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): October 31, 2011

 

 

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

 

1-14303

 

38-3161171

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

One Dauch Drive,

Detroit, Michigan

 

48211-1198

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(zip code)

(313) 758-2000

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Not Applicable

(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))

 

 

 


SECTION 1 — Registrant’s Business and Operations

 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On November 3, 2011, American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. (“ AAM ”), a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), completed the closing of the sale of $200 million aggregate principal amount of 7.75% senior notes due 2019 (the “ Notes ”). The Notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by the Company and certain of AAM’s current and future subsidiaries (such subsidiary guarantors, together with the Company, the “ Guarantors ”).

The Notes were issued by AAM pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2011 (the “ Indenture ”), by and among AAM, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), which governs the terms of the Notes. A copy of the Indenture and form of the Note are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2 and are incorporated herein by reference.

A copy of the opinions of Richard G. Raymond, General Counsel of the Company and AAM and of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel to the Company and AAM, relating to the legality of the Notes are attached hereto as Exhibits 5.1 and 5.2, respectively.

SECTION 8 — Other Events

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On October 31, 2011, the Company, AAM and the subsidiary guarantors listed on Schedule 2 thereto entered into an underwriting agreement with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as the representative of the several underwriters named therein. A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

SECTION 9 — Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated October 31, 2011, among American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors listed on Schedule 2 thereto, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as the representative of the several underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto.
  4.1    Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2011, among American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
  4.2    Form of 7.75% Senior Note due 2019.
  5.1    Opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel to American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
  5.2    Opinion of Richard G. Raymond, General Counsel to American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
23.1    Consent of Shearman & Sterling LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2    Consent of Richard G. Raymond (included in Exhibit 5.2).


SIGNATURES

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

 

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING
HOLDINGS, INC.
By:  

/s/ MICHAEL K. SIMONTE

Name:   Michael K. Simonte
Title:   Executive Vice President – Finance & Chief Financial Officer (also in capacity of Chief Accounting Officer)

Dated: November 3, 2011


INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated October 31, 2011, among American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., the subsidiary guarantors listed on Schedule 2 thereto, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as the representative of the several underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto.
  4.1    Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2011, among American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
  4.2    Form of 7.75% Senior Note due 2019.
  5.1   

Opinion of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel to American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

  5.2   

Opinion of Richard G. Raymond, General Counsel to American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

23.1    Consent of Shearman & Sterling LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2    Consent of Richard G. Raymond (included in Exhibit 5.2).

Exhibit 1.1

$200,000,000

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.

7.750% Senior Notes due 2019

Underwriting Agreement

October 31, 2011

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

  As Representative of the

  several Underwriters listed

  in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

Ladies and Gentlemen:

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., 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 ”), $200,000,000 principal amount of its 7.750% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “ Securities ”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of November 3, 2011 (the “ Indenture ”) among the Company, as issuer, the Guarantors (as defined below) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), and will be guaranteed (the “ Guarantees ”) by American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (“ Holdings ”) and each of the subsidiaries of the Company listed on Schedule 2 hereto (together with Holdings, the “ Guarantors ”). The term “ Indenture ”, as used herein, includes the Officers’ Certificate (as defined in the Indenture) establishing the form and terms of the Securities pursuant to Section 301 of the Indenture.

Each of the Company and each Guarantor 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 ”), an automatic shelf registration statement, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, on Form S-3 (File No. 333-175508) including a base prospectus (the “ Base Prospectus ”), relating to various securities to be issued from time to time by the Company, including the Securities. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, 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 its effectiveness (“ Rule 430 Information ”), is referred to herein as the “ Registration Statement ”; and as used herein, the term “ Preliminary Prospectus ” means the Base Prospectus and any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act that omits Rule 430 Information, 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. 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. 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 and the Guarantors have prepared the following information (collectively with the information referred to in the next succeeding sentence, the “ Time of Sale Information ”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated October 31, 2011, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto as constituting part of the Time of Sale Information.

2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters . (a) The Company and the Guarantors agree 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 and the Guarantors the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 98.000% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from November 3, 2011 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company and the Guarantors will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

(b) The Company and the Guarantors understand 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. The Company and the Guarantors acknowledge and agree 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.

(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on November 3,

 

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2011, 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 not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

(e) The Company and the Guarantors acknowledge and agree that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company and the Guarantors 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, the Guarantors or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Underwriter are advising the Company or the Guarantors or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company and the Guarantors shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company or the Guarantors with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company or the Guarantors, 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 or the Guarantors.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Guarantors . The Company and the Guarantors jointly and severally represent and warrant to each Underwriter as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, and agree with 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 the Company and the Guarantors make no 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 and the Guarantors in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus.

 

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(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 circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company and the Guarantors make no representation or 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 and 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. The Company and the Guarantors (including their agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) have not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, 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 the Guarantors or their agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i) (ii) and (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 A 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 the Company and the Guarantors make no 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 and 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 or any Guarantor. 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

 

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Securities Act against the Company or any Guarantor 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 fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; 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 the Company and the Guarantors make no 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 Guarantor 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 each of 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.

(f) Financial Statements. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of 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, as applicable, and present fairly in all material respects the financial position of Holdings and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the respective results of operation, statement of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of Holdings and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“ GAAP ”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The capitalization table, selected financial data and the summary financial information included in or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus represent fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

(g) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein,

 

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(i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries (taken as a whole), whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”); (ii) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company, Holdings or Holdings’ subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries (taken as a whole); and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by Holdings on any class of its capital stock.

(h) Organization and Good Standing of the Company and the Guarantors. The Company and each of the Guarantors has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the corporate power and authority necessary to own, lease or operate its properties and to conduct its businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities; and the Company and each of the Guarantors is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(i) Organization and Good Standing of Subsidiaries . Each of the “significant subsidiaries” of Holdings (each “significant subsidiary” (other than the Company) being a “ Subsidiary ” and, collectively, the “ Subsidiaries ”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company has been, and, except as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary other than the Company has been, duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by Holdings, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity); none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary was issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of the Company or such Subsidiary.

(j) Capitalization. Holdings has an authorized capitalization as set forth in each of 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 Holdings (including the Company) has been duly

 

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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 each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) and are owned directly or indirectly by Holdings, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party (other than as set forth in the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus).

(k) Due Authorization. The Company and each of the Guarantors has the requisite right, power and authority to execute and deliver, to the extent a party thereto, this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (including each Guarantee set forth therein) (collectively, the “ Transaction Documents ”) 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 and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.

(l) The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and the Guarantors and upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement was duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, when duly executed and delivered by the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of each of the Company and the Guarantors, enforceable against the Company and the Guarantors in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether the enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) (collectively, the “ Enforceability Exceptions ”).

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

(n) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and each of the Guarantors.

 

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(o) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company, Holdings nor any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or other constituting or organizational documents; (ii) in default, or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Guarantor, alleged by any other party to be in default, in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other 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.

(p) No Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and each Guarantor of the Transaction Documents, to the extent a party thereto, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) and the compliance by the Company and each Guarantor with their obligations under the Transaction Documents, to the extent a party thereto, do not and will not, (i) whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default, or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries is bound, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or other constituting or organizational documents of the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries, (iii) result in the violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality, arbitrator or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or operations, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “ Repayment Event ” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries.

(q) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their obligations under each of the Transaction Documents in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities and

 

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compliance by the Company and the Guarantors with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications (i) as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and resale of the Securities by the Underwriters or (ii) which shall have been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date.

(r) Absence of Legal Proceedings. Except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Guarantor, threatened, against or affecting the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries, which, individually or in the aggregate, might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which, individually or in the aggregate, might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, or the performance by the Company and each Guarantor of its obligations hereunder or under the Transaction Documents; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have audited the financial statements included in, or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, are Independent Registered Public Accountants as required by 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.

(t) Title to Real Property. The Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by each of them, in each case free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, encumbrances, claims, restrictions and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) are described in each of the Registration Statement, Prospectus Supplement and Time of Sale Information; (ii) do not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries; all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries holds properties described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect; and none of the Company, Holdings and any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the

 

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rights of the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company, Holdings or Holdings’ other subsidiaries to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(u) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “ Intellectual Property ”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, except where the failure to own or possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company, Holdings nor any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company, Holdings or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) Investment Company Act. None of the Company or the Guarantors is and, upon the sale of the Securities as contemplated herein and in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, none of the Company or the Guarantors will be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(w) Taxes. Each of Holdings and it subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Federal and other material tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all taxes required to have been paid by it, except (i) taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which Holdings and its subsidiaries, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (ii) to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(x) Licenses and Permits. The Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries possess all permits, licenses, certificates, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “ Governmental Licenses ”) issued by 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 each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all

 

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such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and none of the Company, Holdings and any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(y) No Labor Disputes. Except as disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, no labor dispute by or with employees of the Company, Holdings or Holdings’ other subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company and Holdings, is imminent, and the Company and Holdings are not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of the Company’s, Holdings’ or any of Holdings’ other subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(z) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) none of the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, legally binding policy or rule of common law or any judicial or legally binding administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “ Hazardous Materials ”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “ Environmental Laws ”), (ii) the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (iii) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Guarantors, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries and (iv) there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up, or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

(aa) Disclosure Controls. The Company and Holdings maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the

 

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Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company and Holdings 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 and Holdings’ management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and Holdings have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

(bb) Accounting Controls. The Company and Holdings maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective 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 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 each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s and Holdings’ internal controls.

(cc) Insurance. The Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other 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 are adequate to protect the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and none of the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that material 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 reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

(dd) No Unlawful Payments. None of the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company and Holdings, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other 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) violated or is in

 

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violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(ee) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in 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, Holdings and Holdings’ other subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company and the Guarantors, threatened.

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

(gg) Solvency. On and immediately after the Closing Date, the Company and Holdings and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis (after giving effect to the issuance of the Securities and the other transactions related thereto as described in each of 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 and Holdings and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis is not less than the total amount required to pay the liabilities of the Company and Holdings and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis on their total existing debts and liabilities (including contingent liabilities) as they become absolute and matured; (ii) the Company and Holdings and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis are able to realize upon their assets and pay their 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 and Holdings and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis are not incurring debts or liabilities beyond their ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature and (iv) the Company and Holdings and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis are not engaged in any business or transaction, and do not propose to engage in any business or transaction, for which their respective property would constitute unreasonably small capital after

 

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giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which the Company is engaged.

(hh) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(ii) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company and the Guarantors that has caused the Company or the Guarantors to believe that the statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of 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.

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

(kk) Status under the Securities Act. None of the Company or any of the Guarantors is an ineligible issuer and each 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 in connection with the offering of the Securities.

4. Further Agreements of the Company and the Guarantors . The Company and 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 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 or the Guarantors 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. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representative, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and

 

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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 “ 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 each of the Company and 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 making, preparing, 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 and the Guarantors 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 and Holdings will advise the Representative promptly (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 the Company and

 

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the Guarantors will use their 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 Information to comply with law, the Company and Holdings 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 and Holdings 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 and the Guarantors 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 none of the Company or any Guarantors shall 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) Earning Statement. The Company and Holdings will make generally available to the Company’s security holders and the Representative as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act

 

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and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company and Holdings occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement; provided that this covenant shall be deemed satisfied if the Company and Holdings (i) are required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and (ii) have filed such reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K or have supplied the Commission copies of the annual report sent to security holders pursuant to Rule 14a-3(c), containing such earning statement or statements.

(i) Clear Market . During the period from the date hereof through and including the date that is 45 days after the date hereof, the Company and each of the Guarantors will not, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of the Guarantors and having a tenor of more than one year.

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

(l) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors will not 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.

(m) 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.

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) 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 A 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 B hereto without the consent of the Company.

 

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(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).

(c) In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “ Relevant Member State ”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “ Relevant Implementation Date ”), it has not made and will not make an offer of Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:

 

   

to “qualified investors” as defined in the Prospectus Directive; or

 

   

to fewer than 100 (or, in the case of if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provisions of the 2010 PD Directive, 150) natural or legal persons (other than “qualified investors” as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted in the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

 

   

in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of Securities shall result in a requirement for the publication of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or of a supplement to a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of securities to the public” in relation to any securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the securities, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression “ Prospectus Directive ” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State and the expression “ 2010 PD Amending Directive ” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

It (A) has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity, within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “ FSMA ”) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the notes, in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company or the Guarantors; and (B) has complied with, and will comply with, all

 

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applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

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 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 the Company, the Guarantors and their respective officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.

(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 Holdings 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 Holdings or any of its 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 and of each Guarantor who have specific knowledge of the Company’s or such Guarantor’s financial

 

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matters and is satisfactory to the Representative (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) or 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 each of 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 and the Guarantors. Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel for the Company and the Guarantors, and Richard G. Raymond, Esq., General Counsel of the Company, each shall have furnished to the Representative, at the request of the Company and the Guarantors, their written opinion and 10b-5 Statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(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 Cravath, Swaine & Moore 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 the Guarantors in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably request, in each case in

 

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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. The Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally agrees 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 and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company or the Guarantors in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.

(b) Indemnification of the Company and the Guarantors. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the Guarantors, each of their respective directors and their respective officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any of the Guarantors within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company and the Guarantors 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

 

21


Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following: the third paragraph, the third and fourth sentences of the fifth paragraph and the sixth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of interest)” of the Preliminary 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), (b) or (d), 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 paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) of this Section 7 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 paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) of this Section 7. 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 this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of 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 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 interest 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 LLC and any such separate firm for the Company and the Guarantors, their directors, 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, 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

 

22


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 of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (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) Indemnification of the QIU . Without limitation and in addition to its obligation under the other subsections of this Section 7, the Company and each of the Guarantors jointly and severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. (the “ QIU ”), its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the QIU within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint and several, that arise out of or are based upon the QIU’s acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of Rule 5121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified person for any legal or other expense reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided , that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, or liability results from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the QIU.

(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a), (b) or (d) 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 or the QIU, as the case may be, 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 or the QIU, as the case may be, on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or

 

23


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 or the QIU, as the case may be, 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 underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters (it being understood that KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., in its capacity as QIU, has not received any additional discounts or commissions) in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Underwriters or the QIU, as the case may be, 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 or the QIU, as the case may be, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(f) Limitation on Liability. The Company, 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 (e) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (e) 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.

(g) 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 on or prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-

 

24


the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of the Guarantors 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 reasonable 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.

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

 

25


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 or the Guarantors, except that the Company and each of the Guarantors 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, the Guarantors or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

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 agrees to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of their 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 each 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 and the Guarantors’ 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 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, Inc.; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors, except that the Company and the Underwriters shall each pay 50% of the costs of any airplane used for travel in connection with any such “road show” presentation.

(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) other than a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10(c), the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company and each of the Guarantors 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.

 

26


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.

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; (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

15. Qualified Independent Underwriter . The Company hereby confirms that at its request KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. has without compensation acted as “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 5121 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. in connection with the offering of the Securities.

16. Miscellaneous . (a)  Authority of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC 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 LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: 212-270-1063); Attention: Timothy Donahue, Managing Director. Notices to the Company and the Guarantors shall be given to them at One Dauch Drive, Detroit, Michigan 48211 (fax: 313-758-3897); Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to the Treasurer and Shearman & Sterling LLP, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022 (fax: 646-848-7678), Attention: Lisa Jacobs, Esq.

 

27


(c) Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to 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.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

28


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,

AMERICAN AXLE &

MANUFACTURING, INC.

AMERICAN AXLE &

MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

EACH OF THE SUBSIDIARIES LISTED

ON SCHEDULE 2 HERETO

By:  

/s/ S HANNON J. C URRY

NAME:   Shannon J. Curry
TITLE:   Treasurer


Accepted: October 31, 2011

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

For itself and on behalf of the several

Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:  

  /s/ G EOFFREY K IRLES

  Authorized Signatory
  Geoffrey Kirles
  Executive Director


Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

   Principal Amount  

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

   $ 67,000,000   

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                      Incorporated

   $ 67,000,000   

KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.

   $ 19,000,000   

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

   $ 19,000,000   

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

   $ 19,000,000   

The Huntington Investment Company

   $ 9,000,000   
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 200,000,000   
  

 

 

 


Schedule 2

Subsidiary Guarantors

AAM International Holdings, Inc.

AccuGear, Inc.

Colfor Manufacturing, Inc.

DieTronik, Inc.

MSP Industries Corporation

Oxford Forge, Inc.


Annex A

Time of Sale Information

 

  1. Preliminary Prospectus, dated October 31, 2011.

 

  2. The Pricing Term Sheet attached as Annex B hereto.


Annex B

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Issuer:    American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
Guaranteed by:    American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and certain subsidiaries
Size:    $200,000,000
Maturity:    November 15, 2019
Coupon:    7.750%
Price:    100.000% of face amount
Yield to Maturity:    7.750%
Net Proceeds to Issuer Before Expenses:    $196,000,000
Spread to Treasury:    +594 basis points
Benchmark:    UST 3.375% due 11/15/2019
Interest Payment Dates:    May 15 and November 15, commencing May 15, 2012
Redemption Provisions:   

Make-whole call:

Change of control:

  

At any time at a discount rate of Treasury plus 50 basis points

Put @ 101% of principal plus accrued interest

Underwriting Discount    2.000%

Trade date:

Settlement:

  

October 31, 2011

T+3; November 3, 2011

CUSIP:    02406P AK6
ISIN:    US02406PAK66

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates and a preliminary prospectus supplement relating to this offering. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement 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 (800)245-8812.

Exhibit 4.1

 

 

 

INDENTURE

among

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.,

as Issuer

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.,

as Guarantor

Certain Subsidiary Guarantors

and

U. S. Bank National Association,

as Trustee

 

 

Dated as of November 3, 2011

 

 

Providing for the Issuance of Debt Securities in Series

 

 

 


AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act

of 1939 and Indenture, dated as of November 3, 2011

 

Trust Indenture

Act Section

        

Indenture Section

Sec.     310(a)(1)

     607

    (a)(2)

     607

    (b)

     608

Sec.     312(c)

     701

Sec.     314(a)

     703

    (a)(4)

     1004

    (c)(1)

     102

    (c)(2)

     102

    (e)

     102

Sec.     315(b)

     601

Sec.     316(a)(last sentence)

     101 (“Outstanding”)

    (a)(1)(A)

     502, 512

    (a)(1)(B)

     513

    (b)

     508

    (c)

     104(c)

Sec.     317(a)(1)

     503

    (a)(2)

     504

    (b)

     1003

Sec.     318(a)

     111

 

Note:

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


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

PARTIES

     8   

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

     8   
ARTICLE ONE   
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION   
SECTION 101.  

Definitions

     9   
SECTION 102.  

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

     20   
SECTION 103.  

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

     21   
SECTION 104.  

Acts of Holders

     21   
SECTION 105.  

Notices, etc. to Trustee, Company, the Guarantor or Subsidiary Guarantors

     23   
SECTION 106.  

Notice to Holders; Waiver

     23   
SECTION 107.  

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

     24   
SECTION 108.  

Successors and Assigns

     24   
SECTION 109.  

Separability Clause

     25   
SECTION 110.  

Benefits of Indenture

     25   
SECTION 111.  

Governing Law

     25   
SECTION 112.  

Legal Holidays

     25   
SECTION 113.  

No Recourse

     25   
SECTION 114.  

Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act

     25   
SECTION 115.  

Rules of Construction

     26   
SECTION 116.  

USA Patriot Act

     26   
ARTICLE TWO   
SECURITY FORMS   
SECTION 201.  

Forms Generally

     26   
SECTION 202.  

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

     27   
SECTION 203.  

Securities Issuable in Global Form

     27   
ARTICLE THREE   
THE SECURITIES   
SECTION 301.  

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

     28   
SECTION 302.  

Denominations

     33   
SECTION 303.  

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

     33   
SECTION 304.  

Temporary Securities

     35   

 

Note:

   This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.

 

iii


SECTION 305.

 

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

     38   

SECTION 306.

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

     42   

SECTION 307.

 

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved; Optional Interest Reset

     43   

SECTION 308.

 

Optional Extension of Maturity

     45   

SECTION 309.

 

Persons Deemed Owners

     46   

SECTION 310.

 

Cancellation

     47   

SECTION 311.

 

Computation of Interest

     47   

SECTION 312.

 

Currency and Manner of Payments in Respect of Securities

     48   

SECTION 313.

 

Appointment and Resignation of Successor Exchange Rate Agent

     51   
ARTICLE FOUR   
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE   

SECTION 401.

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     51   

SECTION 402.

 

Application of Trust Money

     53   
ARTICLE FIVE   
REMEDIES   

SECTION 501.

 

Events of Default

     53   

SECTION 502.

 

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

     55   

SECTION 503.

 

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     56   

SECTION 504.

 

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     56   

SECTION 505.

 

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

     57   

SECTION 506.

 

Application of Money Collected

     57   

SECTION 507.

 

Limitation on Suits

     58   

SECTION 508.

 

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest

     59   

SECTION 509.

 

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     59   

SECTION 510.

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     59   

SECTION 511.

 

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     59   

SECTION 512.

 

Control by Holders

     59   

SECTION 513.

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

     60   

SECTION 514.

 

Undertaking for Costs

     60   

SECTION 515.

 

Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

     61   
ARTICLE SIX   
THE TRUSTEE   

SECTION 601.

 

Notice of Defaults

     61   

SECTION 602.

 

Certain Duties, Responsibilities and Rights of Trustee

     61   

SECTION 603.

 

Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

     64   

SECTION 604.

 

May Hold Securities

     64   

SECTION 605.

 

Money Held in Trust

     64   

SECTION 606.

 

Compensation and Reimbursement

     65   

 

iv


SECTION 607.

 

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility; Conflicting Interests; Disqualification

     65   

SECTION 608.

 

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     66   

SECTION 609.

 

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

     67   

SECTION 610.

 

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

     68   

SECTION 611.

 

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

     69   
ARTICLE SEVEN   
HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE, COMPANY AND GUARANTOR   

SECTION 701.

 

Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders

     70   

SECTION 702.

 

Reports by Trustee

     71   

SECTION 703.

 

Reports by Company

     71   
ARTICLE EIGHT   
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE   

SECTION 801.

 

Company and Guarantor May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms

     72   

SECTION 802.

 

Successor Person Substituted

     72   
ARTICLE NINE   
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES   

SECTION 901.

 

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

     73   

SECTION 902.

 

Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

     74   

SECTION 903.

 

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

     75   

SECTION 904.

 

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

     75   

SECTION 905.

 

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

     76   

SECTION 906.

 

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

     76   

SECTION 907.

 

Notice of Supplemental Indentures

     76   

SECTION 908.

 

Effect on Senior Indebtedness

     76   
ARTICLE TEN   
COVENANTS   

SECTION 1001.

 

Payment of Principal, Premium, if Any, and Interest

     76   

SECTION 1002.

 

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     76   

SECTION 1003.

 

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

     77   

SECTION 1004.

 

Statement by Officers as to Default

     79   

SECTION 1005.

 

Existence

     79   

SECTION 1006.

 

Limitation on Liens

     79   

SECTION 1007.

 

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

     80   

SECTION 1008.

 

SEC and Other Reports

     81   

SECTION 1009.

 

Further Instruments and Acts

     81   

 

v


SECTION 1010.

 

Calculation of Original Issue Discount

     82   

SECTION 1011.

 

Additional Amounts

     82   

SECTION 1012.

 

Waiver of Certain Covenants

     83   
ARTICLE ELEVEN   
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES   

SECTION 1101.

 

Applicability of Article

     83   

SECTION 1102.

 

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

     83   

SECTION 1103.

 

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

     83   

SECTION 1104.

 

Notice of Redemption

     84   

SECTION 1105.

 

Deposit of Redemption Price

     85   

SECTION 1106.

 

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

     85   

SECTION 1107.

 

Securities Redeemed in Part

     86   
ARTICLE TWELVE   
SINKING FUNDS   

SECTION 1201.

 

Applicability of Article

     86   

SECTION 1202.

 

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

     87   

SECTION 1203.

 

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

     87   
ARTICLE THIRTEEN   
REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS   

SECTION 1301.

 

Applicability of Article

     88   

SECTION 1302.

 

Repayment of Securities

     88   

SECTION 1303.

 

Exercise of Option

     89   

SECTION 1304.

 

When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable

     89   

SECTION 1305.

 

Securities Repaid in Part

     90   
ARTICLE FOURTEEN   
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE   

SECTION 1401.

 

Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     90   

SECTION 1402.

 

Defeasance and Discharge

     90   

SECTION 1403.

 

Covenant Defeasance

     91   

SECTION 1404.

 

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

     91   

SECTION 1405.

 

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

     93   

SECTION 1406.

 

Reinstatement

     94   

 

vi


ARTICLE FIFTEEN   
MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES   

SECTION 1501.

 

Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

     94   

SECTION 1502.

 

Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

     94   

SECTION 1503.

 

Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings

     95   

SECTION 1504.

 

Quorum; Action

     95   

SECTION 1505.

 

Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

     96   

SECTION 1506.

 

Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

     97   
ARTICLE SIXTEEN   
GUARANTEE BY THE GUARANTOR   

SECTION 1601.

 

Guarantee

     97   

SECTION 1602.

 

Severability

     99   

SECTION 1603.

 

Priority of Guarantee

     99   

SECTION 1604.

 

Limitation of Guarantor’s Liability

     99   

SECTION 1605.

 

Subrogation

     99   

SECTION 1606.

 

Reinstatement

     100   

SECTION 1607.

 

Release of the Guarantor

     100   

SECTION 1608.

 

Benefits Acknowledged

     100   
ARTICLE SEVENTEEN   
GUARANTEE BY THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS   

SECTION 1701.

 

Guarantee

     100   

SECTION 1702.

 

Severability

     102   

SECTION 1703.

 

Priority of Guarantee

     102   

SECTION 1704.

 

Limitation of Subsidiary Guarantor’s Liability

     102   

SECTION 1705.

 

Subrogation

     102   

SECTION 1706.

 

Reinstatement

     102   

SECTION 1707.

 

Release of the Subsidiary Guarantors

     103   

SECTION 1708.

 

Benefits Acknowledged

     103   

EXHIBIT A

 

FORMS OF CERTIFICATION

  

 

vii


INDENTURE, dated as of November 3, 2011, among AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), having its principal office at One Dauch Drive, Detroit, Michigan 48211-1198, AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Guarantor” and “Holdings”), as Guarantor, AAM INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC, a Delaware corporation, ACCUGEAR, INC., a Delaware corporation, COLFOR MANUFACTURING, INC. a Delaware corporation, DIETRONIK, INC., a Delaware corporation, MSP INDUSTRIES CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, and OXFORD FORGE, INC., a Delaware corporation (collectively, the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured senior or subordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Securities”), which may be convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any person (including the Company), to be issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided; and

WHEREAS, Holdings desires with respect to Securities of certain series issued under this Indenture to make the Guarantees provided for herein; and

WHEREAS, the Company and Holdings wish to permit certain Subsidiaries of the Company to make the Guarantees permitted pursuant to Section 301 and set forth in Section 1701 with respect to Securities of certain series issued under 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 be governed by such provisions; provided that if any provision of this Indenture modifies any TIA provision that may be so modified, such TIA provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified; provided further that if any provision of this Indenture excludes any TIA provision that may be so excluded, such TIA provision shall be excluded from this Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid 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 or of series thereof, as follows:


ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101. Definitions . “Act”, when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 104.

“Additional Amounts” has the meaning specified in Section 1011.

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

“Attributable Debt” means, when used in respect of any Sale and Leaseback Transaction, as of the time of determination, the total obligation (discounted to present value at the rate per annum equal to the discount rate which would be applicable to a capital lease obligation with like term in accordance with GAAP) of the lessee for rental payments (other than amounts required to be paid on account of property taxes, maintenance, repairs, insurance, water rates and other items which do not constitute payments for property rights) during the remaining portion of the initial term of the lease included in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction.

“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.

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

“Bearer Security” means any Security except a Registered Security.

“Board of Directors” means (i) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation; (ii) with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership; and (iii) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, the Guarantor or a Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may

 

9


be, 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” means, when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, 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.

“Capital Stock” of any Person means (i) with respect to any Person that is a corporation, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Common Stock or Preferred Stock, and (ii) with respect to any Person that is not a corporation, any and all partnership, limited liability company, membership or other equity interests of such Person, but in each case excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

“Clearstream” means Clearstream, société anonyme, or its successor.

“Commission” or “SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

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

“Common Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interest or other participations in, and other equivalents (however designated and whether voting or nonvoting) of, such Person’s common stock whether or not outstanding on the original issue date of any Securities issued under this Indenture, and includes, without limitation, all series and classes of such common stock.

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

“Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by one Officer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee.

“Consolidated Current Liabilities” means the aggregate of the current liabilities of Holdings appearing on the most recent available consolidated balance sheet of Holdings, all in accordance with GAAP. In no event shall Consolidated Current Liabilities include any obligation of Holdings or its Subsidiaries issued under a revolving credit or similar agreement if the obligation issued under such agreement matures by its terms within 12 months from the date thereof but by the terms of such agreement such obligation may be renewed or extended or the amount thereof reborrowed or refunded at the option of Holdings, the Company or any Subsidiary for a term in excess of 12 months from the date of determination.

 

10


“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means Consolidated Tangible Assets after deduction of Consolidated Current Liabilities.

“Consolidated Tangible Assets” means the aggregate of all assets of Holdings (including the value of all existing Sale and Leaseback Transactions and any assets resulting from the capitalization of other long-term lease obligations in accordance with GAAP) appearing on the most recent available consolidated balance sheet of Holdings at their net book values, after deducting related depreciation, applicable allowances and other properly deductible items, and after deducting all goodwill, trademarks, tradenames, patents, unamortized debt discount and expenses and other like intangibles, all prepared in accordance with GAAP.

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

“Conversion Event” means the cessation of use of a Foreign Currency both by the government of one or more countries or by any recognized union, association or confederation of governments that issued such currency and by a central bank or other public institution of or within the international banking community for the settlement of transactions.

“Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee” means the principal corporate trust office of the Trustee, at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office on the date of execution of this Indenture is located at 535 Griswold Street, Suite 550, Detroit, Michigan 48226, except that with respect to presentation of Securities for payment or for registration of transfer or exchange, such term shall mean the office or agency of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, its corporate agency business shall be conducted.

“corporation” includes corporations, associations, companies and business or statutory trusts.

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

“Currency” means any currency, composite currency or currency unit, including, without limitation, the Euro, issued by the government of one or more countries or by any recognized union, confederation or association of such governments.

“Debt” has the meaning set forth in Section 1006.

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

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

“Depositary” means, with respect to Registered Securities of any series, for which the Company shall determine that such Registered Securities will be issued in permanent global form, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, another clearing agency, or any successor registered as a clearing agency under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or other applicable statute or regulations, which in each case, shall be designated by the Company pursuant to Section 301.

 

11


“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).

“Euro” means the basic unit of currency among participating European Union countries, as revised or replaced from time to time.

“Euroclear” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. as operator of Euroclear System, and any successor thereto.

“European Union” means the European Economic Community, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community, as may be modified from time to time.

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

“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.

“Exchange Rate Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate setting forth (i) the applicable Market Exchange Rate and (ii) 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 Treasurer or any Vice President of the Company.

“Extension Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 308.

“Extension Period” has the meaning specified in Section 308.

“Federal Bankruptcy Code” means the Bankruptcy Act of Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended from time to time.

“Foreign Currency” means any Currency other than Currency of the United States.

 

12


“Funded Debt” means all Debt having a maturity of more than 12 months from the date as of which the determination is made or having a maturity of 12 months or less but by its terms being renewable or extendable beyond 12 months from such date at the option of the borrower, but excluding any such Debt owed to the Company, the Guarantor or a 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 have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession which are in effect on the date of this Indenture.

“Government Obligations” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, securities which are (i) direct obligations of the government which issued the Currency in which the Securities of a particular series are payable or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the 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 or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

“guarantee” means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of any Indebtedness or other obligations.

“Guarantee” means any guarantee of the Guarantor and, if applicable, any Subsidiary Guarantor, endorsed on a Security authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture and shall include the Guarantees by the Guarantor set forth in Section 1601 and any Guarantees of any Subsidiary Guarantor established in accordance with Section 301 and set forth in Section 1701.

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

“Guarantor Obligations” shall have the meaning provided in Section 1601.

“Guarantor Request” or “Guarantor Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Guarantor by one Officer of the Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

13


“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.

“Holdings” means American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware Corporation.

“Indebtedness” means (1) any liability of any Person (a) for borrowed money, or (b) evidenced by a bond, note, debenture or similar instrument (including purchase money obligations but excluding Trade Payables), or (c) for the payment of money relating to a lease that is required to be classified as a capitalized lease obligation in accordance with GAAP; (2) preferred or preference stock of a Subsidiary of the Company held by Persons other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company; (3) any liability of others described in the preceding clause (1) that the Person has guaranteed, that is recourse to such Person or that is otherwise its legal liability; and (4) any amendment, supplement, modification, deferral, renewal, extension or refunding of any liability of the types referred to in clauses (1), (2) and (3) above.

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and 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 , however , 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 particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms 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 the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at the Stated Maturity may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

“interest” means, when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security the rate prescribed in such Original Issue Discount Security.

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

“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give

 

14


a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction.

“Market Exchange Rate” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, (i) 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, (ii) 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 (iii) 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 (i), (ii) and (iii), 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” means, when used with respect to any Security, the date on which the principal of such Security or any 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.

“Mortgage” means, with respect to any property or assets, any mortgage or deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, security interest, lien, encumbrance, or any other security arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever on or with respect to such property or assets (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

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

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by two Officers of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, one of whom must be the

 

15


principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer, or the principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the requirements of Section 102 hereof.

“Operating Property” means any real property or equipment located in the United States owned by, or leased to, the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary that has a market value in excess of 1.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, including an employee of the Company or the Guarantor, and who shall be acceptable to the Trustee.

“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” means, when used with respect to Securities, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

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

(ii) 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 or the Guarantor) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company or the Guarantor (if the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall act as its own 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;

(iii) 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

(iv) 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 , however , 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

 

16


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, the Dollar equivalent as of such date of original issuance of the amount determined as provided in clause (i) above) 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 or upon any such determination as to the presence of a quorum, 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 such other obligor.

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

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, 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 (which, in the case of Bearer Securities, shall be outside the United States) where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities are payable as specified 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, as the case may be.

“Preferred Stock” means, as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation, Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) that is preferred as to the payment of dividends, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.

 

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

“Registered Security” means any Security 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.

“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 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 pursuant to this Indenture.

“Responsible Officer” means, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer of the Trustee within the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) who has direct responsibility for administration of this Indenture and, for purposes of Section 601 or subparagraph (3)(b) of the first paragraph of Section 602 hereof, also includes any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary (excluding the Company) that owns Operating Property.

“Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing to the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary of any Operating Property, which Operating Property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company, Holdings or such Subsidiary to such Person.

“Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , however , 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.

“Senior Indebtedness” means the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on (x) indebtedness of the Company (including indebtedness of others guaranteed by the Company), whether outstanding on the date hereof or thereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, for money borrowed other than (a) any indebtedness of the Company which when

 

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incurred and without respect to any election under Section 1111(b) of the Federal Bankruptcy Code, was without recourse to the Company, (b) any Indebtedness of the Company to any of its subsidiaries, (c) Indebtedness to any employee of the Company, (d) any liability for taxes and (e) Trade Payables, unless in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding it is provided that such indebtedness is not senior or prior in right of payment to the Securities, and (y) renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such indebtedness. This definition may be modified or superseded by a supplemental indenture.

“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would constitute a “significant subsidiary” within the meaning of Article 1 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933 as in effect on the date of this Indenture.

“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” has the meaning specified in Section 308.

“Subsidiary” means any corporation of which at least a majority of the outstanding stock having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned by the Company, Holdings or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by the Company, Holdings and one or more other Subsidiaries.

“Subsidiary Guarantor” means with respect to the Securities of any series, any of AAM International Holdings, Inc., AccuGear, Inc., Colfor Manufacturing, Inc., DieTronik, Inc., MSP Industries Corporation, Oxford Forge, Inc. or such other Subsidiary as may from time to time provide a Guarantee with respect to the Securities of a particular series pursuant to Section 301 and as set forth in Section 1701, until released from such Guarantee pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture and the terms of such series of Securities.

“Subsidiary Guarantor Request” or “Subsidiary Guarantor Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Subsidiary Guarantor by one Officer of the Subsidiary Guarantor, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Trade Payables” means accounts payable or any other Indebtedness or monetary obligations to trade creditors created or assumed in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or services.

“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 , however , that if at any time there is more than one such Person,

 

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“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 or trust the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source.

“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 . Upon any application or request by the Company or the Guarantor to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture (including any covenant compliance with which constitutes a condition precedent) 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.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a covenant or condition provided for in this Indenture (other than pursuant to Section 1004) shall include:

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

 

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(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 covenant or condition has been complied with; and

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

SECTION 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee . 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 with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

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

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.

SECTION 104. Acts of Holders . 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 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

 

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instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company or the Guarantor or to all of them. 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, 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.

(a) 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 that the Trustee deems sufficient.

(b) 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.

(c) 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, the Company, the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, 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) 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.

(d) If the Company or the Guarantor shall solicit from the Holders of Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, 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 or the Guarantor, as the case may be, 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

 

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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 eleven months after the record date.

(e) 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, the Guarantor or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

SECTION 105. Notices, etc. to Trustee, Company, the Guarantor or Subsidiary Guarantors . Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other documents 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, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention:James Kowalski, or

(2) the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight delivery service, to the Company, the Guarantor or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, addressed to it at the address of the Company’s principal office specified in the first paragraph of this Indenture, to the attention of its General Counsel, or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company, the Guarantor or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be.

SECTION 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to Holders of Registered Securities by the Company, the Guarantor or the Trustee, such notice shall be sufficiently given if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each such Holder affected by such event, at his address as it 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

 

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Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided. 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.

In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service or by reason of any other cause, it shall be impractical 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.

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 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 at least twice, 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 such publication or, if published more than once, on the date of the first such publication.

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 Holders 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.

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.

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.

 

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SECTION 109. Separability Clause . In case any provision in this Indenture or in any Security, any Guarantee 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, the Guarantees or coupons, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Securities Registrar and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

SECTION 111. Governing Law . THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES AND ANY COUPONS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 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 or 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 of 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, 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.

SECTION 113. No Recourse . No recourse for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security or any coupons appertaining thereto, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture or in any supplemental indenture, or in any Security or any coupons appertaining thereto, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any director, officer, employee, or stockholder as such, past, present or future, of the Company or any of its Affiliates or any successor Person of the Company, either directly or through the Company or any of its Affiliates or any successor Person of the Company, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the Securities.

SECTION 114. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act . Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.

 

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

 

  (i) “indenture securities” means the Securities;

 

  (ii) “indenture security Holder” means a Holder of a Security;

 

  (iii) “indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture;

 

  (iv) “indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee; and

 

  (v) “obligor” on the Securities means the Company and if applicable, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor, in respect of the Securities and any successor obligor upon the Securities.

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

SECTION 115. Rules of Construction . Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

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

 

  (II) an accounting term not otherwise defined 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; and

 

  (V) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

SECTION 116. USA Patriot Act . The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act the Trustee and the Trust Officers, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, are required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account. The parties to this agreement agree that they shall provide the Trustee and the Trust Officers with such information as they may request in order to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITY FORMS

SECTION 201. Forms Generally . The Registered Securities, if any, of each series and the Bearer Securities, if any, of each series and related coupons the temporary global Securities of each series, if any, and the permanent global Securities of each series, if any, and the Guarantees, if any, to be endorsed thereon shall be in substantially the forms as shall be

 

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established by, or pursuant to a Board Resolution or, subject to Section 303, set forth in, or determined in the manner provided in, an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Company or, in the case of the Guarantees, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantors or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers of the Company, the Guarantor or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, executing such Securities or coupons, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities or coupons. If the forms of Securities or coupons of any series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities or coupons. Any portion of the text of any Security may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Security.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, Securities in bearer form shall have interest coupons attached.

The Trustee’s certificate of authentication on all Securities shall be in substantially the form set forth in this Article.

The definitive Securities and coupons, if any, including the Guarantees, if any, shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel-engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, executing such Securities, coupons or Guarantees, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities, coupons or Guarantees.

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:

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

Dated:             

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

 

U. S. Bank National Association,
as Trustee
By:  

 

Authorized Officer
 

SECTION 203. Securities Issuable in Global Form . If Securities of or within a series are issuable in global form, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, then,

 

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notwithstanding clause (8) of Section 301, any such Security shall 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. 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 or 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.

The provisions of the last sentence of Section 303 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.

Notwithstanding any provisions of Section 307 to the contrary, 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.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 309 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor, if applicable, (if Guarantees are issued) the Trustee and any agent of the Company, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor, if applicable (if Guarantees are issued), and the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a permanent global Security (i), in the case of a permanent global Security in registered form, the Holder of such permanent global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a permanent global Security in bearer form, Euroclear or Clearstream.

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

SECTION 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series . The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

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The Securities 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 in, or determined in the manner provided in, an Officer’s 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 (17) 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) title of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from all other series of Securities) and whether such Securities are senior or subordinated;

(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 except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

(3) the date or dates, or the method by which such date or dates will be determined or extended, on which the principal of the Securities of the series is 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 any 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, the right, if any, of the Company to defer or extend an Interest Payment Date, 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 or dates 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, if any, other than or in addition to the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on Securities of the series shall be payable (which in the case of Bearer Securities shall be outside the United States), 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, if different than the location specified in Section 106, the place or places where notices or demands to or upon the Company or, if applicable, the Guarantor in respect of the Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served;

(6) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the Currency in which, and other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series

 

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may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company or a Holder thereof, if the Company or such Holder is to have that option;

(7) the obligation or right, 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 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, upon redemption of the Securities of the series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity, upon surrender for repayment at the option of the Holder, or which the Trustee shall be entitled to claim pursuant to Section 504 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;

 

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(14) the designation of the initial Exchange Rate Agent, if any, or any depositaries;

(15) if Sections 1402 and/or 1403 are not applicable 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 that shall be applicable to the Securities of the series;

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

(17) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company or, if applicable, the Guarantor with respect to Securities of the series, whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein;

(18) if Securities of the series are not to be issuable solely as Registered Securities, whether Securities of the series are to be issuable as Bearer Securities (with or without coupons) or both Registered Securities and Bearer Securities, any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of Bearer Securities, whether such Securities of any 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), 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;

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

(20) the Person to whom any interest on any Registered Security of the series shall be payable, if other than 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, 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; and the extent to which, or the manner in which any interest payable on a permanent global Security on an Interest Payment Date will be paid if other than in the manner provided in Section 307;

 

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

(22) 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;

(23) whether, under what circumstances and the Currency in which the Company will pay Additional Amounts as contemplated by Section 1011 on the Securities of the series to any Holder who is not a United States person (including any 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);

(24) 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 will be so convertible or exchangeable;

(25) whether the Securities of the series are subject to subordination and, if so, the terms of such subordination; and

(26) if Securities of the series are not to be guaranteed by the Guarantor and any modification of the terms of the Guarantees as set forth in Article Sixteen;

(27) if Securities of the series are guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantors and any deletions from, modifications to or additions to Article Seventeen, the Events of Default or covenants with respect to such Subsidiary Guarantors with respect to Securities of the series, whether or not such changes are consistent with Article Seventeen, the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein; and

(28) any other terms, conditions, rights and preferences (or limitations on such rights and preferences) relating to the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act or the provisions of this Indenture).

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 or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions (subject to Section 303) and set forth in such Officer’s Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. Not all Securities of any one series need 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.

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by action taken pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions or pursuant to authority granted by one or more

 

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Board Resolutions, such Board Resolutions shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the issuance of the first Security 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. With respect to Securities of any series denominated in Dollars, in the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of such series, the 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 the Bearer Securities issued in global form (which may be of any denomination), shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000.

SECTION 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating . The Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, its President or a Vice President, attested by its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or coupons may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such authorized officer and may be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities.

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.

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 coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company and (if Securities of such series were specified as contemplated by Section 301 to be guaranteed by the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor) having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with such Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities; provided , however , 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, 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 Security. Except as permitted by Section 306, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all appurtenant coupons for interest then

 

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matured have been detached and cancelled. If not all the Securities of any series are to be issued at one time and if the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a 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 terms of particular Securities of such series such as interest rate, maturity, 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 shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating in effect (subject to customary exceptions):

(a) that the form or forms of such Securities and any such Guarantees to be endorsed thereon and any coupons have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

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

(c) that such Securities, together with any Guarantees endorsed thereon and 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 be the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, the Guarantor, and each of the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, respectively, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally (including without limitation on all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), to general principles of equity;

(d) that all laws and requirements in respect of the execution and delivery by the Company, the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, of such Securities, Guarantees, any coupons and of the supplemental indentures, if any, have been complied with and that authentication and delivery of such Securities and any coupons and the execution and delivery of the supplemental indenture, if any, by the Trustee will not violate the terms of the Indenture;

(e) that the Company has the corporate power to issue such Securities and any coupons, and has duly taken all necessary corporate action with respect to such issuance;

(f) that the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, have the corporate power to issue such Guarantees, and have taken all necessary corporate action with respect to such issuance; and

(g) that the issuance of such Securities, Guarantees and any coupons will not contravene the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, the Guarantor or Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, or result in any violation of any of the terms or

 

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provisions of any law or regulation or of any indenture, mortgage or other agreement known to such Counsel by which the Company, the Guarantor or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, are bound.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding two paragraphs, if not all the Securities of any series are to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officer’s Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to the preceding two paragraphs prior to or at the time of issuance of each Security, but such documents shall be delivered prior to or at the time of issuance of the first Security of such series.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate and deliver any 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.

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.

No Security, no Guarantee endorsed thereon 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 a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein duly executed by the Trustee by manual signature of an authorized officer, 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. The delivery of any Security by the Trustee after the authentication thereof shall constitute due delivery of any Guarantee endorsed thereon on behalf of the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable.

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 . 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 and, if applicable, having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Guarantees, 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 conclusively the officers executing such Securities, Guarantees or coupons may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution

 

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of such Securities, Guarantees or coupons, as the case may be. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form (which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions of the following paragraphs), if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company 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 unmatured 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 and of like tenor of authorized denominations having, if applicable, endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable; provided , however , 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.

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).

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 and having, if applicable, endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, executed by the Company. On or after the Exchange Date such temporary global Security shall be surrendered by the Common Depositary to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Securities without charge and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such temporary global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such temporary global Security to be exchanged and, if applicable, having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable. 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 , however , that, unless otherwise specified in such temporary global Security, upon such presentation by the Common Depositary, such temporary global Security is accompanied by a certificate dated the

 

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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.

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 and, if applicable, having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable 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 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.

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 or the applicable Paying Agent of a certificate or certificates 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), 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 form as may be established pursuant to Section 301). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the certifications made pursuant to this paragraph shall satisfy the certification requirements of the preceding two paragraphs of this Section and of the third paragraph of Section 303 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 and, if applicable, having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, on the

 

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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 paragraph, 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 or the applicable Paying Agent immediately prior to the expiration of two years after such Interest Payment Date in order to be repaid to the Company in accordance with (but otherwise subject to) Section 1003.

SECTION 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange . The Company or the Trustee shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee a register for each series of Securities (the registers maintained in the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes collectively referred to 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; provided , however , that there shall be only one Security Register per series of Securities. The Security Register shall be in written form or any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. At all reasonable times, the Security Register shall be open to inspection by the Trustee. The Trustee is hereby initially appointed as security registrar (the “Security Registrar”) for the purpose of registering Registered Securities and transfers of Registered Securities as herein provided and for facilitating exchanges of temporary global Securities for permanent global Securities or definitive Securities, or both, or of permanent global Securities for definitive Securities, as herein provided.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor and, if applicable, having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable.

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, 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, having, if applicable, endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable. 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.

If (but only if) expressly permitted in or pursuant to the applicable Board Resolution and (subject to Section 303) set forth in the applicable Officer’s 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

 

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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 , however , 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 (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the 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.

Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive having, if applicable, endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any permanent global Security shall be exchangeable only as provided in this paragraph. 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 of that series in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent global Security, executed by the Company and if applicable, having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable. 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

 

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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 and, if applicable, having endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, 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 , however , 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 (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of 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.

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

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.

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.

If at any time the Depositary for any permanent global Registered Securities of any series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such permanent global Registered Securities or if at any time the Depositary for such permanent global Registered Securities shall no longer be eligible under applicable law, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary eligible under applicable law with respect to such permanent

 

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global Registered Securities. If a successor Depositary eligible under applicable law for such Registered Global Securities is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of the Company’s order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor, will authenticate and deliver such definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such permanent global Registered Securities, in exchange for such permanent global Registered Securities.

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that any permanent global Registered Securities of any series shall no longer be maintained in global form. In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of the Company’s order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor, will authenticate and deliver, definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such permanent global Registered Securities, in exchange for such permanent global Registered Securities.

The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the selection for redemption of Securities of that series under Section 1103 or 1203 and ending at the close of business on (A) if Securities of the series are issuable only as Registered Securities, the day of the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and (B) if Securities of the series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the day of the first publication of the relevant notice of redemption or, if Securities of the series are also issuable as Registered Securities and there is no publication, the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part, or (iii) to exchange any 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 (iv) 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.

The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer that may be imposed under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of any series pursuant to the terms thereof established as contemplated by Section 301 or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any such Security (including any transfers between or among any depositary (including any Depositary or Common Depositary), or its nominee, as a Holder of a Security issued in global form, any participants in such depositary or owners or holders of beneficial interests in any such 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 such Securities if and as may be so established in respect of such Securities, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements thereof.

 

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No Depositary shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or ommission of the Depositary.

SECTION 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities . If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, 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, and having, if applicable, endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, with coupons corresponding to the coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security, or, in case any such mutilated 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 the surrendered Security, pay such Security or coupon.

If there shall be delivered to the Company, the Guarantor (if related Guarantees are issued) and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or coupon and (ii) 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, the Guarantor 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, and having, if applicable, endorsed thereon Guarantees duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, 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.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous two paragraphs, 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 , however , 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.

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.

 

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Every new Security of any series, with any Guarantees endorsed thereon duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, and 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 and if applicable, the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, 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, any Guarantees endorsed thereon and their coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

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) Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, interest, if any, on any Registered Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to 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 at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 1002; provided , however , that each installment of interest, if any, on any Registered Security may at the Company’s option be paid by (i) 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 (ii) transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee.

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.

Any interest on any Registered Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such defaulted interest and, if applicable, interest on such defaulted interest (to the extent lawful) at the rate specified in the Securities of such series (such defaulted interest and, if applicable, interest thereon herein collectively called “Defaulted Interest”) may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) below:

(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 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, 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

 

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(except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 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 that 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 name 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).

(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.

(b) The provisions of this Section 307(b) 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 “Optional Reset Date”). The Company may exercise such option with respect to such Security by notifying the Trustee of such exercise at least 50 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 (i) such new interest rate (or such new spread or spread multiplier, if applicable) and (ii) 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 date of 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.

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

 

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an interest rate (or a spread or spread multiplier used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) that is higher than the interest rate (or the spread or spread multiplier, if applicable) provided for in the Reset Notice, 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 higher spread or spread multiplier, 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 the next succeeding paragraph, will bear such higher interest rate (or such higher spread or spread multiplier, if applicable).

The Holder of any such Security will 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.

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.

SECTION 308. Optional Extension of Maturity . 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 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 final maturity date of Maturity as set forth on the face of such Security (the “Stated Maturity”). The Company may exercise such option with respect to any Security by notifying the Trustee of such exercise at least 50 but not more than 60 days prior to the Maturity of such Security in effect prior to the exercise of such option. If the Company exercises such option, 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 Maturity a notice (the “Extension Notice”) indicating (i) the election of the Company to extend the Maturity, (ii) the new Maturity, (iii) the interest rate, 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 Maturity of such Security shall be extended automatically and, except as modified by the Extension Notice and as described in the next paragraph, such Security will have the same terms as prior to the transmittal of such Extension Notice.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, not later than 20 days before the Maturity of such Security, the Company may, at its option, revoke the interest rate provided for in the Extension Notice and establish a higher interest rate for the Extension Period by causing the Trustee to

 

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transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 106, notice of such higher interest rate to the Holder of such Security. Such notice shall be irrevocable. All Securities with respect to which the Maturity is extended will bear such higher interest rate.

If the Company extends the Maturity of any Security, the Holder will have the option to elect repayment of such Security by the Company at Maturity at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, plus interest accrued to such date. In order to obtain repayment at Maturity once the Company has extended the 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 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 Maturity.

SECTION 309. Persons Deemed Owners . Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor (if the Guarantee is endorsed on such Registered Security), the Trustee and any agent of the Company, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor (if the Guarantee is endorsed on such Registered Security), or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the absolute 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 Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and none of the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor (if a Guarantee is endorsed on such Registered Security), the Trustee or any agent of the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor (if a Guarantee is endorsed on such Registered Security), or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Title to any Bearer Security and any coupons appertaining thereto shall pass by delivery. The Company, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor (if a Guarantee is endorsed on such Bearer Security), the Trustee and any agent of the Company, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor (if a Guarantee is endorsed on such Bearer Security), 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 coupons be overdue, and none of the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor (if a Guarantee is endorsed on such Bearer Security), the Trustee or any agent of the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor (if a Guarantee is endorsed on such Bearer Security), or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

None of the Company, the Guarantor, any Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar shall 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. The Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, the Trustee and the Securities Registrar shall be entitled to deal with any depositary (including any Depositary or Common Depositary), and any nominee thereof, that is the Holder of any such global Security for all purposes of this Indenture relating to such global

 

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Security (including the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest and Additional Amounts, if any, the giving of instructions or directions by or to the owner or holder of a beneficial ownership interest in such global Security) as the sole Holder of such global Security and shall have no obligations to the beneficial owners thereof. None of the Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar shall have any responsibility or liability for any acts or omissions of any such depositary with respect to such global Security, for the records of any such depositary, including records in respect of beneficial ownership interests in respect of any such global Security, for any transactions between such depositary and any participant in such depositary or between or among any such depositary, any such participant and/or any holder or owner of a beneficial interest in such global Security or for any transfers of beneficial interests in any such global Security.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any global Security, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, or the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any depositary (including any Depositary or Common 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 . 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 current or future sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee. All Securities and coupons so delivered to the Trustee shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company, the Guarantor or the Subsidiary Guarantors may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company, the Guarantor or such Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, 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, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor 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. All cancelled Securities and coupons held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its customary procedures and, if requested by the Company in writing, certification of their disposal delivered to the Company, unless by Company Order the Company shall timely direct that cancelled Securities be returned to it.

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.

 

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SECTION 312. Currency and Manner of Payments in Respect of Securities . (a) Unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, with respect to Registered Securities of any series not permitting the election provided for in paragraph (b) below or the Holders of which have not made the election provided for in paragraph (b) below, and with respect to Bearer Securities of any series, except as provided in paragraph (d) below, 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 paragraphs (d) and (e) below, 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 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 Section 312(a). 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 paragraph (b) above 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 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, in 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 paragraph (b) above. If the election referred to in paragraph (b) above 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

 

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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 paragraph (b) above shall be determined by the Company on the basis of the applicable Market Exchange Rate in effect on the third 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 paragraph (b) above, 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 the 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 paragraph (f) or (g) below.

(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 paragraph (b) above, 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 paragraph (d) above.

(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.

(g) The “Dollar Equivalent of the Currency Unit” shall be determined by the Exchange Rate Agent and subject to the provisions of paragraph (h) below 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.

 

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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 value 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 date for any series of Registered Securities as specified pursuant to clause (13) of Section 301 by which the written election referred to in paragraph (b) above may be made.

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.

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 the 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 the Trustee will promptly thereafter give notice in the manner provided for in Section 106 to the affected Holders) specifying the Conversion Date

 

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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. The Trustee shall be fully justified and protected in 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 (i) are denominated in a Currency other than Dollars or (ii) may be payable in a Currency other than Dollars, 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 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.

(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 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).

ARTICLE FOUR

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture . 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 contemplated by Section 1011) and the Trustee, at the

 

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expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series when

(1) either

(A) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto (other than (i) 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, (ii) 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, (iii) 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 (iv) Securities and coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust with the Trustee or any Paying Agent or segregated and held in trust by the Company, the Guarantor or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, and thereafter repaid to the Company, the Guarantor or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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

(i) have become due and payable, or

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

(iii) 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 (i), (ii) or (iii) 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, for 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

 

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(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s 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.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 606, the obligations of the Trustee to any Authenticating Agent under Section 611 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last paragraph of Section 1003, the last sentence of Section 1011, and the penultimate paragraph of Section 1405 shall survive.

SECTION 402. Application of Trust Money . Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, 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 Paying Agent (including the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, 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 the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. Money so held in trust is subject to the Trustee’s rights under Section 606.

ARTICLE FIVE

REMEDIES

SECTION 501. Events of Default . “Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(1) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that series, or any related coupon, 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 the Securities of that series and Article Twelve; or

(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company or the Guarantor in this Indenture which affects or is applicable to the Securities of that series (other than a default in the performance or breach of a covenant or agreement is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of other series of Securities), and

 

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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 all 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 Guarantee, if any, applicable to the Securities of that series ceases to be in full force and effect or a Holdings’ Guarantee is declared null and void or the Guarantor denies that it has any further liability under its Guarantee to the Holders of Securities of that series, or has given notice to such effect (other than by reason of the release of any such Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture), and such condition shall have continued for period of 30 days after written notice 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; or

(6) default in the payment of principal when due or resulting in acceleration of other Indebtedness of the Company, or, if Guarantees are issued, the Guarantor, or any Significant Subsidiary for borrowed money where the aggregate principal amount with respect to which the default or acceleration has occurred exceeds $100 million and such acceleration has not been rescinded or annulled or such Indebtedness repaid within a period of 30 days after written notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities; provided that if any such default is cured, waived, rescinded or annulled, then the Event of Default by reason thereof would be deemed not to have occurred; or

(7) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or, if a Holdings’ Guarantee is issued, the Guarantor in an involuntary case or proceeding under Bankruptcy Law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company or, if a Holdings’ Guarantee is issued, the Guarantor a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company or, if a Holdings’ Guarantee is issued, the Guarantor under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or, if a Holdings’ Guarantee is issued, the Guarantor or of any substantial part of their property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of their affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(8) the commencement by the Company or, if Guarantees are issued, the Guarantor of a voluntary case or proceeding under Bankruptcy Law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by them to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or, if Guarantees are issued, the Guarantor is an involuntary case or proceeding under Bankruptcy Law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against them, or the filing by them of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by them to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator,

 

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assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or, if Guarantees are issued, the Guarantor or of any substantial part of their property, or the making by them of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by them in writing of their inability to pay their debts generally as they become due; or

(9) there occurs any other Event of Default provided pursuant to Section 301 or 901 with respect to Securities of that series.

SECTION 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment . If an Event of Default described in clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (9) of Section 501 with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then 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 amount (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all of the Outstanding Securities of that series and any accrued and unpaid cash interest through the date of such declaration, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount shall become immediately due and payable.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series (or of all series, as the case may be) has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series (or of all series, as the case may be) by written notice to the Company, the Guarantor, if applicable, 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 to pay 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 Sections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)),

(A) all overdue interest, if any, on all Outstanding Securities of that series (or of all series, as the case may be) and any related coupons,

(B) all unpaid principal of (and premium, if any) any Outstanding Securities of that series (or of all series, as the case may be) which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration, and interest on such unpaid principal at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,

(C) to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law, interest upon overdue interest to the date of such payment or deposit at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities or, if no such rate or rates are so prescribed, at the rate borne by the Securities during the period of such default, and

(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and

 

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(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series (or of all series, as the case may be), other than the non-payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) Securities of that series (or of all series, as the case may be) which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.

If an Event of Default described in clause (7) or (8) occurs and is continuing, then the principal amounts (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such position of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all the Securities and then Outstanding, together with any accrued interest through the occurrence of such Event of Default, shall become and be due and payable immediately, without any declaration or other act by the Trustee or any other Holder.

SECTION 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee . The Company covenants that (1) in case default shall be made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series and any related coupon, as and when the same shall become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of 90 days, or (2) in case default shall be made in the payment of the principal (or premium, if any, on) any Security of any series at its Maturity and such default shall have continued for a period of five Business Days then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee (such demand and payment in the case of Bearer Securities to occur only outside of the United States, for the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series and coupons, the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on such Securities and coupons of that series for principal and any premium or interest, or both, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon overdue installments of interest at the rate borne by or provided for in such Securities during the period of such default; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee except as a result of its negligence or bad faith.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series (or of all series, as the case may be) 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 (or of all series, as the case may be) and any related coupons by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual 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 . In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor (if any related Guarantees are issued) or any other obligor upon the Securities of a series or the property of the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor (if any related Guarantees are issued) or of 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

 

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have made any demand on the Company or, if applicable, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor 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 if the case of Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) 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 (which distribution, in the case of Bearer Securities or coupons appertaining thereto, shall occur only outside the United States);

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 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.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the 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 in any such proceeding.

SECTION 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities . 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 and 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 any premium and interest, upon presentation of the Securities or coupons, or both, as the case may be (such presentation, in the case of Bearer Securities or coupons, to occur only outside the United States) and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

 

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First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 606;

Second: To the payment (such payment, in the case of Bearer Securities or coupons, to occur only outside the United States) of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities and coupons 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 amounts due and payable on such Securities and coupons for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and

Third: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct in writing.

SECTION 507. Limitation on Suits . No Holder of any Security of any series or any related coupons 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:

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

(2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (9) of Section 501, or, in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (6), (7) or (8) of Section 501, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities, 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;

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

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

(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee pursuant to Section 512 during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority or more in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (9) of Section 501, or, in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (6), (7) or (8) of Section 501 by the Holders of a majority or more in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities;

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 Holders of Securities of the same series, in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (9) of Section 501, or of Holders of all Securities in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (6), (7) or (8) of Section 501, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to

 

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enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable and common benefit of all of such Holders of Securities of that same series in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (9) of Section 501, or of Holders of all Securities in the case of any Event of Default described in clause (6), (7) or (8) of Section 501.

SECTION 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment as provided herein and in such Security of the principal and any premium and interest on such Security or payment of any related coupon on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security or coupon (or, in the case of redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder, on the Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as the case may be) 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 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, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders shall 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 replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or coupons in Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities and 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.

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 . With respect to the Securities of 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 relating to or arising under clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (9) of Section 501 and, with respect to

 

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all Securities; provided , however , the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities 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, not relating to or arising under clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (9) of Section 501:

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

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

(3) such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of Holders of Securities of such series not taking part in such direction, and

(4) such direction would not involve the Trustee in personal liability, as the Trustee, upon being advised by counsel, shall reasonably determine.

SECTION 513. Waiver of Past Defaults . Subject to Section 502, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default described in clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (9) of Section 501 (or, in the case of a default described in clause (6), (7) or (8) of Section 501, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities may waive any such past default), hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default:

(1) in respect of the payment of the principal of or any premium and interest on any Security or any related coupon, or

(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.

Upon any such waiver, any 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, and the Company, the Trustee and Holders shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

SECTION 514. Undertaking for Costs . All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any

 

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Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Security, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium if any, on) or interest on any Securities on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

SECTION 515. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws . Each of the Company and the Guarantor covenants (to the extent that each 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 wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and each of the Company and the Guarantor (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 SIX

THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 601. Notice of Defaults . Within 90 days after the occurrence of any Default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), notice of such default hereunder known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such Default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , 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 fund installment with respect to 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 determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Holders of Securities of such series and any related coupons; and provided further that in the case of any default or breach of the character specified in Section 501(4) with respect to Securities and coupons of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof.

SECTION 602. Certain Duties, Responsibilities and Rights of Trustee . Subject to the provisions of TIA Sections 315(a) through 315(d):

(1) except during the continuance of an Event of Default,

 

  (a) 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; and

 

  (b)

in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or

 

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  opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture;

(2) if any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs;

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

 

  (a) this subparagraph (3) does not limit the effect of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph or the penultimate paragraph of this Section 602;

 

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

 

  (c) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of the affected series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture;

(4) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(5) any request or direction of the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order, Guarantor Request or Guarantor Order, or Subsidiary Guarantor Request or Subsidiary Guarantor Order, as the case may be, and any resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(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)

 

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may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officer’s Certificate;

(7) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the written 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 reasonable security or indemnity satisfactory to it 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, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company or, if any Guarantees are issued, the Guarantor, personally or by agent or attorney;

(10) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, attorneys, custodians, or nominees and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent, attorney, custodian, or nominee 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;

(12) in the event that the Trustee is also acting as Paying Agent, Security Registrar or in any other capacity hereunder, the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits afforded to the Trustee pursuant to this Article Six, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, shall also be afforded to the Trustee in its capacity as such Paying Agent, Security Registrar or in such other capacity;

(13) the Trustee shall not be deemed to know or be charged with knowledge of any Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series for which it is acting as Trustee unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee from the Company or a Holder of such Securities and such notice references this Indenture and such Securities;

(14) the Trustee shall not be required to give any note, bond or surety in respect of the trusts and powers under this Indenture;

 

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

(16) 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.

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.

Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 602.

SECTION 603. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities . The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, including any Guarantees endorsed thereon, except for the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, and in any coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company, the Guarantor or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as the case may be, 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.

SECTION 604. May Hold Securities . The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, the Guarantor, or any Subsidiary Guarantor or of the Trustee, 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, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantors with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar 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

 

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Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, for the investment thereof.

SECTION 606. Compensation and Reimbursement . The Company agrees:

(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (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 the 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 may be attributable to its gross negligence or willful misconduct; and

(3) to indemnify the Trustee and any predecessor trustee and its and their officers, directors, employees, and agents for, and to hold it or them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct on its or their part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) of defending itself or themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its or their powers or duties hereunder.

The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate the Trustee, to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances and to indemnify and hold harmless the Trustee shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder and shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the termination of this Indenture for any reason. As security for the performance of such obligations of the Company, the Trustee shall have a claim and lien 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.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 501(7) or (8), the expenses (including reasonable charges and expense of its counsel) of and the compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.

The provisions of this Section shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the termination of this Indenture for any reason and the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee.

SECTION 607. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility; Conflicting Interests; Disqualification . There shall be at all times 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

 

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$50,000,000. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to 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. If the Trustee shall have or acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such conflicting interest or resign to the extent, in the manner and with the effect, and subject to the conditions, provided in the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. For purposes of Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and to the extent permitted thereby, the Trustee, in its capacity as trustee in respect of the Securities of any series, shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest arising from its capacity as trustee in respect of the Securities of any other series. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the Trustee from filing the application provided for in the second to last sentence of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

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 and any and all amounts then due and owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid in full.

(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 and, if applicable the Guarantor. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 609 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company and, if applicable the Guarantor.

(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, the Guarantor or by any Holder 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, the Guarantor or by any Holder 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

 

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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 a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to TIA Section 315(e), any Holder 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.

(e) 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 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 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 and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Holder 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 the Securities of such series.

(f) 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 to the Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided for 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 . In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, if applicable, 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 the request of the Company, the Guarantor, any Subsidiary Guarantor 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 and lien provided for in Section 606.

 

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(a) 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 Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, 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, the Guarantor 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, subject nevertheless to its claim and lien provided for in Section 606. Whenever there is a successor Trustee with respect to one or more (but less than all) series of securities issued pursuant to this Indenture, the terms “Indenture” and “Securities” shall have the meanings specified in the provisos to the respective definitions of those terms in Section 101 which contemplate such situation.

(b) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, 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 paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(c) 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 to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided 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

 

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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 of the Securities shall not have been authenticated by such predecessor Trustee, any successor Trustee may authenticate and deliver such Securities or coupons either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor Trustee. In all such cases such certificates shall have the full force and effect which this Indenture provides for the certificate of authentication of the Trustee; provided , however , that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee or to authenticate Securities in the name of any predecessor Trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.

SECTION 611. Appointment of Authenticating Agent . 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 and the Trustee shall give written notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve, in the manner provided for in Section 106. 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, and a copy of such 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 acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof 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 authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said 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 an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

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 any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

 

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An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give written notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve, in the manner provided for 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. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payments, subject to the provisions of Section 606.

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 the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:

Dated:             

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

 

U. S. Bank National Association,

as Trustee

By  

 

          as Authenticating Agent
By  

 

          Authorized Officer
 

ARTICLE SEVEN

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE, COMPANY AND GUARANTOR

SECTION 701. Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders . Every Holder of Securities or coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Guarantor, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, or the Trustee or any agent of any of them shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the

 

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names and addresses of the Holders 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 to the Holders of Securities, in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), a brief report dated as of such May 15 if required by TIA Section 313(a). The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when any series of Securities are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.

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 Company and the Guarantor.

SECTION 703. Reports by Company . The Company and so long as any Securities in respect of which Guarantees are Outstanding, the Guarantor shall:

(1) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has filed 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 or the Guarantor, as the case may be, 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 or the Guarantor, as the case may be, is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of such Sections, then it shall 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;

(2) 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 or the Guarantor, as the case may be, with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(3) transmit to all Holders, in the manner and to the extent provided in TIA Section 313(c), within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

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

 

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notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).

ARTICLE EIGHT

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

SECTION 801. Company and Guarantor May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms . The Company or the Guarantor may not consolidate with or merge into any other Person or convey, transfer or lease their properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless:

(1) The successor or transferee Person, if other than the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and expressly assumes by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on each series of Outstanding Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed by the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be;

(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(3) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, 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 . Upon any consolidation by the Company or the Guarantor with or merger by the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, with or into any other corporation or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, substantially as an entirety to any Person in accordance with Section 801, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, and be subject to every obligation of, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, herein, and in the event of any such conveyance or transfer, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be (which terms shall for this purpose mean the Person named as the “Company” or the “Guarantor”, as the case may be, in the first paragraph of this Indenture or any successor Person which shall theretofore become such in the manner described in Section 801),

 

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except in the case of a lease, shall be discharged of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and any coupons appertaining thereto, or the Guarantees, as the case may be, and may be dissolved and liquidated.

ARTICLE NINE

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders . Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and if applicable, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantors, 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:

(1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company or the Guarantor and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be contained herein and in the Securities and the Guarantees in accordance with Article Eight; or

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

(3) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities and any related coupons (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 being included solely for the benefit of such series); or

(4) 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

(5) 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

(6) to secure the Securities pursuant to the requirements of Section 1009 or otherwise; or

 

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

(8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 609(b); or

(9) 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 such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series and any related coupons in any material respect;

(10) to add any guarantors with respect to the Securities of any series; or

(11) 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.

SECTION 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders . With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, and, if applicable, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor 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 affect such series of Securities or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby,

(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of (or premium, if any) or any installment of principal of or interest on any Security of such series; or the terms of any sinking fund with respect to any Security; or reduce the principal amount thereof (or premium, if any) or the rate of interest, if any, thereon, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or repayment thereof, or repayment thereof at the option of the Holder, or change any obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts contemplated by Section 1011 (except as contemplated by Section 801(1) and permitted by Section 901(1)), or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security of such series that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502, or upon the redemption thereof, or the

 

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amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 504, or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option of any Holder of any Security of such series, or change any Place of Payment where, or the Currency in which, any Security of such series or any premium or interest 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 Repayment Date, as the case may be), or modify the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the mandatory redemption of Securities or repayment of the securities at the option of the Holder in a manner adverse to any Holder of any Securities or any coupons appertaining thereto, adversely affect any right to convert or exchange any Security as may be provided pursuant to Section 301 herein, or

(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, for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture which affect such series or certain defaults applicable to such series hereunder and their consequences provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 1504 for quorum or voting with respect to Securities of such series, or

(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 513, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture which affect such series cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, or

(4) reduce the terms and conditions of any obligations of the Guarantor in respect of the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on any Security of such series.

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.

SECTION 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures . In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, 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 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.

 

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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 shall if required by the Company, bear a notation 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, the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantor, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company having, if applicable, Guarantees endorsed thereon and executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, if applicable, and authenticated and delivered (which delivery, in the case of Bearer Securities, shall occur only outside the United States) by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

SECTION 907. Notice of Supplemental Indentures . Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of Section 902, the Company shall give notice thereof to the Holders of each Outstanding Security affected, in the manner provided for in Section 106, setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture.

SECTION 908. Effect on Senior Indebtedness . No supplemental indenture shall adversely affect the rights of any holder of Senior Indebtedness without the consent of such holder.

ARTICLE TEN

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 and any related coupons that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities, any coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Unless specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, any interest installments due on Bearer Securities on or before Maturity shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature.

SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency . If the Securities of a series are issuable only as Registered Securities, the Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where the Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, where the Securities 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 and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office

 

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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 any series and related coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment only outside the United States, at the offices specified in the Security, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities as contemplated by 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 Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, 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.

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 States; provided , however , 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 City of New York, 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.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind any such designation; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in accordance with the requirements set forth above for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee 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 as contemplated by 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 Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office as Paying Agent in such city and as its agent to receive all such respective presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 301, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Currency other than Dollars or (ii) may be payable in a Currency other than Dollars, or so long as it is required under any other provision of the Indenture, then 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 . If the Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities and any related coupons, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or any premium and interest on any of the Securities of that series,

 

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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 Sections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) sufficient to pay the principal and any premium and interest 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.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities and any related coupons, it will, prior to each due date of the principal of or any premium and interest on any Securities, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum (in the Currency described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay such amount so becoming due, such sum to be held as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will (i) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to it as a Paying Agent and (ii) during the continuance of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities) in the making of any payment in respect of the Securities, and upon written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Securities.

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 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.

Except as provided in the Securities of any series, and subject to any applicable abandoned Property laws, 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 any premium or interest on any Security of any series, or any coupon appertaining thereto, and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium and interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company or the Guarantor) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or coupon shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantor for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company or the Guarantor 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 an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment, 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.

 

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SECTION 1004. Statement by Officers as to Default . (a) The Company and the Guarantor will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officers’ Certificate, one of the signers of which shall be the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the signers thereof the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the Company or the Guarantor shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.

(b) The Company and the Guarantor shall, so long as any of Securities of any series are Outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, forthwith, but in no event later than 30 Business Days, upon any Officer becoming aware of any event which after notice or lapse of time would become a Default or Event of Default under clauses (4) or (6) of Section 501, a notice specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 1005. Existence . Subject to Article Eight, the Company and, so long as any Securities in respect of which Guarantees have been issued are Outstanding, the Guarantor will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided, however, that neither the Company nor the Guarantor shall be required to preserve any such right or franchise if its Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.

SECTION 1006. Limitation on Liens . Unless otherwise indicated with respect to the Securities, the Company and Holdings each agree that it will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, issue, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for money borrowed (“Debt”), secured by a Mortgage upon any Operating Property, or upon shares of capital stock or Debt issued by any Restricted Subsidiary and owned by the Company or Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether owned at the date of this Indenture or hereafter acquired, without effectively providing concurrently that the Outstanding Securities under this Indenture are secured equally and ratably with or, at the option of the Company, prior to such Debt so long as such Debt shall be so secured. Unless, at the time of such creation, incurrence, issuance, assumption or guarantee, after giving effect thereto and to the retirement of any Debt which is concurrently being retired, the aggregate amount of all such Debt secured by Mortgages which would otherwise be subject to such restrictions (other than any Debt secured by Mortgages permitted in clauses (1) through (7) of this Section 1006) plus all Attributable Debt of the Company, Holdings, and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions with respect to Operating Properties (with the exception of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted under clauses (1) through (4) of Section 1007) does not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; provided, however, that this Section shall not apply to, and there shall be excluded from Debt in any computation under this Section, Debt secured by:

 

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(1) Mortgages on property existing at the time of the acquisition thereof;

(2) Mortgages on property of a corporation existing at the time such corporation is merged into or consolidated with the Company, Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of a sale, lease or other disposition of the properties of such corporation (or a division thereof) as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company, Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary, provided that any such Mortgage does not extend to any property owned by the Company, Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, sale, lease or disposition;

(3) Mortgages on property of a corporation existing at the time such corporation becomes a Restricted Subsidiary;

(4) Mortgages in favor of the Company, Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary;

(5) Mortgages to secure all or part of the cost of acquisition, construction, development or improvement of the underlying property, or to secure Debt incurred to provide funds for any such purpose, provided that the commitment of the creditor to extend the credit secured by any such Mortgage shall have been obtained no later than 360 days after the later of (a) the completion of the acquisition, construction, development or improvement of such property or (b) the placing in operation of such property;

(6) Mortgages in favor of the United States of America or any State thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments; and

(7) Mortgages existing on the date of this Indenture or any extension, renewal, replacement or refunding of any Debt secured by a Mortgage existing on the date of this Indenture or referred to in clauses (1) to (3) or (5) of this Section 1006, provided that any such extension, renewal, replacement or refunding of such Debt shall be created within 360 days of repaying the Debt secured by the Mortgage referred to in clauses (1) to (3) or (5) and any such extension, renewal, replacement or refunding of such Debt shall be created within 360 days of repaying the Debt secured by the Mortgage referred to in clauses (1) to (3) or (5) and the principal amount of Debt secured thereby and not otherwise authorized by clauses (1) to (3) or (5) shall not exceed the principal amount of Debt, plus any premium or fee payable in connection with any such extension, renewal, replacement or refunding, so secured at the time of such extension, renewal, replacement or refunding.

SECTION 1007. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions . Unless otherwise indicated with respect to any series of Securities, the Company and Holdings each agree as to the Securities, that it will not, and it will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction with respect to any Operating Property unless:

(1) the Sale and Leaseback Transaction is solely with the Company, Holdings or another Restricted Subsidiary;

 

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(2) the lease is for a period not in excess of twenty-four months, including renewals;

(3) the Company, Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary would (at the time of entering into such arrangement) be entitled as described in clauses (1) through (7) of Section 1006, without equally and ratably securing the Securities then outstanding under this Indenture, to create, incur, issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Mortgage on such Operating Property in the amount of the Attributable Debt arising from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

(4) the Company, Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary within 360 days after the sale of such Operating Property in connection with such Sale and Leaseback Transaction is completed, applies an amount equal to the greater of (A) the net proceeds of the sale of such Operating Property or (B) the fair market value of such Operating Property to (i) the retirement of Securities, other Funded Debt of the Company or Holdings ranking on a parity with the Securities or Funded Debt of a Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) the purchase of Operating Property; or

(5) the Attributable Debt of the Company, Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and all other Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into after the date of this Indenture (other than any such Sale and Leaseback Transactions as would be permitted as described in clauses (1) through (4) of this Section 1007), plus the aggregate principal amount of Debt secured by Mortgages on Operating Properties then Outstanding (not including any such Debt secured by Mortgages described in clauses (1) through (7) of Section 1006) which do not equally and ratably secure such Outstanding Security (or secure such Outstanding Security on a basis that is prior to other Debt secured thereby), would not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

SECTION 1008. SEC and Other Reports . The Guarantor shall deliver to the Trustee, within 15 days after it files such annual and quarterly reports, information, documents and other reports with the SEC, copies of its annual report and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Guarantor is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Exchange Act. The Guarantor also shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(a). Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the same shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Guarantor’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificate).

SECTION 1009. Further Instruments and Acts . Upon request of the Trustee or as otherwise necessary, the Company will execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts or as otherwise necessary may be reasonably necessary or proper to carry out more effectively the purposes of this Indenture.

 

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SECTION 1010. Calculation of Original Issue Discount . Upon request of the Trustee, the Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods), if any, accrued on Outstanding Securities as of the end of such year.

SECTION 1011. Additional Amounts . If any Securities of a series provide for the payment of additional amounts to any Holder who is not a United States person in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge (“Additional Amounts”), the Company will pay to the Holder of any Security of such series or any coupon appertaining thereto such 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 (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on, or in respect of, any Security of a series or payment of any related coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of a series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts provided for 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.

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 premium, if any) is made), and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of principal (or premium, if any) or interest if there has been any change with respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officer’s Certificate, the Company will furnish the Trustee and the Company’s principal Paying Agent or Paying Agents, if other than the Trustee, with an Officer’s Certificate instructing the Trustee and such Paying Agent or Paying Agents whether such payment of principal, 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 Officer’s 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 to (i) assume that no such withholding or deduction is required with respect to any payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Securities of a series or related coupons until it shall have received a certificate advising otherwise and (ii) to make all payments of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Securities of a series or related coupons without withholding or deductions until otherwise advised. The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee, any Paying Agent, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officer’s Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section.

 

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This sentence shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee.

SECTION 1012. Waiver of Certain Covenants . The Company or the Guarantor, if applicable, may, with respect to any series of Securities, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition which affects such series set forth in Sections 1005, 1006 and 1012, inclusive, or, as specified pursuant to Section 301(15) for Securities of such series, in any covenants of the Company added to Article Ten pursuant to Section 301(14) or Section 301(15) in connection with Securities of such series, if the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of all Outstanding Securities affected by such term, provision or condition, by Act of such Holders, waive such compliance in such instance 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 to Holders of Securities of such series in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

ARTICLE ELEVEN

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 the terms of such Securities 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, 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 of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and shall deliver to the Trustee such documentation and records as shall enable the Trustee to select the Securities to be redeemed pursuant to Section 1103. 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 Officer’s 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 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 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 of the principal of Securities of such series, subject to the rules and procedures of the Depositary in the case of global notes; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Security not redeemed to less than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series established pursuant to Section 301.

 

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The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company 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 . Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided for in Section 106 not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, all notices of redemption shall state:

(1) the Redemption Date,

(2) the Redemption Price (if known) or the formula pursuant to which the Redemption Price is to be determined if the Redemption Price cannot be determined at the time the notice is given,

(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 amounts) 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 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 will cease to accrue on and after said date,

(6) the Place or Places of Payment (which in the case of Bearer Securities shall be outside the United States) 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

 

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coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Guarantor, if applicable, the Trustee 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 such Redemption Date pursuant to Section 305 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

(10) the CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers, if any, assigned to such Securities; provided, however, that such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers, in which case none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any liability in respect of the use of any CUSIP, ISIN or other similar number or numbers on such notices, and the redemption of such Securities shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers, and

(11) such other matters as the Company shall deem desirable or appropriate.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company 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 Sections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) sufficient to pay on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued 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 . Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities 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 Sections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) (together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date), and from and after such date (unless the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, 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,

 

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together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, however, 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 on or prior to 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.

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, however, 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.

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 or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) set forth in such Security.

SECTION 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part . Any 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, the Guarantor or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s 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 and of like tenor, 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, with, if applicable, Guarantees endorsed thereon duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, if applicable.

ARTICLE TWELVE

SINKING FUNDS

SECTION 1201. Applicability of Article . Retirements of Securities of any series pursuant to any sinking fund shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities

 

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and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment”, and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment”. If provided for by the terms of 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 . Subject to Section 1203, in lieu of making all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to any Securities of a series in cash, the Company may at its option (1) deliver to the Trustee Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption) theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company, together, in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series, with all unmatured coupons appertaining thereto, and/or (2) receive credit for the principal amount of Securities of such series which have been previously delivered to the Trustee by the Company or for 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, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of the same series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided, however, that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the 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 any series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing 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 Sections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering or crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202 (which Securities will, if not previously delivered, accompany such certificate) and whether the Company intends to exercise its right to make a permitted optional sinking fund payment with respect to such series. Such certificate shall be irrevocable and upon its delivery the Company shall be obligated to make the cash payment or payments therein referred to, if any, on or before the next succeeding sinking fund payment date. In the case of the failure of the Company to deliver such certificate, the sinking fund payment due on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date for that series shall be paid entirely in cash and shall be sufficient to redeem the principal amount of such Securities subject to a mandatory sinking fund payment without the option to deliver or credit Securities as provided in Section 1202 and without the right to make any optional sinking fund payment, if any, with respect to such series.

 

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Not more than 60 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.

Prior to any sinking fund payment date, the Company shall pay to the Trustee or a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) in cash a sum equal to the principal (and premium, if any) and any interest that will accrue to the date fixed for redemption of Securities or portions thereof to be redeemed on such sinking fund payment date pursuant to this Section 1203.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to a sinking fund for any series of Securities, if at any time the amount of cash to be paid into such sinking fund on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date, together with any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payment or payments for such series, does not exceed in the aggregate $100,000, the Trustee, unless requested by the Company, shall not give the next succeeding notice of the redemption of Securities of such series through the operation of the sinking fund. Any such unused balance of moneys deposited in such sinking fund shall be added to the sinking fund payment for such series to be made in cash on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date or, at the request of the Company, shall be applied at any time or from time to time to the purchase of Securities of such series, by public or private purchase, in the open market or otherwise, at a purchase price for such Securities (excluding accrued interest and brokerage commissions, for which the Trustee or any Paying Agent will be reimbursed by the Company) not in excess of the principal amount thereof.

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

REPAYMENT AT 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 as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) 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, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor is acting as its own 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 Sections 312(b), 312(d) and 312(e)) sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of, and (except if the Repayment Date shall be an Interest Payment Date)

 

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accrued interest, if any, 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 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 . 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 and, if applicable, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantor 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, however, 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, in the case of Registered Securities, installments of interest, if any, whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Repayment 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.

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

 

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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, the Guarantor, if applicable, 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 , however , 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.

If the principal amount of any Security surrendered for repayment shall not be so repaid upon surrender thereof, such principal amount (together with interest, if any, thereon accrued to such Repayment Date) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Repayment Date at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) set forth in 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, and of like tenor, 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 with, if applicable, Guarantees endorsed thereon duly executed by the Guarantor and the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable.

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

SECTION 1401. Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance . Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, the provisions of this Article Fourteen shall apply to each series of Securities, and the Company may, at its option, effect defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 1402, or covenant defeasance of or within a series under Section 1403 in accordance with the terms of such Securities and in accordance with 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 be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any related coupons on the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “defeasance”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company, the Guarantor and any Subsidiary Guarantors shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any related coupons, 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 (A) and (B) below, and to have

 

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satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and any related coupons and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any related coupons 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 related coupons 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 related coupons when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations and, to the extent applicable, the Guarantor’s and any Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations 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 1011 and such obligations as shall be ancillary thereto, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder including, without limitation, Section 606 and the penultimate paragraph of Section 1405 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 related coupons.

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 be released from its obligations under Sections 801 and 802 and Sections 1005, 1006 and 1012, and, if specified pursuant to Section 301, its obligations under any other covenant, with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any related coupons on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1404 are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance”), and such Securities and any related coupons shall thereafter be deemed not to 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 related coupons, 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 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 501(4) or Section 501(9) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and any related coupons shall be unaffected thereby.

SECTION 1404. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance . The following shall be the conditions to application of either Section 1402 or Section 1403 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any related coupons:

(1) The Company, the Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor, if applicable, 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 related coupons, (A) an amount (in such Currency in which such Securities and any related coupons are then

 

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specified as payable at Stated Maturity), or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities 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, under such Securities and any related coupons, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment bank 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 related coupons on the Stated Maturity (or Redemption Date, if applicable) of such principal (and premium, if any) or installment of interest, if any, and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any related coupons 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 related coupons; provided that the Trustee shall have been irrevocably instructed to apply such money or the proceeds of such Government Obligations to said payments with respect to such Securities and any related coupons. Before such a deposit, the Company may give to the Trustee, in accordance with Section 1102 hereof, a notice of its election to redeem all or any portion of such Outstanding Securities at a future date in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series and Article Eleven hereof, which notice shall be irrevocable. Such irrevocable redemption notice, if given, shall be given effect in applying the foregoing.

(2) No Default or Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any related coupons shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as paragraphs (7) and (8) of Section 501 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).

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

(4) In the case of an election under Section 1402, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (y) 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 related coupons will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and 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 the deposit and such defeasance had not occurred.

 

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(5) 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 related coupons 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 the deposit and such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

(6) 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 in connection therewith pursuant to Section 301.

(7) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to either the defeasance under Section 1402 or the covenant defeasance under Section 1403 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

SECTION 1405. Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions . Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, 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 such Outstanding Securities and any related coupons shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any related coupons and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company or the Guarantor acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any related coupons 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.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Security pursuant to Section 301, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 1404(1) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 312(b) or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 1404(1) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs as contemplated in Section 312(d) or 312(e) or by the terms of any Security in respect of which the deposit pursuant to Section 1404(1) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any related coupons 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 they become 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 Event based on the applicable Market Exchange Rate for such Currency in effect on the third 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.

 

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The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or 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 related coupons. The foregoing sentence shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee.

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 or a nationally recognized investment bank 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 an equivalent 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 with respect to any Securities 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, however, 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 FIFTEEN

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 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 for in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

 

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(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 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 paragraph (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 (1) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (2) 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 of 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 Person 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 . 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, however, 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 Section 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.

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 such series; provided , however , 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

 

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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 such series.

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.

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:

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

(b) 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 Trustee 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 matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as its 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 Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 1502(b), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, 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.

 

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(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 Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by him (determined as specified in the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 101); provided , however , 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 facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1502 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 latter 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.

ARTICLE SIXTEEN

GUARANTEE BY THE GUARANTOR

SECTION 1601. Guarantee . If Securities of or within a series are specified, as contemplated by Section 301, to be guaranteed by the Guarantor, then the Guarantor hereby fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of any such Security which is authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to each Holder of any coupon appertaining to any such Security, if any, and to the Trustee for itself and on behalf of each such Holder, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest (including, in case of default, interest on principal and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on overdue interest and including any additional interest required to be paid according to the terms of any such Security or any coupon appertaining thereto), if any, on each such Security, and the due and punctual payment of any sinking fund payment (or analogous obligation), if any, provided for with respect to any such Security, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity,

 

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upon redemption, upon acceleration, upon tender for repayment at the option of any Holder or otherwise, according to the terms thereof and of this Indenture, including, without limitation, the payment of any Additional Amounts, if any, provided for with respect to any such Security as described under Section 1011 hereof (the “Guarantor Obligations”). In case of the failure of the Company or any successor thereto punctually to pay any such principal, premium, interest or sinking fund payment, the Guarantor hereby agrees to cause any such payment to be made punctually when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity, upon redemption, upon declaration of acceleration, upon tender for repayment at the option of any Holder or otherwise, as if such payment were made by the Company.

The Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantor Obligations hereunder shall be as if it were principal debtor and not merely surety and shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the identity of the Company, the validity, regularity or enforceability of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by the Holder of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto with respect to any provisions thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company or any action to enforce the same, or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a Guarantor. The Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenants that its Guarantees will not be discharged except by complete performance of its obligations contained in any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto and in this Guarantee.

The Guarantor hereby agrees that, in the event of a default in payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest on any such Security or any coupon appertaining thereto, whether at its Maturity, by acceleration, purchase or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of, or by, the Holder of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture, directly against the Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee without first proceeding against the Company. The Guarantor agrees that if, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee or any of the Holders are prevented by applicable law from exercising their respective rights to accelerate the Maturity of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, to collect interest on any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, or to enforce or exercise any other right or remedy with respect to any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, the Guarantor shall pay to the Trustee for the account of the Holder, upon demand therefor, the amount that would otherwise have been due and payable had such rights and remedies been permitted to be exercised by the Trustee or any of the Holders.

If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company or the Guarantor, or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Company or the Guarantor, any amount paid in respect of a Security or any coupons appertaining thereto by any of them to the Trustee or such Holder, the Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.

The Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect and continue to be effective should any petition be filed by or against the Company for liquidation, reorganization, should the

 

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Company become insolvent or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or should a receiver or trustee be appointed for all or any significant part of the Company’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment and performance of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto are, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any obligee on any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, whether as a “voidable preference”, “fraudulent transfer” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment or any part thereof is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned, any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed reduced only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.

SECTION 1602. Severability . In case any provision of the Guarantee 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 1603. Priority of Guarantee . Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, and except as provided in the next following sentence, this Guarantee shall be unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Guarantor, ranking pari passu with all other existing and future unsubordinated and unsecured indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantor, respectively. With respect to any series of Securities that is designated as subordinated pursuant to Section 301 and except as otherwise provided in a supplemental indenture or pursuant to Section 301, the Guarantee Obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be junior and subordinated to any guarantee of any Senior Indebtedness on the same basis as such Securities are junior and subordinated to any Senior Indebtedness. For the purposes of the foregoing sentence, the Trustee and the Holders of such subordinated Securities shall have the right to receive and/or retain payments by the Guarantor only at such times as they may receive and/or retain payments in respect of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture.

SECTION 1604. Limitation of Guarantor’s Liability . The Guarantor and by its acceptance hereof each Holder confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee does not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of the Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law or the provisions of its local law relating to fraudulent transfer or conveyance. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Holders and the Guarantor hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of the Guarantor under the Guarantee shall be limited to the maximum amount that will not, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the Guarantor result in the obligations of the Guarantor under the Guarantee constituting such fraudulent transfer or conveyance.

SECTION 1605. Subrogation . The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of Holders of the Securities of a series (and of any coupons appertaining thereto) against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by the Guarantor on account of such Securities or any coupons appertaining thereto or this Indenture; provided, however, that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce or receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all amounts then due and payable by the Company under this Indenture or the Securities shall have been paid in full.

 

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SECTION 1606. Reinstatement . The Guarantor hereby agrees that the Guarantee provided for in Section 1601 shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time, payment, or any part thereof, of any obligations or interest thereon is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by a Holder to the Company upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company or the Guarantor.

SECTION 1607. Release of the Guarantor . Concurrently with the discharge of the Securities under Section 1101, the Legal Defeasance of the Securities under Section 802 or the Covenant Defeasance of the Securities under Section 803, the Guarantor shall be released from all their obligations under its Guarantee under this Indenture.

So long as no Default exists or upon the occurrence of the following events, with notice or lapse of time or both, would exist, the Guarantee and any Liens securing the Guarantee shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon: any sale, exchange, transfer to any Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company of all of the Company’s Capital Stock in the Guarantor, which transaction is otherwise in compliance with this Indenture.

SECTION 1608. Benefits Acknowledged . The Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by this Indenture and that its guarantee and waivers pursuant to the Guarantee are knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

ARTICLE SEVENTEEN

GUARANTEE BY THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS

SECTION 1701. Guarantee . If Securities of or within a series are specified, as contemplated by Section 301, to be guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantor, then such Subsidiary Guarantor hereby fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of any such Security which is authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to each Holder of any coupon appertaining to any such Security, if any, and to the Trustee for itself and on behalf of each such Holder, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest (including, in case of default, interest on principal and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on overdue interest and including any additional interest required to be paid according to the terms of any such Security or any coupon appertaining thereto), if any, on each such Security, and the due and punctual payment of any sinking fund payment (or analogous obligation), if any, provided for with respect to any such Security, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity, upon redemption, upon acceleration, upon tender for repayment at the option of any Holder or otherwise, according to the terms thereof and of this Indenture, including, without limitation, the payment of any Additional Amounts, if any, provided for with respect to any such Security as described under Section 1011 hereof (the “Subsidiary Guarantor Obligations”). In case of the failure of the Company or any successor thereto punctually to pay any such principal, premium, interest or sinking fund payment, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees to cause any such payment to be made punctually when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity, upon redemption, upon declaration of acceleration, upon tender for repayment at the option of any Holder or otherwise, as if such payment were made by the Company.

 

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Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that its Subsidiary Guarantor Obligations hereunder shall be as if it were principal debtor and not merely surety and shall be absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the identity of the Company, the validity, regularity or enforceability of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by the Holder of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto with respect to any provisions thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company or any action to enforce the same, or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenants that its Guarantees will not be discharged except by complete performance of its obligations contained in any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto and in this Guarantee.

Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that, in the event of a default in payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest on any such Security or any coupon appertaining thereto, whether at its Maturity, by acceleration, purchase or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of, or by, the Holder of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture, directly against such Subsidiary Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee without first proceeding against the Company. Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that if, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee or any of the Holders are prevented by applicable law from exercising their respective rights to accelerate the Maturity of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, to collect interest on any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, or to enforce or exercise any other right or remedy with respect to any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall pay to the Trustee for the account of the Holder, upon demand therefor, the amount that would otherwise have been due and payable had such rights and remedies been permitted to be exercised by the Trustee or any of the Holders.

If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor, or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor, any amount paid in respect of a Security or any coupons appertaining thereto by any of them to the Trustee or such Holder, the Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.

The Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect and continue to be effective should any petition be filed by or against the Company for liquidation, reorganization, should the Company become insolvent or make an assignment for the benefit of creditors or should a receiver or trustee be appointed for all or any significant part of the Company’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment and performance of any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto are, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any obligee on any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto, whether as a “voidable preference”, “fraudulent transfer” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment or any part thereof is rescinded,

 

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reduced, restored or returned, any such Security or coupon appertaining thereto shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed reduced only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.

SECTION 1702. Severability . In case any provision of the Guarantee 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 1703. Priority of Guarantee . Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, and except as provided in the next following sentence, this Guarantee shall be unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor, ranking pari passu with all other existing and future unsubordinated and unsecured indebtedness of the Company and such Subsidiary Guarantor, respectively. With respect to any series of Securities that is designated as subordinated pursuant to Section 301 and except as otherwise provided in a supplemental indenture or pursuant to Section 301, the Subsidiary Guarantee Obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall be junior and subordinated to any guarantee of any Senior Indebtedness on the same basis as such Securities are junior and subordinated to any Senior Indebtedness. For the purposes of the foregoing sentence, the Trustee and the Holders of such subordinated Securities shall have the right to receive and/or retain payments by each Subsidiary Guarantor only at such times as they may receive and/or retain payments in respect of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture.

SECTION 1704. Limitation of Subsidiary Guarantor’s Liability . Each Subsidiary Guarantor and by its acceptance hereof each Holder confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee does not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of the Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law or the provisions of its local law relating to fraudulent transfer or conveyance. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Holders and each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantor under the Guarantee shall be limited to the maximum amount that will not, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Guarantee constituting such fraudulent transfer or conveyance.

SECTION 1705. Subrogation . Each Subsidiary Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of Holders of the Securities of a series (and of any coupons appertaining thereto) against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by such Subsidiary Guarantor on account of such Securities or any coupons appertaining thereto or this Indenture; provided, however, that, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce or receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all amounts then due and payable by the Company under this Indenture or the Securities shall have been paid in full.

SECTION 1706. Reinstatement . Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that the Guarantee provided for in Section 1701 shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time, payment, or any part thereof, of any obligations or interest thereon is

 

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rescinded or must otherwise be restored by a Holder to the Company upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company or such Subsidiary Guarantor.

SECTION 1707. Release of the Subsidiary Guarantors . Concurrently with the discharge of the Securities under Section 1101, the Legal Defeasance of the Securities under Section 802 or the Covenant Defeasance of the Securities under Section 803, each Subsidiary Guarantor shall be released from all its obligations under its Guarantee under this Indenture.

So long as no Default exists or upon the occurrence of the following events, with notice or lapse of time or both, would exist, the Guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor and any Liens securing such Guarantee shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon: (a) any sale, exchange or transfer (by merger or otherwise) of all of the Capital Stock of such Guarantor, or the sale or disposition of all the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor, which transaction is otherwise in compliance with this Indenture or (b) the election of the Company to effect such a release following the first day upon which the Securities have ratings equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and BBB- (or the equivalent) by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. (each, an “Investment Grade Rating”), in each case, with a stable or better outlook; provided that a change in outlook shall not by itself constitute a loss of an Investment Grade Rating.

SECTION 1708. Benefits Acknowledged . Each Subsidiary Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by this Indenture and that its guarantee and waivers pursuant to the Guarantee are knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

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.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.

 

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.

By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

  Name:   Shannon J. Curry
  Title:   Treasurer

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

as Guarantor

By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

  Name:   Shannon J. Curry
  Title:   Treasurer

AAM INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.

as Subsidiary Guarantor

By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

  Name:   Shannon J. Curry
  Title:   Treasurer

ACCUGEAR, INC.

as Subsidiary Guarantor

By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

  Name:   Shannon J. Curry
  Title:   Treasurer

 

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COLFOR MANUFACTURING, INC.

as Subsidiary Guarantor

  By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

    Name:   Shannon J. Curry
    Title:   Treasurer
 

DIETRONIK, INC.

as Subsidiary Guarantor

  By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

    Name:   Shannon J. Curry
    Title:   Treasurer
 

MSP INDUSTRIES CORPORATION

as Subsidiary Guarantor

  By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

    Name:   Shannon J. Curry
    Title:   Treasurer
 

OXFORD FORGE, INC.

as Subsidiary Guarantor

  By:  

/s/ Shannon J. Curry

    Name:   Shannon J. Curry
    Title:   Treasurer
Attest: Laura L. Douglas      
 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Trustee

  By:  

/s/ James Kowalski

    Name:   James Kowalski
    Title:   Vice President

 

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EXHIBIT A

FORMS OF CERTIFICATION

 

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 or trust the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source (“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 American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. 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 tested telex 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.

 

A-1-1


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.

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 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 or trust the income of which is subject to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source (“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 American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. 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

 

A-2-1


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.

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}

 

[EUROCLEAR BANK S.A./N.V.]

[CLEARSTREAM]

 

By

 

A-2-2

Exhibit 4.2

(Face of Note)

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.

Guaranteed by

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

AAM INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.

ACCUGEAR, INC.

COLFOR MANUFACTURING, INC.

DIETRONIK, INC.

MSP INDUSTRIES CORPORATION

OXFORD FORGE, INC.

7.75% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2019

CUSIP 02406P AK6

ISIN US02406PAK66

 

No. 001    $200,000,000

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”, which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, promises to pay to CEDE & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of TWO HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($200,000,000) on November 15, 2019.

Interest Payment Dates: May 15 and November 15

Record Dates: May 1 and November 1

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

[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGES]


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

Dated: November 3, 2011

 

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

Attest:                                                  


American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), AAM International Holdings, Inc., AccuGear, Inc., Colfor Manufacturing, Inc., DieTronik, Inc., MSP Industries Corporation and Oxford Forge, Inc. (the “Subsidiary Guarantors” and, together with Holdings, the “Guarantors”), which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of November 3, 2011 among American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., as issuer, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), unconditionally guarantee, to the extent set forth in the Indenture and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on the Notes, when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, redemption, repayment or otherwise, all in accordance with the terms set forth in Article Sixteen, in the case of Holdings, and Article Seventeen, in the case of the Subsidiary Guarantors, of the Indenture.

The obligations of the undersigned to the Holders of the Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to these Guarantees and in the Indenture are expressly set forth in the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Guarantees and all of the other provisions of the Indenture to which these Guarantees relate.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Guarantors has caused this Note to be duly executed.

Dated: November 3, 2011

 

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING
HOLDINGS, INC.
AAM INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.
ACCUGEAR, INC.
COLFOR MANUFACTURING, INC.
DIETRONIK, INC.
MSP INDUSTRIES CORPORATION
OXFORD FORGE, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:   Shannon J. Curry
  Title:   Treasurer

Attest:                                                  


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION

Dated: November 3, 2011

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

 

U.S. Bank National Association
as Trustee
By:  

 

            Authorized Officer
 


(BACK OF NOTE)

7.75% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2019

THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAYBE 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 310 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMPANY.

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated. The securities represented by this Note and any additional Securities of the same series issued under the Indenture are collectively referred to as “the Notes.”

1. Interest . American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 7.75% per annum from the date hereof until maturity. The Company shall pay interest in arrears semiannually on May 15 and November 15 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each an “Interest Payment Date”). Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of issuance through but excluding the date on which interest is paid. The first Interest Payment Date shall be May 15, 2012. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

2. Method of Payment . The Company shall pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on May 1 or November 1 immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 307 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes shall be payable as to principal, premium, if any, and interest at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose in the borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, 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 shall be required with respect to principal of and interest, premium on, all Global Notes and all other Notes the Holders of which shall have provided wire transfer instructions to the Company or the Paying Agent. Such payment shall be in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.


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

4. Indenture . The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of November 3, 2011 (the “Indenture”) between the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb). The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act for a statement of such terms. This Note is an obligation of the Company initially limited to $200,000,000 in aggregate principal amount. The Indenture pursuant to which this Note is issued provides that an unlimited amount of additional Notes may be issued thereunder.

5. Make-Whole Redemption . The Company may redeem the Notes at its option at any time in whole or from time to time in part at a redemption price equal to the greater of (x) 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or (y) the sum of the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the Redemption Date (subject to the right of Holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date). Notice of such redemption must be mailed by first-class mail to each Holder’s registered address, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.

In determining the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, the Company will discount such payments to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 0.50%.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any Redemption Date the average of three, or such lesser number as is obtained by the Quotation Agent, Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date.

“Quotation Agent” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC or another Reference Treasury Dealer appointed by the Company.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and any other dealer selected by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, and the respective successors of the foregoing; provided, however, that, if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer.


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

“Remaining Scheduled Payments” means, with respect to any Note to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of the principal and interest thereon that would be due after the related Redemption Date but for such redemption; provided, however, that, if such Redemption Date is not an interest payment date with respect to such Note, the amount of the next scheduled interest payment thereon will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued thereon to such Redemption Date.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding that Redemption Date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue. In determining this rate, the Company assumes a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date.

The Company will mail notice of any redemption at least 30 days, but not more than 60 days, before the date of redemption to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed. If less than all the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Trustee will select notes to be redeemed on a pro rata basis or by any other method the Trustee deems fair and appropriate. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the date of redemption, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

6. Change of Control . Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Company will make an offer (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder to repurchase all or any part of each Holder’s Notes at a purchase price (the “Change of Control Purchase Price”) equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the repurchase date. Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company will (i) cause a notice of the Change of Control Offer to be sent at least once to the Dow Jones News Service or similar business news service in the United States; and (ii) send, by first-class mail, with a copy to the Trustee, a notice to each registered Holder stating: (1) that a Change of Control has occurred and a Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to the Indenture and that all Notes timely tendered will be accepted for payment; (2) the Change of Control Purchase Price and the repurchase date, which shall be, subject to any contrary requirements of applicable law, a Business Day no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Change of Control Payment Date”); (3) the circumstances and relevant facts regarding the Change of Control (including information with respect to pro forma historical income, cash flow and capitalization after giving effect to the Change of Control); and (4) the procedures that Holders of Notes must follow in order to tender their Notes (or portions thereof) for payment, and the procedures that Holders of Notes must follow in order to withdraw an election to tender Notes (or portions thereof) for payment.


The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and any other securities laws or regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of Notes in connection with a Change of Control Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the terms of the Notes, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Indenture by virtue of such compliance.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, (1) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, (2) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Purchase Price in respect of all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered and (3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the Company. The Paying Agent will promptly mail to each registered Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Purchase Price for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered by such Holder, if any; provided , that each such new Note will be in a principal amount of $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof. The Company will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.

The Company will 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 herein and all other provisions of the Indenture and terms of the Notes applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

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

(a) any “person” or “group” of related persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that such person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that any such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of 50% of the total voting power of the voting stock of Holdings or the Company (or their successors by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of their assets); or

(b) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of Holdings (together with any new directors whose election to such board or whose nomination for election by the stockholders of Holdings was approved by a vote of a majority of the directors then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved), cease for any reason to constitute a majority of such Board of Directors then in office;

(c) the sale, assignment, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or


substantially all of the assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act);

(d) the adoption by the stockholders of Holdings or the Company of a plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of Holdings or the Company; or

(e) Holdings ceases to own, directly or indirectly, all of the Capital Stock of the Company (other than in connection with a merger of Holdings into the Company permitted by the Indenture).

7. Consolidation, Merger, Sale or Conveyance .

(a) Neither the Company nor Holdings may consolidate with or merge into any other Person or convey, transfer or lease their properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless:

(1) the successor or transferee entity, if other than the Company or Holdings, as the case may be, is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and expressly assumes by a supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, any premium on and any interest on, all the outstanding notes and the performance of every covenant and obligation in the Indenture to be performed or observed by the Company or Holdings, as the case may be;

(2) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, has happened and is continuing; and

(3) the Company or Holdings, as the case may be, has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each in the form required by the Indenture and stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with the foregoing provisions relating to such transaction.

(b) No Subsidiary Guarantor may consolidate with or merge into any other Person or convey, transfer or lease their properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless:

(1) the successor or transferee Person, if not a Subsidiary Guarantor prior to such merger, conveyance, transfer or lease, shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction under which such Subsidiary was organized or under the laws of the United States of America, or any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and expressly assumes, by a supplemental indenture, all the obligations of such Subsidiary under its Guarantee; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not apply in the case of a Subsidiary Guarantor (x) that has been, or will be as a result of the subject transaction, disposed of in its entirety to another Person (other than to the Company, Holdings or an


Affiliate of the Company or Holdings), whether through a merger, consolidation or sale of Capital Stock or assets or (y) that, as a result of the disposition of all or a portion of its Capital Stock, ceases to be a Subsidiary;

(2) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, has happened and is continuing; and

(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this paragraph 7 and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

(c) Upon any consolidation by the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary Guarantor with or merger by the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, with or into any other corporation or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, substantially as an entirety to any Person, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company, Holdings or such Subsidiary Guarantor is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, and be subject to every obligation of, the Company, Holdings or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, under the Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company, Holdings or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, therein, and in the event of any such conveyance or transfer, the Company, Holdings or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, except in the case of a lease, shall be discharged of all obligations and covenants under the Indenture and the Notes or the Guarantees, as the case may be, and may be dissolved and liquidated.

8. Limitation on Liens . The Company and Holdings will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, issue, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for money borrowed (“Debt”) secured by a Mortgage upon any Operating Property, or upon shares of Capital Stock or Debt issued by any Restricted Subsidiary and owned by the Company or Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, whether owned at the date of the Indenture or thereafter acquired, without effectively providing concurrently that the notes of each series then outstanding under the Indenture are secured equally and ratably with or, at our option, prior to such Debt so long as such Debt shall be so secured.

The foregoing restriction shall not apply to, and there shall be excluded from Debt in any computation under such restriction, Debt secured by:

(1) Mortgages on any property existing at the time of the acquisition thereof;

(2) Mortgages on property of a corporation existing at the time such corporation is merged into or consolidated with the Company or Holdings or a Restricted


Subsidiary or at the time of a sale, lease or other disposition of the properties of such corporation (or a division thereof) as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Company, Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any such Mortgage does not extend to any property owned by the Company, Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, sale, lease or disposition;

(3) Mortgages on property of a corporation existing at the time such corporation becomes a Restricted Subsidiary;

(4) Mortgages in favor of the Company, Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary;

(5) Mortgages to secure all or part of the cost of acquisition, construction, development or improvement of the underlying property, or to secure debt incurred to provide funds for any such purpose; provided that the commitment of the creditor to extend the credit secured by any such Mortgage shall have been obtained no later than 360 days after the later of (a) the completion of the acquisition, construction, development or improvement of such property or (b) the placing in operation of such property;

(6) Mortgages in favor of the United States of America or any State thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments; and

(7) Mortgages existing on the date of the Indenture or any extension, renewal, replacement or refunding of any Debt secured by a Mortgage existing on the date of the Indenture or referred to in clauses (1) to (3) or (5); provided that any such extension, renewal, replacement or refunding of such Debt shall be created within 360 days of repaying the Debt secured by the Mortgage referred to in clauses (1) to (3) or (5) and the principal amount of the Debt secured thereby and not otherwise authorized by clauses (1) to (3) or (5) shall not exceed the principal amount of Debt, plus any premium or fee payable in connection with any such extension, renewal, replacement or refunding, so secured at the time of such extension, renewal, replacement or refunding; provided further that this clause (7) shall not include Mortgages securing Debt incurred under the Existing Senior Secured Notes or the Revolving Credit Agreement or any extension, renewal, replacement or refunding thereof.

Notwithstanding the restrictions described above, the Company, Holdings and any Restricted Subsidiaries may create, incur, issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by Mortgages without equally and ratably securing the notes of each series then outstanding if, at the time of such creation, incurrence, issuance, assumption or guarantee, after giving effect thereto and to the retirement of any Debt which is concurrently being retired, the aggregate amount of all such Debt secured by Mortgages which would otherwise be subject to such restrictions (other than any Debt secured by Mortgages permitted as described in clauses (1) through (7) of the immediately preceding paragraph) plus all Attributable Debt of the Company, Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions with respect to Operating Properties


(with the exception of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted under clauses (1) through (4) of Section 1007 of the Indenture) does not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

“Existing Senior Secured Notes” means the 9.25% senior secured notes due 2017 issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of December 18, 2009, among the Company, the guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee.

“Revolving Credit Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of January 9, 2004, as amended and restated as of June 30, 2011, among the Company, Holdings, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, as amended, restated, supplemented, replaced or refinanced from time to time.

9. Future Subsidiary Guarantors . The Company will cause each of its Subsidiaries that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor and that guarantees any Guarantee Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor to execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which such Subsidiary will unconditionally guarantee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest in respect of the Notes on an unsecured and unsubordinated basis and all other obligations under the Indenture. The Guarantee of the Notes by any Subsidiary Guarantor will be released and discharged in accordance with Article Seventeen of the Indenture.

The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor will be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor and after giving effect 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 or pursuant to its contribution obligations under the Indenture, result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law.

Following the first day (the “Suspension Date”):

(1) the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from both of the Ratings Agencies; and

(2) no Default has occurred and is continuing under the Indenture;

Holdings, the Company and their Subsidiaries will not be subject to the provisions of this covenant.

In addition, upon the occurrence of a Suspension Date, the Company may elect, by delivering written notice thereof to the Trustee, to suspend the Guarantees of the Subsidiary Guarantors. If at any time the Notes’ credit rating is downgraded from an Investment Grade Rating by any Ratings Agency or if a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing, then (i) this covenant will thereafter be reinstated (the “Reinstatement Date”), unless and until the Notes subsequently attain an Investment Grade Rating and no Default or Event of Default is in


existence (in which event this covenant shall no longer be in effect for such time that the Notes maintain an Investment Grade Rating and no Default or Event of Default is in existence) and (ii) the Guarantees of the Subsidiary Guarantors previously suspended will be reinstated.

“Guarantee Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication):

(1) the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

(2) the principal of and premium (if any) in respect of obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;

(3) the principal component of all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments (including reimbursement obligations with respect thereto, except to the extent such reimbursement obligation relates to a trade payable or similar obligation to a trade creditor in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business and such obligation is satisfied within 30 days of incurrence) other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in clauses (1) and (2) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the fifth business day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement following payment on the letter of credit;

(4) the principal component or liquidation preference of all obligations of any Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Guarantor with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Preferred Stock (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);

(5) the principal component of all Guarantee Indebtedness of other Persons secured by a lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Guarantee Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided , however , that the amount of such Guarantee Indebtedness will be the lesser of (a) the fair market value of such asset at such date of determination and (b) the amount of such Guarantee Indebtedness of such other Persons; and

(6) the principal component of Guarantee Indebtedness of other Persons to the extent guaranteed by such Person (whether or not such items would appear on the balance sheet of the guarantor or obligor).

“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and BBB- (or the equivalent) by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc., in each case, with a stable or better outlook; provided that a change in outlook shall not by itself constitute a loss of an Investment Grade Rating.


“Ratings Agencies” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or if Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or both shall not make a rating on the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical Ratings Agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by Holdings (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors) which shall be substituted for Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, Inc. or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or both, as the case may be.

10. No Sinking Fund . The Company shall not be required to make sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

11. Notice of Redemption . Notice of redemption shall be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations larger than $1,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of $1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and after the Redemption Date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

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

13. Persons Deemed Owners . The registered Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes.

14. Amendment, Supplement and Waiver . The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Notes to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Notes, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

15. Defaults and Remedies . Events of Default include:


(a) default in the payment of any interest on the Notes when such interest becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days;

(b) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) the Notes at Maturity or the redemption or repurchase price when the same becomes due and payable;

(c) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company or Holdings in the Indenture which affects or is applicable to the Notes (other than a default in the performance or breach of a covenant or agreement that is elsewhere in the Indenture specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of other series of Securities), 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 Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, 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;

(d) the Guarantee of (i) Holdings or (ii) any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or a group of Subsidiary Guarantors which collectively (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for Holdings) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, in each case, ceases to be in full force and effect or is declared null and void or Holdings or any such Subsidiary Guarantor denies that it has any further liability under its Guarantee to the Note Holders, or has given notice to such effect (other than by reason of the termination of the Indenture or the release of such Guarantee in accordance with the Indenture), and such condition shall have continued for a period of 30 days after notice is given as specified in the Indenture;

(e) default in the payment of principal when due or resulting in acceleration of other Indebtedness of the Company, Holdings or any Significant Subsidiary for borrowed money where the aggregate principal amount with respect to which the default or acceleration has occurred exceeds $100 million and such acceleration has not been rescinded or annulled or such Indebtedness repaid within a period of 30 days after written notice 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 Notes then outstanding; provided that if any such default is cured, waived, rescinded or annulled, then the Event of Default by reason thereof would be deemed not to have occurred;

(f) failure by Holdings, the Company or any Significant Subsidiary to pay final and nonappealable judgments aggregating in excess of $100 million (net of any amounts that are covered by insurance issued by a reputable and creditworthy insurance company), which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 30 days after such judgment becomes final;

(g) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company, Holdings or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case or proceeding under Bankruptcy Law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company, Holdings or any Significant Subsidiary a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company, Holdings or such Significant Subsidiary under any applicable Federal or


State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company, Holdings or such Significant Subsidiary or of any substantial part of their property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of their affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days;

(h) the commencement by the Company, Holdings or any Significant Subsidiary of a voluntary case or proceeding under Bankruptcy Law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by them to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company, Holdings or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case or proceeding under Bankruptcy Law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against them, or the filing by them of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by them to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company, Holdings or any Significant Subsidiary or of any substantial part of their property, or the making by them of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by them in writing of their inability to pay their debts generally as they become due; and

(i) there occurs any other Event of Default provided pursuant to Section 301 or 901 of the Indenture with respect to the Notes.

“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would constitute a “significant subsidiary” within the meaning of Article 1 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933 as in effect on the date of the Indenture.

If any Event of Default as described in clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (i) occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Notes may declare the principal amount of all of the Notes and any accrued and unpaid cash interest through the date of such declaration, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount shall become immediately due and payable. At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Notes has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as provided in Article Five of the Indenture, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes by written notice to the Company, Holdings and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if the Company has complied with the requirements of Section 502 of the Indenture. In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency as described in clause (g) and (h) above, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without further action. Holders of the Notes may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences hereunder, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, 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.

16. Trustee Dealings with Company . The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Company and Holdings and their Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Company and Holdings and their Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.

17. No Recourse Against Others . No director, officer, employee, incorporator or shareholder of the Company or the Guarantors, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantors under the Notes, the Guarantees or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. Such waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws and it is the view of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that such a waiver is against public policy.

18. Authentication . This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.

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

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

21. Guarantees . The Company’s obligations under the Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors as set forth in the Indenture.

22. Ranking . The Notes and the Guarantees of the Guarantors will be unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equal in right of payment to all of the existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantors, respectively.

23. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance . The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness with respect to the Notes and (b) certain covenants, consolidations, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease, in each case upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

24. Satisfaction and Discharge . The Indenture contains provisions for satisfaction and discharge of the Notes at any time upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.


25. Governing Law . The Notes are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

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

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

One Dauch Drive

Detroit, Michigan 48211

Facsimile: (313) 758-3897

Attention: General Counsel


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below: (I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to

 

 
 
(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint                                                                                                                                                                          

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

Date:                                     

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

Signature Guarantee.


SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN PRINCIPAL AMOUNT

The initial principal amount of this Note is $200,000,000. The following increases or decreases in this Note have been made:

 

Date of Redemption or
Repurchase

   Amount of decrease in
Principal Amount of this
Note
   Amount of increase in
Principal Amount of this

Note
   Principal amount of this
Note following such
decrease or  increase
   Notation Made by or
on Behalf of Trustee
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           

Exhibit 5.1 and 23.1

[Shearman & Sterling LLP Letterhead]

November 3, 2011

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

One Dauch Drive

Detroit, Michigan 48211

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

Registration Statement on Form S-3 ASR File No. 333-175508

$200,000,000 7.75% Senior Notes Due 2019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ AAM Inc. ”), in connection with the issuance and sale by AAM Inc. of a $200,000,000 aggregate principal amount of AAM Inc.’s 7.75% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “ Notes ”), subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement dated October 31, 2011 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) among AAM Inc., American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (“ Holdings ”), AAM International Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, AccuGear, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Colfor Manufacturing, Inc., a Delaware corporation, DieTronik, Inc, a Delaware corporation, Oxford Forge, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Delaware Guarantors ”), MSP Industries Corporation, a Michigan corporation (the “ Michigan Guarantor ” and, together with the Delaware Guarantors and Holdings, the “ Guarantors ”) and the Underwriters named therein . The Notes are to be issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of November 3, 2011 (the “ Indenture ”) among AAM Inc., the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”). The Notes will be guaranteed by the Guarantors pursuant to the guarantees (collectively, the “ Guarantees ” and together with the Notes, the “ Securities ”) as provided for in the Indenture.

In that connection, we have reviewed originals or copies of the following documents:

(a) The Underwriting Agreement.

 

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(b) The Indenture.

(c) Forms of certificates representing the Notes and Guarantees.

(d) Originals or copies of such other corporate records of AAM Inc., the Guarantors and AAM Inc.’s other subsidiaries, certificates of public officials and of officers of AAM Inc., the Guarantors and AAM Inc.’s other subsidiaries, and agreements and other documents as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions expressed below.

The documents described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (c) are collectively referred to herein as the “ Documents .”

In our review of the Documents and other documents, we have assumed:

(a) The genuineness of all signatures.

(b) The authenticity of the originals of the documents submitted to us.

(c) The conformity to authentic originals of any documents submitted to us as copies.

(d) As to matters of fact, the truthfulness of the representations made in the Underwriting Agreement and the other Documents and in certificates of public officials and officers of AAM Inc. and the Guarantors.

(e) That each of the Documents is the legal, valid and binding obligation of each party thereto, other than AAM Inc. and the Guarantors, enforceable against each such party in accordance with its terms.

(f) That:

(i) each of AAM Inc. and the Guarantors is an entity duly organized under the laws of their respective jurisdiction of organization;

(ii) the Michigan Guarantor has the power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to execute, deliver and perform, and has duly authorized, executed and delivered (except to the extent Generally Applicable Law is applicable to such execution and delivery), the Documents to which it is a party;

(iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the Michigan Guarantor of the Documents to which it is a party do not:

(A) contravene its certificate or articles of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents;

(B) except with respect to Generally Applicable Law, violate any law, rule or regulation applicable to it; or

(C) result in any conflict or breach of any agreement or document binding on it; and

 

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(iv) the execution, delivery and performance by each of AAM Inc., Holdings and the Delaware Guarantors of the Documents to which it is a party do not, except with respect to Generally Applicable Law, violate any law, rule or regulation applicable to it.

We have not independently established the validity of the foregoing assumptions.

Generally Applicable Law ” means the federal law of the United States of America, and the law of the State of New York (including the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder or pursuant thereto), that a New York lawyer exercising customary professional diligence would reasonably be expected to recognize as being applicable to AAM Inc., the Documents or the transactions governed by the Documents, and for the purposes of assumption paragraph (f) above and our opinion below, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware with respect to the Company and the Delaware Guarantors. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing definition of Generally Applicable Law, the term “Generally Applicable Law” does not include any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to AAM Inc. and the Guarantors, the Documents or such transactions solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any party to any of the Documents or any of its affiliates due to the specific assets or business of such party or such affiliate.

Based upon the foregoing and upon such other investigation as we have deemed necessary and subject to the qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that the Securities have been duly authorized and executed by AAM Inc., Holdings and the Delaware Guarantors and, when authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered and paid for as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities will be legal, valid and binding obligations of AAM Inc. and the Guarantors, enforceable against AAM Inc. and the Guarantors in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

Our opinion expressed above is subject to the effect of (a) any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally (including without limitation all laws relating to fraudulent transfers) and (b) general principles of equity, including without limitation concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

Our opinion is limited to Generally Applicable Law, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law.

This opinion letter is rendered to you in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Documents.

This opinion letter speaks only as of the date hereof. We expressly disclaim any responsibility to advise you of any development or circumstance of any kind, including any change of law or fact, that may occur after the date of this opinion letter that might affect the opinions expressed herein.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K dated the date hereof filed by Holdings and incorporated by reference into

 

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the Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-175508) filed by AAM Inc. and the Guarantors to effect the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”) and to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of such Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Shearman & Sterling LLP

Shearman & Sterling LLP

LLJ/JDM/SS/LB

AA

 

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Exhibit 5.2 and 23.2

[American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.]

[American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.]

November 3, 2011

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

One Dauch Drive

Detroit, Michigan 48211

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.

Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR File No. 333-175508

$200,000,000 7.75% Senior Notes Due 2019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Reference is made to the issuance and sale by American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ AAM Inc. ”) of a $200,000,000 aggregate principal amount of AAM Inc.’s 7.75% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “ Notes ”), subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement dated October 31, 2011 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) among AAM Inc., American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (“ Holdings ”), AAM International Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, AccuGear, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Colfor Manufacturing, Inc., a Delaware corporation, DieTronik, Inc, a Delaware corporation, Oxford Forge, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Delaware Guarantors ”), MSP Industries Corporation, a Michigan corporation (the “ Michigan Guarantor ” and, together with the Delaware Guarantors the “ Subsidiary Guarantors ”) and the Underwriters named therein. The Notes are to be issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of November 3, 2011 (the “ Indenture ”) among AAM Inc., the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”). The Notes will be guaranteed by the Michigan Guarantor , the “ Guarantee ” as provided for in the Indenture.

As General Counsel of Holdings and AAM, Inc., the direct parent company of each Subsidiary Guarantor, and Secretary of each Subsidiary Guarantor, I am familiar with the incorporation documents and bylaws of each Subsidiary Guarantor and with the affairs of each Subsidiary Guarantor. In rendering the opinions set forth below, I have examined or caused to be examined such agreements, documents, instruments and records as I deemed necessary or appropriate under the circumstances for me to express such opinions. In rendering such


opinions, I also have assumed that the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth above, it is my opinion that the Guarantee has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Michigan Guarantor, except to the extent that the foregoing may be limited by (A) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (B) general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and I hereby consent to the reference made to me under the heading “Legal Matters” set forth in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, I do not thereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

[ Signature page follows ]

 

Very Truly Yours,

/s/ Richard G. Raymond

Richard G. Raymond

 

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