except in the case of a default with respect to Section 5.01 of the First Supplemental Indenture, which will constitute an Event of Default with such notice requirement but without such passage of time requirement); (iv) the failure to pay at final stated maturity (giving effect to any applicable grace periods and any extensions thereof) the principal amount of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (other than the failure by a Securitization Entity to pay Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) or the acceleration of the final stated maturity of any such Indebtedness, if the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness in default for failure to pay principal at final maturity or which has been accelerated, aggregates $30.0 million or more at any time; (v) one or more judgments in an aggregate amount in excess of $30.0 million (to the extent not covered by independent third party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute the coverage) shall have been rendered against the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and such judgments remain undischarged, unpaid or unstayed for a period of 60 days after such judgment or judgments become final and non-appealable; (vi) except as permitted by the Indenture, any Guarantee of any Significant Subsidiary shall be held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or shall cease for any reason to be in full force and effect or any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary, or any Person acting on behalf of such Guarantor, shall deny or disaffirm its obligations under its Guarantee; and (vii) certain events of bankruptcy, as set forth in the Indenture, with respect to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare the principal and all accrued interest on all the Notes to be due and payable immediately by notice in writing to the Company and the Trustee specifying the respective Event of Default and that it is a “notice of acceleration” (the “ Acceleration Notice ”), and the same (i) shall become immediately due and payable and (ii) if there are any amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility, shall become immediately due and payable upon the first to occur of an acceleration under the Credit Facility or five Business Days after receipt by the Company and the Representative under the Credit Facility of such Acceleration Notice but only if such Event of Default is then continuing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy

 

74


with respect to the Company, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable without further action or notice. Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture and the Trust Indenture Act. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, the Notes. The Company is required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and the Company is required upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.

 

13. Guarantee

The full and punctual payment by the Company of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes is fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several senior subordinated basis by each of the Guarantors.

 

14. Trustee Dealings with the Company

Subject to certain limitations imposed by the TIA, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Company or its Affiliates and 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.

 

15. No Recourse Against Others

Any past, present, or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder, as such, of the Company, any Guarantors or the Trustee shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the Notes, the Indenture, the Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

16. Authentication

This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

 

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 rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (=custodian), and U/G/M/A (=Uniform Gift to Minors Act).

 

18. Subordination

Payment of principal, interest and premium on the Notes is subordinated to the prior payment of Senior Debt on the terms provided in the First Supplemental Indenture.

 

19. 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 has directed the Trustee to 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.

 

75


20. Governing Law

THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS NOTE 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 to the Holder a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600

Walnut Creek, California 94597

Attention: Secretary

 

76


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

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

and irrevocably appoint agent 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 other side of this Note.
          

 

           Signature   

Signature Guarantee:

       

 

 

 

Signature must be guaranteed

  Signature

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

77


[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL SECURITIES]

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE

The following increases or decreases 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

 

78


OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.08 or 4.11 of the First Supplemental Indenture, check the box:

¨

If you want to elect to have only part of this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.08 or 4.11 of the First Supplemental Indenture, state the amount in principal amount: $                     

 

Dated:     Your Signature:  

 

      (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.)
Signature Guarantee:  

 

 
  (Signature must be guaranteed)    

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

79


EXHIBIT B

[FORM OF GUARANTEE]

For value received, each Guarantor (which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture) party hereto, jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantees, to the extent set forth in and subject to the provisions in the Indenture, dated as March 8, 2010 (the, “ Base Indenture ”), between Central Garden & Pet Company, as issuer (the “ Company ”) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”),as supplemented by that First Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 8, 2010 (the, “ First Supplemental Indenture ”, and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), among the Company, the Guarantors from time to time party thereto and the Trustee, (a) the full and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on the Notes when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and all other monetary obligations of the Company under the Indenture and the Notes and (b) the full and punctual performance within applicable grace periods of all other obligations of the Company under the Indenture and the Notes (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “ Guaranteed Obligations ”). Each Guarantor further agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from such Guarantor and that such Guarantor will remain bound hereunder notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guaranteed Obligation.

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 the Indenture (including Article 11 and Article 12 of the First Supplemental Indenture and Article XVI of the Base Indenture) and reference is hereby made thereto for the precise terms of the Guarantee. Each Holder of a Note, by accepting the same agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions. This Guarantee is subject to release as and to the extent set forth in Sections 8.02, 8.03, 8.06 and 11.02 of the First Supplemental Indenture. Without limitation the foregoing, payment of this Guarantee is subordinated to the prior payment of Senior Debt on the terms provided in the First Supplemental Indenture.

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined are used herein as so defined in the Indenture.

 

80


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Guarantee to be duly executed and delivered by its duly authorized officer as of the          day of                      20    .

 

[GUARANTOR]

By:

 

 

  Name:
  Title:

Signature Page to the Guarantee

 

81

EXHIBIT 5.1

 

LOGO   

ORRICK, HERRINGTON & SUTCLIFFE LLP

THE ORRICK BUILDING

405 HOWARD STREET

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94105-2669

 

tel +1-415-773-5700

fax +1-415-773-5759

 

www.orrick.com

  
  
  
  

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Boulevard, Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

 

Re: $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the subsidiaries of the Company listed on Schedule I hereto (each individually, a “Covered Guarantor” and collectively, the “Covered Guarantors”) and Schedule II hereto (each individually, a “Non-Covered Guarantor” and collectively, the “Non-Covered Guarantors,” and together with the Covered Guarantors, the “Guarantors”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on September 1, 2009 (the “Registration Statement”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25, 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 (together, the “Prospectus”) relating to (i) the issuance of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”) and the issuance by the Guarantors of guarantees (the “Guarantees”) with respect to the Notes. The Notes and the Guarantees will be issued under a base indenture, dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “Base Indenture”), among the Company, as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”) among the Company, the Guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (together, with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Company is filing the Base Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture, the form of the Guarantees and this opinion letter with the Commission as exhibits to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

We have examined the Registration Statement and the Indenture. We also have examined the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments and have made such other investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions hereinafter set forth. As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company and the Guarantors.

In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. We also have assumed that the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligations of the Trustee.


LOGO      
Central Garden & Pet Company      
March 8, 2010      
Page 2      

 

We have assumed further that each Non-Covered Guarantor is validly existing under the law of its jurisdiction of organization and has duly authorized, executed and delivered the Indenture in accordance with its organizational documents and the law of its jurisdiction of organization.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that:

 

  1. When the Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, the Notes will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

  2. When (a) the Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and (b) the Guarantees have been duly issued, the Guarantees will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms.

Our opinion set forth above is subject to (i) the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (iv) to the effects of the possible judicial application of foreign laws or foreign governmental or judicial action affecting creditors’ rights.

In rendering the opinion set forth above, we have relied on (1) the opinion of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., with respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of Wisconsin, (2) the opinion of the Law Office of Andrew M. Reed, with respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of Florida, (3) the opinion of Fennemore Craig, P.C., with respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, (4) the opinion of Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P., with respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of Nebraska, (5) the opinion of Ulmer & Berne LLP, with respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, (6) the opinion of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC, with respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, and (7) the opinion of Winston & Strawn LLP, with respect to matters governed by the laws of the State of Illinois.

We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the laws of the State of California, the State of New York, the State of Washington, the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing).

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus included in the


LOGO      
Central Garden & Pet Company      
March 8, 2010      
Page 3      

 

Registration Statement. By giving this opinion we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP


LOGO      
Central Garden & Pet Company      
March 8, 2010      
Page 4      

 

Schedule I

Covered Guarantors

B2E Biotech LLC

B2E Corporation

Four Paws Products Ltd.

Grant Laboratories, Inc.

Interpet USA, LLC

Matson, LLC

Matthews Redwood & Nursery Supply, Inc.

New England Pottery, LLC

Pennington Seed, Inc.

T.F.H. Publications, Inc.

Wellmark International


LOGO      
Central Garden & Pet Company      
March 8, 2010      
Page 5      

 

Schedule II

Non-

Covered Guarantors

All-Glass Aquarium Co., Inc (Wisconsin)

Cedar Works, LLC (Ohio)

Farnam Companies, Inc. (Arizona)

Gro Tec, Inc. (Georgia)

Gulfstream Home & Garden (Florida)

Kaytee Products, Incorporated (Wisconsin)

Pennington Seed, Inc. of Nebraska (Nebraska)

Pets International, Ltd. (Illinois)

Seeds West, Inc. (Arizona)

EXHIBIT 5.2

[LETTERHEAD OF GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.]

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special Wisconsin counsel for Kaytee Products Incorporated, a Wisconsin corporation (“ Kaytee ”), and All-Glass Aquarium Co., Inc., a Wisconsin corporation (“ All-Glass ”) (Kaytee and All-Glass being collectively referred to herein as the “ Wisconsin Subsidiaries ”), in connection with the issuance and sale by Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (“ Central ”), of its 8-1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (the “ Notes ”), which are guaranteed by the Wisconsin Subsidiaries and certain other Guarantors (as defined below).

The Notes will be issued under and pursuant to the base indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), among Central, as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated March 8, 2010 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ” and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”) among Central, other direct and indirect subsidiaries of Central, including the Wisconsin Subsidiaries, as guarantors (the “ Guarantors ”), and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise, identified to our satisfaction of, but have not participated in the negotiation, preparation or settlement of, the following documents:

a. The Base Indenture;

b. The First Supplemental Indenture;

c. The Guarantee of each Wisconsin Subsidiary, dated as of the date hereof (the “ Guarantee ”); and

d. Resolutions of the Board of Directors of each Wisconsin Subsidiary, dated February 24, 2010, pertaining to the authorization, issuance, execution and delivery of the First Supplemental Indenture and the Guarantee issued pursuant to the Indenture certified by the Secretary of such Wisconsin Subsidiary;


Central Garden & Pet Company      
March 8, 2010      
Page 2      

 

We have also examined such records of the Wisconsin Subsidiaries, such certificates of officers of the Wisconsin Subsidiaries, public officials and others and originals, copies or facsimiles of such other agreements, instruments, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or advisable as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In particular, as to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions expressed below, we have relied on certificates of officers of the Wisconsin Subsidiaries, copies of which have been provided to you.

In rendering this opinion, we have assumed, without investigation, verification or inquiry, (i) the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies, and (iii) the truth, accuracy and completeness (without independent investigation or verification) as of the date hereof as to factual matters of the information, representations, warranties and statements contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates we have reviewed in connection with rendering the opinions set forth herein.

In rendering the opinions set forth herein, we have also assumed that all parties (other than the Wisconsin Subsidiaries) had, have or will have all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver the Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture and the Underwriting Agreement, and all other agreements, documents, instruments and certificates examined by us and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, and the due execution and delivery by such parties (other than the Wisconsin Subsidiaries) of the Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture, the Underwriting Agreement, and all other agreements, documents, instruments and certificates and the validity and binding effect and enforceability thereof against all parties in accordance with their respective terms. In rendering the opinions set forth herein concerning the valid existence and good standing of each Wisconsin Subsidiary, we have relied exclusively upon the Certificate of Status for each Wisconsin Subsidiary.

Based upon the foregoing, but subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. Each of the Wisconsin Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Wisconsin meaning that each Wisconsin Subsidiary has filed its most recent required annual report and has not filed articles of dissolution with the Department of Financial Institutions.

2. Each of the Wisconsin Subsidiaries has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the First Supplemental Indenture and its Guarantee and to perform its obligations thereunder, and all necessary corporate action required to be taken by the Wisconsin Subsidiaries for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of the First Supplemental Indenture and its Guarantee and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.


Central Garden & Pet Company      
March 8, 2010      
Page 3      

 

3. The First Supplemental Indenture and its Guarantee have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Wisconsin Subsidiaries.

The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of Wisconsin in effect on the date hereof as they presently apply and we express no opinion regarding the laws of any other jurisdiction.

The opinions set forth herein are given as of the date hereof, and are intended to apply only to those facts and circumstances that exist as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation or responsibility to update or supplement our opinions to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in laws that may hereafter occur, or to inform the addressee of any change in circumstances occurring after the date hereof that would alter the opinions rendered herein.

This opinion is limited to the matters set forth herein, and no opinion may be inferred or implied beyond the matters expressly contained herein. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.

GODFREY & KAHN, S.C.

Exhibit 5.3

LAW OFFICE OF

ANDREW M. REED

 

Andrew M. Reed*    Address:    1828 S. Florida Avenue
Kathleen L. Manic       Lakeland, FL 33803
*Licensed to Practice in Illinois and Florida    Office Phone:    863.687.1771
   Facsimile:    863.687.1775
   Email:    andy@polklawyer.com

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

 

Re: Senior Subordinated Note Guarantee by Gulfstream Home & Garden, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Gulfstream Home & Garden, Inc., a Florida corporation (the “ Company ”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) on September 1, 2009 (the “ Registration Statement ”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25. 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) (together, the “ Prospectus ”) filed by Central Garden & Pet Company (“Central”), as issuer and certain guarantors, including the Company, relating to: (i) the issuance by Central of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (collectively, the “ Notes ”); and (ii) the issuance by the Company of a guarantee (the “ Guarantee ”) along with the issuance by certain other guarantors of guarantees with respect to the Notes.

The Notes will be issued under and pursuant to the base indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), among Central, as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, also dated March 8, 2010 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ”) among Central, other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including the Company, as guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (together, with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”).

As counsel to the Company, we have examined executed copies of, but have not participated in the negotiation, preparation or settlement of:

(a) the Indenture;

(b) the First Supplemental Indenture;

(c) the Guarantee of the Company; and

(d) the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company pertaining to the authorization, issuance, execution and delivery of the Supplemental Indenture and the Guarantee issued pursuant to the Indenture.


Central Garden  & Pet Company      
1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600      
Walnut Creek, CA 94597      
March 8, 2010      
Page 2      

 

The documents listed in items (a)-(d) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Documents .”

We have examined such records of the Company, such certificates of officers of the Company, public officials and others and originals, copies or facsimiles of such other agreements, instruments, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or advisable as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In particular, as to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions expressed below, we have relied on certificates of officers of the Company, copies of which have been provided to you.

For the purposes of our opinions expressed below, we have assumed (without independent investigation or verification):

(a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures (whether on originals or copies of documents);

(b) the legal capacity of all natural persons;

(c) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as notarial, certified, conformed, photostatic or facsimile copies thereof;

(d) that there have been no erroneous statements of fact made in any certificates of public officials, and we have relied on the completeness and accuracy of the public records and the currency of the information contained therein as of the dates indicated therein, although such records are known on occasion to contain errors and to be otherwise incomplete; and

(e) the completeness and accuracy of all statements of fact set forth in the Documents and all other documents reviewed by us, including without limitations the certificates of officers of the Company.

The opinions expressed below are limited to the published constitutions, treaties, laws, rules, regulations or judicial or administrative decisions of State of Florida, in effect as at the date hereof, and the facts and circumstances as they exist on the date hereof, and we express no opinion herein as to the laws, or as to matters governed by the laws, of any other jurisdiction.

Based and relying upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that as at the date hereof:

1. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Florida.


Central Garden  & Pet Company      
1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600      
Walnut Creek, CA 94597      
March 8, 2010      
Page 3      

 

2. The execution and delivery by the Company of the First Supplemental Indenture and the performance of its respective obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and the First Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the laws of the State of Florida) by the Company.

3. The Guarantee has been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Company.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This opinion speaks as of its date, and we undertake no (and hereby disclaim any) obligation to update this opinion.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Andrew M. Reed

Law Office of Andrew M. Reed

EXHIBIT 5.4

F ENNEMORE C RAIG , P . C .

3003 North Central Avenue, Suite 2600

Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2913

(602) 916-5000

 

    Law Offices
    Phoenix    (602) 916-5000
    Tucson    (520) 879-6800
    Nogales    (520) 281-3480
    Las Vegas    (702) 692-8000
    Denver    (303) 291-3200

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

 

Re: Senior Subordinated Note Guarantee by Farnam Companies, Inc. and Seeds West, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special Arizona counsel to Farnam Companies, Inc., an Arizona corporation (“ Farnam ”) and Seeds West, Inc., an Arizona corporation (“ Seeds West ”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) on September 1, 2009 (the “ Registration Statement ”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25, 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) (together, the “ Prospectus ”) by Central Garden & Pet Company (“ Central ”), as issuer and certain guarantors, including Farnam and Seeds West, relating to: (i) the issuance by Central of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (collectively, the “ Notes ”); and (ii) the issuance by each of Farnam and Seeds West of a guarantee (each, a “ Guarantee ”) along with the issuance by certain other guarantors of guarantees with respect to the Notes.

The Notes will be issued under and pursuant to the base indenture, to be dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), among Central, as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ”) among Central, other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including Farnam and Seeds West, as guarantors, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (together, with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”).

As special Arizona counsel to Farnam and Seeds West, we have examined executed copies of, but have not participated in the negotiation, preparation or settlement of:

(a) the Indenture;


F ENNEMORE C RAIG , P . C .

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 2

(b) the First Supplemental Indenture;

(c) the Guarantee of Farnam;

(d) the Guarantee of Seeds West; and

(e) the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of each of Farnam and Seeds West pertaining to the authorization, issuance, execution and delivery of the Supplemental Indenture and the Guarantee issued pursuant to the Indenture.

The documents listed in items (a)-(e) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Documents .”

We have examined such records of each of Farnam and Seeds West, such certificates of officers of each of Farnam and Seeds West, public officials and others and originals, copies or facsimiles of such other agreements, instruments, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or advisable as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In particular, as to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions expressed below, we have relied on certificates of officers of each of Farnam and Seeds West, copies of which have been provided to you.

For the purposes of our opinions expressed below, we have assumed (without independent investigation or verification):

(a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures (whether on originals or copies of documents);

(b) the legal capacity of all natural persons;

(c) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as notarial, certified, conformed, photostatic or facsimile copies thereof;

(d) that there have been no erroneous statements of fact made in any certificates of public officials, and we have relied on the completeness and accuracy of the public records and the currency of the information contained therein as of the dates indicated therein, although such records are known on occasion to contain errors and to be otherwise incomplete; and

(e) the completeness and accuracy of all statements of fact set forth in the Documents and all other documents reviewed by us, including without limitations the certificates of officers of each of Farnam and Seeds West.

The opinions expressed below are limited to the published constitutions, treaties, laws, rules, regulations or judicial or administrative decisions of the State of Arizona, in effect as at the date hereof, and the facts and circumstances as they exist on the date hereof, and we express no opinion herein as to the laws, or as to matters governed by the laws, of any other jurisdiction.


F ENNEMORE C RAIG , P . C .

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 3

Based and relying upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that as at the date hereof:

1. Each of Farnam and Seeds West has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Arizona.

2. The execution and delivery by each of Farnam and Seeds of West of the First Supplemental Indenture and the performance of their respective obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of each of Farnam and Seeds West and the First Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of the State of Arizona) by each of Farnam and Seeds West.

3. The Guarantee of Farnam has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Farnam.

4. The Guarantee of Seeds West has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Seeds West.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This opinion speaks as of its date, and we undertake no (and hereby disclaim any) obligation to update this opinion.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Fennemore Craig, P.C.

Fennemore Craig, P.C.

SSTR/BS:rj

EXHIBIT 5.5

[LETTERHEAD OF CLINE WILLIAMS WRIGHT JOHNSON & OLDFATHER, L.L.P.]

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Re: Senior Subordinated Note Guarantee by Pennington Seed, Inc. of Nebraska

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Pennington Seed, Inc. of Nebraska , a Nebraska corporation, (the “ Company ”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) on September 1, 2009 (the “ Registration Statement ”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25. 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) (together, the “ Prospectus ”) filed by Central Garden & Pet Company (“Central”), as issuer and certain guarantors, including the Company, relating to: (i) the issuance by Central of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (collectively, the “ Notes ”); and (ii) the issuance by the Company of a guarantee (the “ Guarantee ”) along with the issuance by certain other guarantors of guarantees with respect to the Notes.

The Notes will be issued under and pursuant to the base indenture, to be dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), among Central, as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ”) among Central, other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including the Company, as guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (together, with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”).

As counsel to the Company, we have examined executed copies of, but have not participated in the negotiation, preparation or settlement of:

(a) the Indenture;

(b) the First Supplemental Indenture;

(c) the Guarantee of the Company; and

(d) the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company pertaining to the authorization, issuance, execution and delivery of the Supplemental Indenture and the Guarantee issued pursuant to the Indenture.


The documents listed in items (a)-(d) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Documents .”

We have examined such records of the Company, such certificates of officers of the Company, public officials and others and originals, copies or facsimiles of such other agreements, instruments, certificates and documents as we have deemed necessary or advisable as a basis for the opinions expressed below. In particular, as to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinions expressed below, we have relied on certificates of officers of the Company, copies of which have been provided to you.

For the purposes of our opinions expressed below, we have assumed (without independent investigation or verification):

(a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures (whether on originals or copies of documents);

(b) the legal capacity of all natural persons;

(c) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as notarial, certified, conformed, photostatic or facsimile copies thereof;

(d) that there have been no erroneous statements of fact made in any certificates of public officials, and we have relied on the completeness and accuracy of the public records and the currency of the information contained therein as of the dates indicated therein, although such records are known on occasion to contain errors and to be otherwise incomplete; and

(e) the completeness and accuracy of all statements of fact set forth in the Documents and all other documents reviewed by us, including without limitations the certificates of officers of the Company.

The opinions expressed below are limited to the published constitutions, treaties, laws, rules, regulations or judicial or administrative decisions of State of Nebraska , in effect as at the date hereof, and the facts and circumstances as they exist on the date hereof, and we express no opinion herein as to the laws, or as to matters governed by the laws, of any other jurisdiction.

Based and relying upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that as at the date hereof:

1. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Nebraska .


2. The execution and delivery by the Company of the First Supplemental Indenture and the performance of its respective obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and the First Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of Nebraska ,) by the Company.

3. The Guarantee has been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Company.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This opinion speaks as of its date, and we undertake no (and hereby disclaim any) obligation to update this opinion.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Gary R. Batenhorst

Gary R. Batenhorst

For the Firm

EXHIBIT 5.6

[ON LETTERHEAD OF WOMBLE CARLYLE SANDRIDGE & RICE, PLLC]

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Re: Senior Subordinated Note Guarantee by Gro Tec, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Description of Representation

We have acted as special Georgia counsel to Gro Tec, Inc. (the “ Company ”), solely for the purpose of rendering an opinion in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) on September 1, 2009 (the “ Registration Statement ”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25, 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) (together, the “ Prospectus ”) filed by Central Garden & Pet Company (“ Central ”), as issuer and certain guarantors, including the Company, relating to: (i) the issuance by Central of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (collectively, the “ Notes ”); and (ii) the issuance by the Company of a guarantee (the “ Guarantee ”) along with the issuance by certain other guarantors of guarantees with respect to the Notes.

The Notes will be issued under and pursuant to the base indenture, to be dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), among Central, as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ”) among Central, other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including the Company, as guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (together, with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”).

Materials Examined

In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise, identified to our satisfaction of the following documents all of which have been delivered or made available to you:

a. The Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, as certified by the Secretary of the Company (the “ Articles of Incorporation ”);

b. The Bylaws of the Company, as amended, as certified by the Secretary of the Company (the “ Bylaws ”);


    Central Garden & Pet Company
    March 8, 2010
    Page 2

 

c. A Secretary’s Certificate, dated as of the date hereof, certifying, among other matters, as to the incumbency of certain officers of the Company;

d. A Certificate of Existence relating to the Company, issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Georgia dated March 5, 2010 (the “ Certificate of Existence ”);

e. Resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, dated as of February 24, 2010, certified by the Secretary of the Company;

f. The Indenture;

g. The First Supplemental Indenture;

h. The Guarantee of the Company; and

i. Such other documents, records, certificates and instruments of public officials and certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of rendering the opinions set forth below.

The documents described in (g) and (h) are referred to herein as the “ Transaction Documents .”

Opinions

Based on the foregoing, having regard for legal considerations which we deem relevant, and subject to the further assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth below, it is our opinion that:

1. The Company is a corporation in existence under the laws of the State of Georgia.

2. The execution and delivery by the Company of the First Supplemental Indenture and the performance of its obligations thereunder have been authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, and the First Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of Georgia) by the Company.

3. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Guarantee and the performance of its obligations thereunder have been authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company, and the Guarantee has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of Georgia) by the Company.

Assumptions, Qualifications and Exceptions

In our examination, we have (i) assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) assumed the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies and the authenticity


    Central Garden & Pet Company
    March 8, 2010
    Page 3

 

of the originals of such copies, and (iii) assumed and relied upon the truth, accuracy and completeness (without independent investigation or verification) as of the date hereof as to factual matters of the information, representations, warranties and statements contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates that are the subject of the opinions set forth above or on which the opinions set forth above are based. In rendering the opinions set forth above, we have assumed that all parties (other than the Company) had, have or will have all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver the Transaction Documents, and all other agreements, documents, instruments and certificates examined by us and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, and the due execution and delivery by such parties (other than the Company) of the Transaction Documents, and all such other agreements, documents, instruments and certificates that are the subject of the opinions set forth above or on which the opinions set forth above are based, and the validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof against such parties (other than the Company) in accordance with their respective terms. As to all facts material to the opinion expressed herein, we have relied solely upon (without independent investigation or verification) statements and representations and warranties of officers and other representatives of the Company, public officials and others.

Certain Limitations and Qualifications

Whenever a statement herein is qualified by the phrase “to our knowledge,” such phrase indicates only that, during the course of our representation of the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and all other agreements, documents, instruments and certificates that are the subject of this opinion or on which this opinion is based, no information that would give us actual knowledge of the inaccuracy of such statement has come to our attention. However, we have not undertaken any independent investigation or review to determine the accuracy of any such statement, and any limited inquiry undertaken by us during the preparation of this opinion letter should not be regarded as such an investigation or review; no inference as to our knowledge of any matters bearing on the accuracy of any such statement should be drawn from the fact of our representation of the Company.

In giving the opinion expressed in paragraph 1 above with respect to the good standing of the Company, we have relied solely on the Certificate of Existence.

This opinion is limited to the laws of the state of Georgia, excluding local laws of the State of Georgia ( i.e. , the statutes and ordinances, the administrative decisions and the rules and regulations of counties, towns, municipalities and special political subdivisions of, or authorities or quasi-governmental bodies constituted under the laws of, the State of Georgia and judicial decisions to the extent they deal with any of the foregoing), as in effect on the date hereof. We do not express any opinion as to any other law.

Use of Opinion

This opinion letter addresses the legal consequences of only the facts existing or assumed as of the date hereof. The opinions expressed herein are based on an analysis of existing laws


    Central Garden & Pet Company
    March 8, 2010
    Page 4

 

and court decisions and cover certain matters not directly addressed by such authorities. Such opinions may be affected by actions taken or omitted, events occurring, or changes in the relevant facts, after the date hereof. We have not undertaken to determine, or to inform any person of, the occurrence or non-occurrence of any such actions, events, or changes. We disclaim any obligation to update this opinion letter for events occurring or coming to our attention after the date hereof.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Commission.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Womble Carlyle Sandridge Rice, PLCC

LKW

TCF

Exhibit 5.7

LOGO

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

 

  Re: Senior Subordinated Note Guarantee by Cedar Works, LLC

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special Ohio local counsel to Cedar Works, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (the “ Company ”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) on September 1, 2009 (the “ Registration Statement ”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25, 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) (together, the “ Prospectus ”) filed by Central Garden & Pet Company (“ Central ”), as issuer and certain guarantors, including the Company, relating to: (i) the issuance by Central of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (collectively, the “ Notes ”); and (ii) the issuance by the Company of a guarantee (the “ Guarantee ”) along with the issuance by certain other guarantors of guarantees with respect to the Notes.

In rendering such legal opinions, we have examined the following documents that pertain directly to the Offer, all of which, unless otherwise specified below, are dated as of the date of this letter:

1. The Certificate of Formation, as certified by the Secretary of the Company as of March 1, 2010 (the “ Certificate of Formation ”);

2. The Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company dated April 27, 2005, as certified by the Assistant Secretary of the Company (the “ Operating Agreement ”);

3. Unanimous Written Consent of Manager of the Company, dated effective as of February 25, 2010, as certified by the Assistant Secretary of the Manager of the Company (the “ Resolution ”);

4. A Good Standing Certificate relating to the Company, issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio dated March 1, 2010 (the “ Good Standing Certificate ”);

LOGO


LOGO

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 2

 

5. The Assistant Secretary’s Certificate dated March 8, 2010, certifying, among other matters, as to the incumbency of certain officers of the Company (the “ Secretary’s Certificat e”);

6. An executed copy of the Indenture, dated as of the date hereof (the “ Indenture ”), by and between Central and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”);

7. An executed copy of the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of the date hereof (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ”), by and among Central, several wholly owned direct or indirect subsidiaries of Central party thereto (the “ Guarantors ”), including the Company and the Trustee;

8. An executed copy of the Guarantee;

9. An executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement, dated February 25, 2010 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”), among Central, the Guarantors, and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.; and

10. The Prospectus.

The documents listed in Items 6 through 10 are sometimes collectively referred to herein as the “ Transaction Documents .”

In addition, we have made such other investigations as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed.

We have made no examination and express no opinion as to the business, operations or financial condition of the Company or the effect thereon of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Any opinion hereinafter set forth relative to any factual matters regarding the Company is based exclusively upon the Secretary’s Certificate, and we have not conducted an independent review or investigation of the matters set forth in the Secretary’s Certificate.

LOGO


LOGO

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 3

 

Assumptions

In connection with rendering this opinion, we have assumed, without independent investigation, the following:

A. The genuineness of all signatures of all persons, if any, signing the Transaction Documents on behalf of the parties thereto and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals;

B. All documents submitted to us as copies of originals in connection with this opinion conform to the originals thereof;

C. The legal capacity of all natural persons;

D. The transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will be consummated by all parties to the same in accordance with their respective terms, including, without limitation, that value has been and will be given by you;

E. Each party to the Transaction Documents will comply with its respective obligations under the Transaction Documents, except as excused by law, and with all requisite legal procedures in connection with the exercise of its rights under the Transaction Documents;

F. The statements, representations, warranties, and covenants contained in the Transaction Documents are accurate and complete and that there are no understandings, agreements, documents or instruments other than the Transaction Documents and there are no actions, proceedings, orders, rulings or judgments, to which any party to the Transaction Documents is a party or by which any such party or the assets of any such party are bound or affected, and there are no facts, events or circumstances other than those expressed in the Transaction Documents that would enlarge, diminish or otherwise modify or affect the rights, titles, interests, obligations or liabilities set forth or in connection with the Transaction Documents; and

G. All authorizing actions, resolutions and organizational documents submitted to us by or on behalf of Central and the Guarantors are complete, accurate and have not been amended or supplemented.

LOGO


LOGO

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 4

 

H. Our opinions may be subject to or affected by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, avoidance, receivership, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally, including, without limitation, statutory and other laws regarding fraudulent transfers, and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

I. Certain of the remedial provisions in the Transaction Documents may be limited or rendered unenforceable under the laws of the State of Ohio (and/or any other applicable jurisdiction), but not so as to render inadequate the rights and remedies necessary for the practical realization of the principal benefits intended to be afforded thereby. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, as to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any provision in the Transaction Documents which (i) purports to give you the right to act as attorney-in-fact and thereupon sign documents and take actions on behalf of the Company, (ii) provides the right of possession, dominion, or control (other than by judicial action) or other self-help remedies, or (iii) purports to waive equitable defenses of the Company in a manner inconsistent with Ohio law.

J. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, with respect to any provision in the Transaction Documents purporting to allow the collection of attorneys’ fees.

K. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, with respect to the enforceability of any provisions of the Transaction Documents pertaining to waivers of jury trials, or with respect to ERISA, health, safety, environmental, building, land use laws, ordinances, codes rules or regulations.

L. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, with respect to the enforceability of any provisions of the Transaction Documents pertaining to waivers of jury trials, or with respect to ERISA, health, safety, environmental, building, land use laws, ordinances, codes rules or regulations.

M. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, as to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any provision in the Transaction Documents which (i) purports to waive any requirement of diligent performance or other care on your part, (ii) provides that the delays or course of dealing

LOGO


LOGO

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 5

 

by you will not operate as a waiver, (iii) purports to exculpate you from your own negligent acts and limit you from certain liabilities and/or provides that the Company is to indemnify you with regard to the same, (iv) provides that a waiver must be in writing, (v) provides for the establishment of evidentiary standards, (vi) provides for the waiver of objections to venue, (vii) provides that the choice of one remedy is not a bar to the availability of any other remedy at law and/or equity, or (viii) authorizes confession of judgment upon a purported breach or event of default.

N. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, as to any remedy or provision contained in the Transaction Documents that is expressly subject “to the extent not prohibited by applicable law” (or by similar expressions of limitation).

O. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, as to any provisions of the Transaction Documents providing for the payment of interest.

P. We have assumed that we are to express no opinion, and therefore have expressed no opinion, with respect to Federal securities laws and regulations administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission, state “Blue Sky” laws and regulations, and laws and regulations relating to commodity (and other) futures and indices and other similar instruments.

Opinions

Based upon the foregoing, and upon such investigation and review as we have deemed necessary to enable us to render this opinion (as qualified herein), we are of the opinion (subject to the additional assumptions, qualifications, exceptions and limitations stated in this letter) that:

I. The Company is a duly organized limited liability company under the laws of the State of Ohio and, based solely upon the Certificate of Good Standing and the Certificate of Formation, is a validly existing limited liability company under the laws of the State of Ohio and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio.

II. The execution and delivery by the Company of the First Supplemental Indenture and the performance of its respective obligations thereunder have been duly

LOGO


LOGO

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 6

 

authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and the First Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of Ohio) by the Company.

III. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Guarantee have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and the Guarantee has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of Ohio) by the Company.

Qualifications

The foregoing opinions are subject to the following additional assumptions, qualifications, exceptions and limitations:

 

  I. This opinion letter is governed by and shall be interpreted in accordance with the Legal Opinion Accord of the American Bar Association Section of Business Law (1991) (the “ Accord ”). As a consequence, it is subject to a number of qualifications, exceptions, definitions, limitations of coverage, and other limitations, in addition to those set forth herein, all as more particularly described in the Accord, and this opinion letter shall be read in conjunction therewith.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This opinion letter speaks only as of its date, and we assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in facts or law or of anything coming to our attention bearing upon the accuracy of or completeness of any assumption, whether or not material, which may be brought to our attention at a later date. Our attorneys are admitted to the practice of law in the State of Ohio, and we render no opinion with respect to the laws or requirements of any other state or any federal laws governing the transaction contemplated by the Transaction Documents or the effect of any of such laws on the matters with respect to which opinions are given herein. This opinion does not constitute a guarantee of the First Supplemental Indenture, the Guarantee, or of the obligations of

LOGO


LOGO

Central Garden & Pet Company

March 8, 2010

Page 7

 

the Company thereunder. Furthermore, as attorneys, we render no opinion with respect to the past, present or future financial condition of the Company.

 

Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Ulmer & Berne LLP

ULMER & BERNE LLP

LOGO

 

EXHIBIT 5.8

[ON LETTERHEAD OF WINSTON & STRAWN LLP]

March 8, 2010

Central Garden & Pet Company

1340 Treat Blvd., Suite 600

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Re: Senior Subordinated Note Guarantee by Pets International, Ltd.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Pets International, Ltd., an Illinois corporation (the “ Company ”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File No. 333-161663, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) on September 1, 2009 (the “ Registration Statement ”), and the related prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, dated February 25. 2010, filed with the Commission under its Rule 424(b) filed by Central Garden & Pet Company (“ Central ”), as issuer and certain guarantors, including the Company, relating to: (i) the issuance by Central of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018 (collectively, the “ Notes ”); and (ii) the issuance by the Company of a guarantee (the “ Guarantee ”) along with the issuance by certain other guarantors of guarantees with respect to the Notes.

The Notes will be issued under and pursuant to the base indenture, to be dated as of March 8, 2010 (the “ Base Indenture ”), among Central, as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 8, 2010 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ” and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”) among Central, other direct and indirect subsidiaries, including the Company, as guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

As counsel to the Company, we have examined executed copies of, but have not participated in the negotiation, preparation or settlement of:

(a) the Indenture;

(b) the Guarantee of the Company;

(c) the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company pertaining to the authorization, issuance, execution and delivery of the First Supplemental Indenture and the Guarantee issued pursuant to the Indenture; and


(d) a Good Standing relating to the Company, issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois dated February 25, 2010 (the “ Good Standing Certificate ”).

The documents listed in items (a)-(d) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Documents .” Whenever our opinion with respect to the existence or absence of facts is indicated to be based on our knowledge or awareness, we are referring to the actual present knowledge of the particular Winston & Strawn LLP attorneys who have represented the Company during the course of our limited representation of the Company in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement, issuance of the Guarantee and issuance of the Notes pursuant to the Indenture.

Opinions

Based and relying upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that as at the date hereof:

1. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Illinois.

2. The execution and delivery by the Company of the First Supplemental Indenture and the performance of its respective obligations thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and the First Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered (to the extent such delivery is governed by the law of Illinois) by the Company.

3. The Guarantee has been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Company.

Assumptions, Qualifications and Exceptions

In rendering the foregoing opinions; we wish to advise you of the following additional qualifications, exceptions, and assumptions to which the opinions are subject:

A. We have relied solely on the Good Standing Certificate as to the opinions set forth in paragraph 1 above, and such opinions are given as of the date set forth in the Good Standing Certificate. As to certain relevant facts, we have relied on representations made by the Company and Central in the Documents, the assumptions set forth below, and certificates of officers of the Company reasonably believed by us to be appropriate sources of information, as to the accuracy of factual matters, in each case without independent verification thereof or other investigation.

B. This opinion letter is limited to the laws of the State of Illinois.


C. We express no opinion as to whether, or the extent to which, the laws of any particular jurisdiction apply to the subject matter hereof.

D. We have relied, without investigation, upon the following assumptions: (i) natural persons who are involved on behalf of the Company have sufficient legal capacity to enter into and perform the transactions effected pursuant to the Documents or to carry out their role in such transactions; (ii) each document submitted to us for review is accurate and complete, each such document that is an original is authentic, each such document that is a copy conforms to an authentic original, and all signatures on each such document are genuine; (iii) there are no agreements or understandings among the parties, written or oral, and there is no usage of trade or course of prior dealing among the parties that would, in either case, define, supplement or qualify the terms of the Documents; (iv) all statutes, judicial and administrative decisions, and rules and regulations of governmental agencies, constituting the law of the State of Illinois are generally available (i.e., in terms of access and distribution following publication or other release) to lawyers practicing in such jurisdiction, and are in a format that makes legal research reasonably feasible; (v) the constitutionality or validity of a relevant statute, rule, regulation or agency action is not in issue unless a reported decision in the relevant jurisdiction has specifically addressed but not resolved, or has established, its unconstitutionality or invalidity; (vi) Company will obtain all permits and governmental approvals required in the future, and will make all governmental filings and take all actions similarly required, relevant to subsequent consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Documents or performance of the Documents; and (vii) documents reviewed by us would be enforced as written and would be interpreted as if governed by the laws of the State of Illinois

E. The opinions expressed above are limited to the specific issues addressed and to laws and facts existing on the date hereof. By rendering our opinions, we do not undertake to advise you with respect to any other matter or of any change in such laws or in the interpretation thereof, or of any change in facts, which may occur after the date hereof.

F. In rendering the opinions expressed herein, we have only considered the applicability of statutes, rules and regulations that a lawyer in the State of Illinois exercising customary professional diligence would reasonably recognize as being directly applicable to the Company, the transactions effected pursuant to the Documents, or both.

G. We express no opinion as to any contract or agreement that is not itself a Document solely as a result of a provision in a Document requiring that the Company


perform its obligations under or cause another person to perform its obligations under, or stating that any action will be taken as provided in or in accordance with, or otherwise incorporating by reference, such contract or agreement.

H. The opinions expressed above do not address any of the following legal issues: (i) Federal and state securities and “Blue Sky” laws and regulations; (ii) the statutes and ordinances, administrative decisions and the rules and regulations of counties, towns, municipalities and special political subdivisions (whether created or enabled through legislative action at the Federal, state or regional level) and judicial decisions to the extent that they deal with the foregoing; (iii) fraudulent transfer and fraudulent conveyance laws and regulations; (iv) compliance with fiduciary duty and conflict of interest requirements; (v) tax laws and regulations; (vi) intellectual property laws and regulations; (vii) labor laws and regulations; (viii) pension and employee benefit laws and regulations; (ix) health and safety laws and regulations; (x) environmental laws and regulations; (xi) antitrust and unfair competition laws and regulations; (xii) racketeering laws and regulations; and (xiii) laws, regulations and policies concerning national and local emergency, possible judicial deference to acts of sovereign states, and criminal and civil forfeiture laws.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP may rely on this opinion in connection with its opinion, dated the date hereof, and filed with the Commission.

 

Sincerely,
/s/ Winston & Strawn LLP

Exhibit 10.2.7

EXECUTION COPY

AMENDMENT NO. 7

TO

CREDIT AGREEMENT

THIS AMENDMENT NO. 7 TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (the “ Amendment ”) is made as of February 25, 2010 by and among Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), the institutions listed on the signature pages hereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent for the “Lenders” referred to below (the “ Administrative Agent ”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings given to them in the “Credit Agreement” referred to below.

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the signatories hereto are parties to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, among the Company, the Subsidiary Borrowers from time to time parties thereto, the financial institutions from time to time parties thereto (the “ Lenders ”) and the Administrative Agent (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto dated as of May 16, 2006, Amendment No. 2 thereto dated as of August 24, 2006, Amendment No. 3 thereto dated as of December 8, 2006, Amendment No. 4 thereto dated as of March 15, 2007, Amendment No. 5 thereto dated as of August 27, 2007, Amendment No. 6 thereto dated as of March 18, 2008 and as the same may from time to time be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “ Credit Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, the parties hereto have agreed to amend the Credit Agreement on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises set forth above, the terms and conditions contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company, the Lenders party hereto and the Administrative Agent have agreed to the following amendment to the Credit Agreement.

1. Amendments . Effective as of the date hereof and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 2 below, the Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

(a) The definitions of “Senior Subordinated Note Indenture” and “Senior Subordinated Notes” appearing in Section 1.01 are hereby amended and restated in their entirety as follows:

Senior Subordinated Note Indenture ” means (i) that certain Indenture, dated as of January 30, 2003, by and among the Company and certain of its Subsidiaries and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee thereunder and (ii) any other Indenture in respect of Subordinated Indebtedness expressly permitted by the terms of this Agreement, in each case, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented, modified, extended, refinanced or replaced from time to time to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the terms of this Agreement.

Senior Subordinated Notes ” means (i) the Company’s 9.125% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 issued pursuant to the Senior Subordinated Note Indenture in an aggregate principal amount of $150,000,000 and (ii) any other subordinated notes issued pursuant to a Senior Note Indenture, in each case, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented, modified, extended, refinanced or replaced from time to time to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the terms of this Agreement.


(b) Section 6.08 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to (i) redesignate clauses “(iv)”, “(v)” and “(vi)” thereof as “(v)”, “(vi)” and “(vii)”, respectively and (ii) insert a new clause (iv) therein as follows:

(iv) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions contained in the Senior Subordinated Note Indenture in respect of Senior Subordinated Notes to the extent such restrictions and conditions are (or are in form and substance identical in all material respects to those) set forth in the “Description of Notes – Certain Covenants” contained in that certain prospectus supplement which was filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 424B5 on February 22, 2010 (with such changes thereto reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent); provided , that at all times the Secured Obligations shall constitute “Senior Debt” and “Designated Senior Debt” permitted to be incurred under the Senior Subordinated Note Indenture and the Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents securing the Secured Obligations shall constitute permitted Liens thereunder, and such Liens shall not be required to be shared equally and ratably with the holders of any Senior Subordinated Notes,

(c) Section 6.12 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to restate the first two sentences thereof in their entirety as follows:

The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, declare, pay, make or set aside any amount for payment in respect of Subordinated Indebtedness, except for (i) regularly scheduled payments of principal and interest at the non-default rate of interest (but no voluntary prepayments) in respect of such Subordinated Indebtedness and indemnity obligations payable pursuant to the Subordinated Indebtedness Documents and (ii) in connection with refinancings of such Subordinated Indebtedness to the extent permitted by the express terms of Section 6.01(b), in each case made in full compliance with any and all subordination provisions applicable to such Subordinated Indebtedness. The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly voluntarily prepay, defease or in substance defease, purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire, any Subordinated Indebtedness or any Indebtedness from time to time outstanding under the Subordinated Indebtedness Documents other than in connection with refinancings of such Subordinated Indebtedess to the extent permitted by the express terms of Section 6.01(b).

2. Conditions of Effectiveness . This Amendment shall become effective as of the date hereof if, and only if, the Administrative Agent shall have received: (a) executed copies of this Amendment from the Company and the Required Lenders; (b) executed copies of the Reaffirmation attached hereto in the form of Exhibit A from the existing Subsidiary Guarantors; and (c) all fees and expenses of the Administrative Agent (including, to the extent invoiced, attorneys’ fees and expenses) in connection with this Amendment.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company hereby represents and warrants as follows:

(a) The Company has the power and authority and legal right to execute and deliver this Amendment and the Credit Agreement (as modified hereby) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery by the Company of this Amendment and the performance of its obligations hereunder and under the Credit Agreement (as modified hereby) have been duly authorized by proper proceedings, and this Amendment and the Credit Agreement (as modified hereby) constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

2


(b) Neither the execution and delivery by the Company of this Amendment, nor the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated, nor compliance with the provisions hereof or of the Credit Agreement (as modified hereby) (i) will require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) will violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (iii) will violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets (including, without limitation, the Senior Subordinated Note Indenture and the Senior Subordinated Notes), or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

(c) As of the date hereof and giving effect to the terms of this Amendment, (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing and (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in the Credit Agreement (as modified hereby) and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, as of such specific date).

4. Reference to and Effect on the Credit Agreement and Loan Documents .

(a) Upon the effectiveness of this Amendment, each reference to the Credit Agreement in the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement as modified hereby. This Amendment is a Loan Document pursuant to the Credit Agreement and shall (unless expressly indicated herein or therein) be construed, administered, and applied, in accordance with all of the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement.

(b) The Company (i) agrees that this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby shall not limit or diminish the obligations of the Company arising under or pursuant to the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, (ii) reaffirms its obligations under the Credit Agreement and each and every other Loan Document to which it is a party (including, without limitation, each applicable Collateral Document), (iii) reaffirms all Liens on the Collateral which have been granted by it in favor of the Administrative Agent (for itself and the other Holders of Secured Obligations) pursuant to any of the Loan Documents, and (iv) acknowledges and agrees that, except as specifically modified above, the Credit Agreement and all other Loan Documents executed and/or delivered in connection therewith shall remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed.

(c) The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders, nor constitute a waiver of or consent to any modification of any provision of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Documents executed and/or delivered in connection therewith.

5. Governing Law . This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

6. Headings . Section headings in this Amendment are included herein for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Amendment for any other purpose.

 

3


7. Counterparts . This Amendment may be executed by one or more of the parties hereto on any number of separate counterparts (including by means of facsimile or electronic transmission), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

*******

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Amendment has been duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY,

as the Company

By:  

/s/ STUART W. BOOTH

Name:   Stuart W. Booth
Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender and a Lender
By:  

/s/ ALEX REGIN

Name:   Alex Regin
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Syndication Agent and a Lender
By:  

/s/ J. CASEY COSGROVE

Name:   J. Casey Cosgrove
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP.,
as a Co-Documentation Agent
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
CIBC, INC., as a Lender
By:  

/s/ E. ROCHE

Name:   E. Roche
Title:   Executive Director
CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, as an Issuing Bank with respect to the Existing Letters of Credit
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


SUNTRUST BANK, as an Issuing Bank with respect to the Existing Letters of Credit, a
Co-Documentation Agent and a Lender
By:  

/s/ E. DONALD BESCH, JR.

Name:   E. Donald Besch, Jr.
Title:   Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


UNION BANK OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.,
as a Co-Documentation Agent and a Lender
By:  

/s/ ERIC STERN

Name:   Eric Stern
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ MARGARITA CHICHIOCO

Name:   Margarita Chichioco
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


HARRIS N.A.,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ MICHAEL D. PINCUS

Name:   Michael D. Pincus
Title:   Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


COÖPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A., “RABOBANK INTERNATIONAL” NEW YORK BRANCH,
as a Lender
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


BNP PARIBAS,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ JAMIE DILLON

Name:   Jamie Dillon
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ MARY-ANN WONG

Name:   Mary-Ann Wong
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


LASALLE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ MARIE MOLLO

Name:   Marie Mollo
Title:   Duly Authorized Signatory

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ MARGARITA A. CHICHIOCO

Name:   Margarita A. Chichioco
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


ING CAPITAL, LLC,
as a Lender
By:  

 

 
Name:  

Title:

 
 
 

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ KURBAN H. MERCHANT

Name:   Kurban H. Merchant
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


COBANK, ACB,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ HAL NELSON

Name:   Hal Nelson
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH,
as a Lender
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


FARM CREDIT SERVICES OF AMERICA, PCA,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ CURT A. BROWN

Name:   Curt A. Brown
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


GREENSTONE FARM CREDIT SERVICES, ACA/FLCA,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ ALFRED S. COMPTON, JR.

Name:   Alfred S. Compton, Jr.
Title:   Senior Vice President/Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


CREDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT

BANK f/k/a Calyon (New York Branch),

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ DAVID CAGLE

Name:   David Cagle
Title:   Managing Director
By:  

/s/ BRIAN MYERS

Name:   Brian Myers
Title:   Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


AGFIRST FARM CREDIT BANK,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ STEVEN J. O’SHEA

Name:   Steven J. O’Shea
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


ERSTE GROUP BANK AG,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ PAUL JUDICKE

Name:   Paul Judicke
Title:   Director
By:  

/s/ BRYAN LYNCH

Name:   Bryan Lynch
Title:   Executive Director

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


BIG SKY III SENIOR LOAN TRUST

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE CDO VIII, LTD.

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE CDO IX, LTD.

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE SENIOR FLOATING-RATE TRUST

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE FLOATING-RATE INCOME TRUST

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE LOAN OPPORTUNITIES FUND, LTD.

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES FUND

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE SENIOR INCOME TRUST

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE INSTITUTIONAL SENIOR LOAN FUND

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE LIMITED DURATION INCOME FUND

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender
By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


GRAYSON & CO

BY: BOSTON MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


SENIOR DEBT PORTFOLIO

BY: BOSTON MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EATON VANCE VT FLOATING-RATE INCOME FUND

BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR

as a Lender

By:  

/s/ MICHAEL B. BOTTHOF

Name:   Michael B. Botthof
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


BLUE SHIELD OF CALIFORNIA
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ DAVID ARDINI

Name:   David Ardini
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


FRANKLIN CLO V, LIMITED,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ DAVID ARDINI

Name:   David Ardini, Franklin Advisers, Inc.
      as Collateral Manager
Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


FRANKLIN CLO VI, LIMITED,
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ DAVID ARDINI

Name:  

David Ardini, Franklin Advisers, Inc.

    as Collateral Manager

Title:   Vice President

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


BLACKROCK LIMITED DURATION INCOME TRUST
BLACKROCK SENIOR INCOME SERIES LIMITED
as a Lender
By:  

/s/ ZACHARY ALPERN

Name:   Zachary Alpern
Title:   Authorized Signatory

 

Signature Page to Amendment No. 7

to Central Garden & Pet Company Credit Agreement


EXHIBIT A

Reaffirmation

Each of the undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of Amendment No. 7, dated as of February 25, 2010 (the “ Amendment ”), to the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, by and among Central Garden & Pet Company, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), the Subsidiary Borrowers from time to time parties thereto, the financial institutions from time to time parties thereto (the “ Lenders ”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent for the Lenders (the “ Administrative Agent ”) (as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto dated as of May 16, 2006, Amendment No. 2 thereto dated as of August 24, 2006, Amendment No. 3 thereto dated as of December 8, 2006, Amendment No. 4 thereto dated as of March 15, 2007, Amendment No. 5 thereto dated as of August 27, 2007, Amendment No. 6 thereto dated as of March 18, 2008 and further amended by the Amendment, and as the same may from time to time hereafter be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified, the “ Credit Agreement ”). Capitalized terms used in this Reaffirmation and not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

Each of the undersigned, by its signature below, hereby (a) acknowledges and consents to the execution and delivery of the Amendment by the parties thereto, (b) agrees that the Amendment and the transactions contemplated thereby shall not limit or diminish the obligations of such Person arising under or pursuant to the Collateral Documents and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) reaffirms all of its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (d) reaffirms all Liens on the Collateral which have been granted by it in favor of the Administrative Agent (for itself and the other Holders of Secured Obligations) pursuant to any of the Loan Documents, and (e) acknowledges and agrees that each Loan Document executed by it remains in full force and effect and is hereby reaffirmed, ratified and confirmed. All references to the Credit Agreement contained in any Loan Document shall be a reference to the Credit Agreement as so modified by the Amendment and as the same may from time to time hereafter be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified. The Amendment is a Loan Document pursuant to the Credit Agreement and shall (unless expressly indicated therein) be construed, administered, and applied, in accordance with all of the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement.

Dated as of February 25, 2010


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Reaffirmation has been duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

FARNAM COMPANIES, INC.
FOUR PAWS PRODUCTS, LTD.
KAYTEE PRODUCTS INCORPORATED
PENNINGTON SEED, INC.
T.F.H. PUBLICATIONS, INC.
WELLMARK INTERNATIONAL
ALL-GLASS AQUARIUM CO., INC.
CEDAR WORKS, LLC
GRANT LABORATORIES, INC.
GRO TEC, INC.
GULFSTREAM HOME & GARDEN, INC.
INTERPET USA, LLC
MATTHEWS REDWOOD AND NURSERY SUPPLY, INC.
NEW ENGLAND POTTERY, LLC
NORCAL POTTERY PRODUCTS, INC.
OCEANIC SYSTEMS, INC.
PENNINGTON SEED, INC. OF NEBRASKA
PETS INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
PHAETON CORPORATION
SEEDS WEST, INC.
THOMPSON’S VETERINARY SUPPLIES, INC.
B2E CORPORATION
B2E BIOTECH, LLC
MATSON, LLC
For each of the foregoing entities
By:  

/s/ STUART W. BOOTH

Name:  

Stuart W. Booth

Its Authorized Signatory

 

Signature Page to Reaffirmation

Exhibit 99.1

Contact: Eileen VanEss

Central Garden & Pet

925.948.3686

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF EARLY

SETTLEMENT AND RECEIPT OF REQUIRED CONSENTS TO ITS TENDER

OFFER AND CONSENT SOLICITATION FOR ITS 9  1 / 8 % SENIOR

SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2013

 

 

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., March 8, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT)(NASDAQ: CENTA) (“Central”) today announced that it has received tenders and consents from the holders of $135,182,000 in aggregate principal amount, or approximately 90.1 percent, of its outstanding $150,000,000 9  1 / 8 % Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 (the “Notes”) as of the expiration of the consent payment deadline, which was March 5, 2010, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time (the “Consent Deadline”). This is pursuant to its previously announced tender offer and consent solicitation.

On March 5, 2010, Central accepted for purchase and payment (the “Early Settlement”) all of the Notes that were validly tendered at or prior to the Consent Deadline. Payment for the Notes pursuant to the Early Settlement is expected to be made today (the “Early Settlement Date”). Holders of Notes who tendered their Notes at or prior to the Consent Deadline will receive $1,015.21 for each $1,000 principal amount of the Notes validly tendered (which includes the consent payment of $15.21 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes), plus any accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date.

The consents received exceeded the number required to approve the proposed amendments to the indenture under which the Notes were originally issued (the “Indenture”). Based on these consents, on March 8, 2010, Central and the trustee under the Indenture entered into a supplemental indenture that eliminates substantially all of the restrictive covenants and certain event of default provisions and modifies certain other provisions of the Indenture.

The terms of the tender offer and consent solicitation for the Notes are detailed in Central’s Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated February 22, 2010 (the “Offer to Purchase”). Holders who tender their Notes after the Consent Deadline will receive $1,000 per $1,000 in principal amount of the Notes validly tendered. The tender offer is scheduled to expire at midnight, New York City time on March 19, 2010. Central intends to redeem any Notes, which are currently callable, that remain outstanding after the expiration date of the tender offer on April 20, 2010 and to exercise its rights under the Indenture to satisfy and discharge the Indenture governing the Notes.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase, or the solicitation of tenders or consents with respect to, any security. No offer, solicitation, purchase or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful. The tender offer is being made solely pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and related transmittal documents.


Requests for documents may be directed to Georgeson Inc., the Information Agent, at (888) 877-5418 or (212) 440-9800.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. has been engaged to act as Dealer Manager for the tender offer and Solicitation Agent for the Consent Solicitation. Questions regarding the tender offer and Consent Solicitation may be directed to J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. at (800) 245-8812.

Central Garden & Pet Company is a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the lawn & garden and pet supplies markets. Committed to new product innovation, our products are sold to specialty independent and mass retailers. Participating categories in Lawn & Garden include: Grass seed including the brands PENNINGTON®, SMART SEED™ and THE REBELS™; wild bird feed and the brands PENNINGTON® and KAYTEE®; weed and insect control and the brands AMDRO®, SEVIN®, IRONITE® and Over ‘N Out®; and decorative outdoor patio products and the brands NORCAL®, NEW ENGLAND POTTERY® and MATTHEWS FOUR SEASONS™. We also provide a host of other regional and application-specific garden brands and supplies. Participating categories in Pet include: Animal health and the brands ADAMS™ and ZODIAC®; aquatics and reptile and the brands OCEANIC®, AQUEON® and ZILLA®; bird & small animal and the brands KAYTEE®, SUPER PET® and CRITTER TRAIL®; dog & cat and the brands TFH™ , NYLABONE®, FOUR PAWS®, PINNACLE® and AVODENN®; and equine and the brands FARNAM®, BRONCO® and SUPER MASK®. We also provide a host of other application-specific Pet brands and supplies. Central Garden & Pet Company is based in Walnut Creek, California, and has approximately 4,000 employees, primarily in North America and Europe. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to Central’s SEC filings, please visit Central’s website at www.central.com .

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this release which are not historical, including statements relating to the tender offer and subsequent note redemption, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the satisfaction of conditions to the tender offer, and those risks and uncertainties described in Central’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed November 20, 2009 and Central’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed February 4, 2010, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Central undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise.