As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2012
Securities Act File No. 333-179431
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-2
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)
400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 310
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrants Telephone Number, including Area Code: (650) 289-3060
Manuel A. Henriquez
Chief Executive Officer
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 310
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(Name and address of agent for service)
COPIES TO:
Cynthia M. Krus
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
1275 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. x
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box): x when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c).
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Title of Securities Being Registered |
Amount
|
Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering Price (1) |
Amount of
Registration Fee (1) |
|||||||
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (2) |
||||||||||
Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share (2) |
||||||||||
Warrants (2) |
||||||||||
Subscription Rights (3) |
||||||||||
Debt Securities (4) |
||||||||||
TOTAL |
$ | 200,000,000 | (5) | $ | 22,920 | (6) |
(1) | Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for the purposes of determining the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per security will be determined, from time to time, by the Registrant in connection with the sale by the Registrant of the securities registered under this registration statement. |
(2) | Subject to Note 5 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of common stock, preferred stock, or warrants as may be sold, from time to time. Warrants represent rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. |
(3) | Subject to Note 5 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of subscription rights as may be sold, from time to time, representing rights to purchase common stock. |
(4) | Subject to Note 5 below, there is being registered hereunder an indeterminate principal amount of debt securities as may be sold, from time to time. If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, then the offering price shall be in such greater principal amount as shall result in an aggregate price to investors not to exceed $200,000,000. |
(5) | In no event will the aggregate offering price of all securities issued from time to time pursuant to this registration statement exceed $200,000,000. |
(6) | Previously paid. |
THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-179431) of Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (the Registration Statement) is being filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), solely for the purpose of filing exhibits to the Registration Statement. Accordingly, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 consists only of a facing page, this explanatory note and Part C of the Registration Statement on Form N-2 setting forth the exhibits to the Registration Statement. This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 does not modify any other part of the Registration Statement. Pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 shall become effective immediately upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The contents of the Registration Statement are hereby incorporated by reference.
Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits
1. Financial Statements
The following financial statements of Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (the Company or the Registrant) are included in this registration statement in Part AInformation Required in a Prospectus:
2. Exhibits
Exhibit
|
Description |
|
a.1 | Articles of Amendment and Restatement. (2) | |
a.2 | Articles of Amendment, dated March 6, 2007. (12) | |
a.3 | Articles of Amendment, dated April 5, 2011. (23) | |
b | Amended and Restated Bylaws. (2) | |
d.1 | Specimen certificate of the Companys common stock, par value $.001 per share. (3) | |
d.2 | Form of Indenture and related exhibits (27) | |
d.3 | Form of Warrant Agreement (27) | |
d.4 | Form of Subscription Agent Agreement (27) | |
d.5 | Form of Subscription Certificate (27) | |
d.6 | Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1 (27) | |
d.7* |
Indenture, dated March 6, 2012 between the Registrant and U.S. Bank National Association. | |
d.8* |
First Supplemental Indenture, dated April 17, 2012 between the Registrant and U.S. Bank, National Association. | |
d.9* |
Form of 7.00% Senior Note due 2019 (included as part of Exhibit (d)(8)). | |
e | Form of Dividend Reinvestment Plan. (4) | |
f.1 | Credit Agreement dated as of April 12, 2005 between Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Alcmene Funding, L.L.C. (2) | |
f.2 | Pledge and Security Agreement dated as of April 12, 2005 between Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Alcmene Funding, L.L.C. (2) | |
f.3 | First Amendment to Credit and Pledge Security Agreement dated August 1, 2005 between Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Alcmene Funding L.L.C. (5) | |
f.4 | Loan Sale Agreement between Hercules Funding LLC and Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. dated as of August 1, 2005. (5) |
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Exhibit
|
Description |
|
f.5 | Sale and Servicing Agreement among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., U.S. Bank National Association and Lyon Financial Services, Inc. dated as of August 1, 2005. (5) | |
f.6 | Indenture between Hercules Funding Trust I and U.S. Bank National Association dated as of August 1, 2005. (5) | |
f.7 | Note Purchase Agreement among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. dated as of August 1, 2005. (5) | |
f.8 | Second Amendment to Credit and Pledge Security Agreement by and among Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Alcmene Funding, L.L.C., as lender and administrative agent for the lenders, dated March 6, 2006. (6) | |
f.9 | First Omnibus Amendment by and among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I, LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, Lyon Financial Services, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. dated March 6, 2006. (6) | |
f.10 | Intercreditor Agreement among Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., Alcmene Funding, L.L.C. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. dated as of March 6, 2006. (6) | |
f.11 | Warrant Participation Agreement between the Company and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. dated as of August 1, 2005. (7) | |
f.12 | Second Amendment to Warrant Participation Agreement dated as of October 16, 2006. (7) | |
f.13 | Third Amendment to Sale and Servicing Agreement among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., U.S. Bank National Association and Lyon Financial Services, Inc., dated as of July 28, 2006. (8) | |
f.14 | Second Omnibus Amendment by and among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I, LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, Lyon Financial Services, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. dated December 6, 2006. (9) | |
f.15 | Fifth Amendment to Sale and Servicing Agreement by and among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I, LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, Lyon Financial Services, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. dated March 30, 2007. (13) | |
f.16 | Amended and Restated Sale and Servicing Agreement by and among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I LLC, the Company, U.S. Bank National Association, Lyon Financial Services, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and Deutsche Bank AG dated as of May 2, 2007. (14) | |
f.17 | Fourth Amendment to the Warrant Participation Agreement by and among Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp., dated as of May 2, 2007. (15) | |
f.18 | Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement by and among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. dated as of May 2, 2007. (15) | |
f.19 |
First Amendment to Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement by and among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. dated as of May 7, 2008. (17) | |
f.20 |
Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Sale and Servicing Agreement by and among Hercules Funding Trust I, Hercules Funding I LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, Lyon Financial Services, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and Deutsche Bank AG dated as of May 7, 2008. (17) |
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Exhibit
|
Description |
|
f.21 | Form of SBA Debenture. (18) | |
f.22 | Loan and Security Agreement by and among Hercules Funding II, LLC and Wells Fargo Foothill, LLC, dated as of August 25, 2008. (19) | |
f.23 | Sales and Servicing Agreement among Hercules Funding II, LLC, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., Lyon Financial Services, Inc. and Wells Fargo Foothill, LLC, dated as of August 25, 2008. (19) | |
f.24 | First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement by and among Hercules Funding II, LLC and Wells Fargo Foothill, LLC, dated as of April 30, 2009. (20) | |
f.25 | Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement by and between Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and Union Bank, N.A. dated November 2, 2011. (22) | |
f.26 |
Indenture between Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, dated as of April 15, 2011. (24) | |
f.27 |
Form of Note under the Indenture dated as of April 15, 2011. (24) | |
f.28 |
Second Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement by and among Hercules Funding II LLC and Wells Fargo Capital Finance, LLC (f/k/a Wells Fargo Foothill, LLC), dated as of June 20, 2011. (26) | |
h.1* |
Underwriting Agreement dated April 11, 2012 by and among the Registrant and the Underwriters named therein. | |
i.1 | Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (2007 Amendment and Restatement). (11) | |
i.2 | Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. 2006 Non-Employee Director Plan (2007 Amendment and Restatement). (16) | |
i.3 | Form of Incentive Stock Option Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan. (2) | |
i.4 | Form of Nonstatutory Stock Option Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan. (2) | |
i.5 | Form of Restricted Stock Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan. (18) | |
j | Form of Custody Agreement between the Company and Union Bank of California. (2) | |
k.1 | Form of Registrar Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company. (2) | |
k.2 | Warrant Agreement dated June 22, 2004 between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent. (1) | |
k.3 | Lease Agreement dated June 13, 2006 between the Company and 400 Hamilton Associates. (10) | |
l.1 | Opinion of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP. (29) | |
1.2* |
Opinion and Consent of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP. | |
n.1 | Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. (29) | |
n.2 | Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. (30) | |
n.3 | Consent of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (included in Exhibit l). | |
n.4 |
Report of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. (29) | |
n.5 | Consent of Venture Source. (28) | |
p | Subscription Agreement dated February 2, 2004 between the Company and the subscribers named therein. (2) |
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* | Filed herewith. |
(1) | Previously filed as part of the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company, as filed on February 22, 2005. |
(2) | Previously filed as part of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, as filed on May 17, 2005 (File No. 333-122950) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(3) | Previously filed as part of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2, as filed on June 8, 2005 (File No. 333-122950) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(4) | Previously filed as part of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, as filed on June 10, 2005 (File No. 333-122950) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(5) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on August 5, 2005. |
(6) | Previously filed as part of Post-Effective Amendment No. 3, as filed on March 9, 2006 (File No. 333-126604) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(7) | Previously filed as part of the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, as filed on October 17, 2006 (File No. 333-136918) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(8) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on July 28, 2006. |
(9) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on December 6, 2006. |
(10) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on August 1, 2006. |
(11) | Previously filed as part of the Securities to be Offered to Employees in Employee Benefit Plans on Form S-8, as filed June 22, 2007. |
(12) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed March 9, 2007. |
(13) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed April 3, 2007. |
(14) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed May 5, 2007. |
(15) | Previously filed as part of the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, as filed May 15, 2007 (File No. 333-141828), to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(16) | Previously filed as part of the Securities to be Offered to Employees in Employee Benefit Plans on Form S-8, as filed October, 10, 2007. |
(17) | Previously filed as part of the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2, as filed June 5, 2008 (File No. 333-150403), to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(18) | Previously filed as part of the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company, as filed on March 16, 2009. |
(19) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on August 27, 2008. |
(20) | Previously filed as part of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company, as filed on May 11, 2009. |
(21) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on February 17, 2010. |
(22) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed on November 4, 2011. |
(23) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on April 11, 2011. |
(24) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on April 18, 2011. |
(25) | Previously filed as part of the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, as filed on May 2, 2011 (File No. 333-171368) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(26) | Previously filed as part of the Current Report on Form 8-K of the Company, as filed on June 24, 2011. |
(27) | Previously filed as part of the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company, as filed on February 8, 2012 (File No. 333-179431). |
(28) | Previously filed as part of the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company, as filed on March 9, 2012 |
(29) | Previously filed as part of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1, as filed on March 22, 2012 (File No. 333-179431) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
(30) | Previously filed as part of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2, as filed on March 29, 2012 (File No. 333-179431) to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 of the Company. |
Item 26. Marketing Arrangements
The information contained under the heading Plan of Distribution of the prospectus is incorporated herein by reference, and any information concerning any underwriters will be contained in any prospectus supplement if any, accompanying this prospectus.
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Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the estimated expenses payable by us in connection with the offering (excluding placement fees):
Amount | ||||
SEC registration fee |
$ | 22,920 | ||
FINRA filing fee |
20,500 | |||
Nasdaq listing fee |
65,000 | |||
Accounting fees and expenses |
15,000 | |||
Legal fees and expenses |
250,000 | |||
Printing expenses |
75,000 | |||
Miscellaneous |
26,580 | |||
|
|
|||
Total |
$ | 475,000 | ||
|
|
The amounts set forth above, except for the SEC and FINRA fees, are in each case estimated.
Item 28. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control
Hercules Technology SBIC Management, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Hercules Technology SBIC Management, LLC is the general partner of Hercules Technology II, L.P., Hercules Technology III, LP and Hercules Technology IV, LP and the Company owns substantially all of the limited partnership interests in Hercules Technology II, L.P. Hercules Technology III, L.P. and Hercules Funding II LLC, Hercules Technology Management Co. II, Inc., Hercules Technology Management Co. III, Inc., Hercules Technology Management Co. V, Inc., Hercules Technology I, LLC, Hercules Technology II, LLC, Hydra Ventures LLC, Hydra Management Co., Inc. and Hydra Management LLC are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. Spa Chakra SBIC Management Corp is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hercules Technology II, L.P. Spa Chakra Acquisition Corp. and Spa Chakra Trademark, LLC are wholly owned subsidiaries of Spa Chakra SBIC Management Corp. Accordingly, the Company may be deemed to control, directly or indirectly, the following entities:
Name |
Jurisdiction of Organization | |
Hercules Technology II, L.P. |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology III, L.P. |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology IV, L.P. |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology SBIC Management, LLC |
Delaware | |
Hercules Funding II, LLC |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology Management Co II, Inc. |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology Management Co III, Inc. |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology Management Co V, Inc. |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology I, LLC |
Delaware | |
Hercules Technology II LLC |
Delaware | |
Hydra Ventures LLC |
Delaware | |
Hydra Management Co., Inc. |
Delaware | |
Hydra Management LLC |
Delaware | |
Spa Chakra Acquisition Corp. |
Indiana | |
Spa Chakra SBIC Management Corp. |
Delaware | |
Spa Chakra Trademark, LLC |
Delaware |
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Item 29. Number of Holder of Securities
The following table sets forth the approximate number of shareholders of the Companys common stock as of March 21, 2012:
Title of Class |
Number of
Record Holders |
|||
Common stock, par value $.001 per share |
9,300 |
Item 30. Indemnification
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. The Registrants charter contains such a provision which eliminates directors and officers liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act.
The Registrants charter authorizes the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to obligate itself to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer of the Registrant and at its request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and, under certain circumstances and provided certain conditions have been met, to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The Registrants bylaws obligate the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law and subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, to indemnify any present or former director or officer or any individual who, while a director or officer of the Registrant and at its request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in any such capacity from and against any claim or liability to which that person may become subject or which that person may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and, under certain circumstances and provided certain conditions have been met, to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. The charter and bylaws also permit the Registrant to indemnify and, under certain circumstances and provided certain conditions have been met, advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of the Registrant in any of the capacities described above and any of the Registrants employees or agents or any employees or agents of its predecessor. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Registrant will not indemnify any person for any liability to which such person would be subject by reason of such persons willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office. Additionally, the Registrant will not indemnify any person with respect to any matter as to which such person shall have been finally adjudicated in any proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that their action was in the best interests of the Registrant.
Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which the Registrants charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal
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benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporations receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the provisions described above, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in the successful defense of an action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by a director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The Company carries liability insurance for the benefit of its directors and officers (other than with respect to claims resulting from the willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office) on a claims-made basis of up to $3,000,000, subject to a $250,000 retention and the other terms thereof.
The Company has agreed to indemnify the underwriters against specified liabilities for actions taken in their capacities as such, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisor
Not applicable.
Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records
The Company maintains at its principal office physical possession of each account, book or other document required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.
Item 33. Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 34. Undertakings
The Registrant undertakes:
1. | to suspend the offering of shares until the prospectus is amended if (a) subsequent to the effective date of its registration statement, the net asset value declines more than ten percent from its net asset value as of the effective date of the registration statement or (b) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than the net proceeds as stated in the prospectus. |
2. | Not applicable. |
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3. | Not applicable. |
4. |
a. | to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
i. | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
ii. | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and |
iii. | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. |
b. | that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; |
c. | to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering; |
d. | that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the Securities Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than prospectus filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the Securities Act, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness, provided, however , that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supercede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use; |
e. | that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities, the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser: |
i. | any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act; |
ii. | the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the Securities Act relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and |
iii. | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser. |
f. |
to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement, and to suspend any offers or sales pursuant the registration statement until such post-effective amendment has been declared effective under the Securities Act, in the event the shares of the Registrant are trading below its net |
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asset value and either (a) the Registrant receives, or has been advised by its independent registered accounting firm that it will receive, an audit report reflecting substantial doubt regarding the Registrants ability to continue as a going concern or (b) the Registrant has concluded that a material adverse change has occurred in its financial position or results of operations that has caused the financial statements and other disclosures on the basis of which the offering would be made to be materially misleading; and |
5. | Not applicable. |
6. | Not applicable. |
7. | to not seek to sell shares under a prospectus supplement to the registration statement, or a post-effective amendment to the registration statement, of which the prospectus forms a part (the current registration statement) if the cumulative dilution to the Registrants net asset value (NAV) per share arising from offerings from the effective date of the current registration statement through and including any follow-on offering would exceed 15% based on the anticipated pricing of such follow-on offering. This limit would be measured separately for each offering pursuant to the current registration statement by calculating the percentage dilution or accretion to aggregate NAV from that offering and then summing the anticipated percentage dilution from each subsequent offering. If the Registrant files a new post-effective amendment, the threshold would reset. |
8. | to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement in connection with any rights offering off of the registration statement. |
C-9
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Palo Alto, and State of California, on the 17 th day of April, 2012.
H ERCULES T ECHNOLOGY G ROWTH C APITAL , I NC . |
/ S / M ANUEL A. H ENRIQUEZ |
Manuel A. Henriquez Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature |
Title |
Date |
||
/ S / M ANUEL A. H ENRIQUEZ Manuel A. Henriquez |
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) |
April 17, 2012 | ||
/ S / J ESSICA B ARON Jessica Baron |
Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer) |
April 17, 2012 |
||
* Allyn C. Woodward, Jr. |
Director |
April 17, 2012 |
||
* Joseph W. Chow |
Director |
April 17, 2012 |
||
* Robert P. Badavas |
Director |
April 17, 2012 |
* | Signed by Manuel A. Henriquez as attorney-in-fact. |
Exhibit (d)(7)
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC.
(Issuer)
and
U.S. Bank National Association
(Trustee)
Indenture
Dated as of March 6, 2012
Providing for the Issuance
of
Debt Securities
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE ONE DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION |
||||||
Section 1.01. |
Definitions | 2 | ||||
Section 1.02. |
Compliance Certificates | 10 | ||||
Section 1.03. |
Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee | 10 | ||||
Section 1.04. |
Acts of Holders | 11 | ||||
Section 1.05. |
Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company | 12 | ||||
Section 1.06. |
Notice to Holders; Waiver | 12 | ||||
Section 1.07. |
Effect of Headings and Table of Contents | 12 | ||||
Section 1.08. |
Successors and Assigns | 13 | ||||
Section 1.09. |
Separability Clause | 13 | ||||
Section 1.10. |
Benefits of Indenture | 13 | ||||
Section 1.11. |
Governing Law | 13 | ||||
Section 1.12. |
Legal Holidays | 13 | ||||
Section 1.13. |
Submission to Jurisdiction | 13 | ||||
ARTICLE TWO SECURITIES FORMS |
||||||
Section 2.01. |
Forms of Securities | 13 | ||||
Section 2.02. |
Form of Trustees Certificate of Authentication | 14 | ||||
Section 2.03. |
Securities Issuable in Global Form | 14 | ||||
ARTICLE THREE THE SECURITIES |
||||||
Section 3.01. |
Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series | 15 | ||||
Section 3.02. |
Denominations | 17 | ||||
Section 3.03. |
Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating | 17 | ||||
Section 3.04. |
Temporary Securities | 19 | ||||
Section 3.05. |
Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange | 19 | ||||
Section 3.06. |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities | 21 | ||||
Section 3.07. |
Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved; Optional Interest Reset | 21 | ||||
Section 3.08. |
Optional Extension of Maturity | 23 | ||||
Section 3.09. |
Persons Deemed Owners | 23 | ||||
Section 3.10. |
Cancellation | 24 | ||||
Section 3.11. |
Computation of Interest | 24 | ||||
Section 3.12. |
Currency and Manner of Payments in Respect of Securities | 24 | ||||
Section 3.13. |
Appointment and Resignation of Successor Exchange Rate Agent | 27 | ||||
Section 3.14. |
CUSIP Numbers | 27 | ||||
ARTICLE FOUR SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE |
||||||
Section 4.01. |
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture | 27 | ||||
Section 4.02. |
Application of Trust Funds | 28 | ||||
ARTICLE FIVE REMEDIES |
||||||
Section 5.01. |
Events of Default | 28 | ||||
Section 5.02. |
Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment | 30 | ||||
Section 5.03. |
Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee | 30 | ||||
Section 5.04. |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 31 | ||||
Section 5.05. |
Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities | 31 |
Section 5.06. |
Application of Money Collected | 32 | ||
Section 5.07. |
Limitation on Suits | 32 | ||
Section 5.08. |
Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest | 33 | ||
Section 5.09. |
Restoration of Rights and Remedies | 33 | ||
Section 5.10. |
Rights and Remedies Cumulative | 33 | ||
Section 5.11. |
Delay or Omission Not Waiver | 33 | ||
Section 5.12. |
Control by Holders of Securities | 33 | ||
Section 5.13. |
Waiver of Past Defaults | 34 | ||
Section 5.14. |
Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws | 34 | ||
ARTICLE SIX THE TRUSTEE |
||||
Section 6.01. |
Notice of Defaults | 34 | ||
Section 6.02. |
Certain Rights of Trustee | 35 | ||
Section 6.03. |
Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities | 37 | ||
Section 6.04. |
May Hold Securities | 37 | ||
Section 6.05. |
Money Held in Trust | 37 | ||
Section 6.06. |
Compensation and Reimbursement and Indemnification of Trustee | 37 | ||
Section 6.07. |
Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility | 38 | ||
Section 6.08. |
Disqualification; Conflicting Interests | 38 | ||
Section 6.09. |
Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor | 38 | ||
Section 6.10. |
Acceptance of Appointment by Successor | 39 | ||
Section 6.11. |
Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business | 40 | ||
Section 6.12. |
Appointment of Authenticating Agent | 40 | ||
ARTICLE SEVEN HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY |
||||
Section 7.01. |
Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders | 42 | ||
Section 7.02. |
Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders | 42 | ||
Section 7.03. |
Reports by Trustee | 42 | ||
Section 7.04. |
Reports by Company | 42 | ||
Section 7.05. |
Calculation of Original Issue Discount | 43 | ||
ARTICLE EIGHT CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER |
||||
Section 8.01. |
Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms | 43 | ||
Section 8.02. |
Successor Person Substituted | 43 | ||
ARTICLE NINE SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES |
||||
Section 9.01. |
Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders | 43 | ||
Section 9.02. |
Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders | 44 | ||
Section 9.03. |
Execution of Supplemental Indentures | 45 | ||
Section 9.04. |
Effect of Supplemental Indentures | 45 | ||
Section 9.05. |
Conformity with Trust Indenture Act | 45 | ||
Section 9.06. |
Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures | 46 | ||
ARTICLE TEN COVENANTS |
||||
Section 10.01. |
Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest | 46 | ||
Section 10.02. |
Maintenance of Office or Agency | 46 | ||
Section 10.03. |
Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust | 47 | ||
Section 10.04. |
Additional Amounts | 47 | ||
Section 10.05. |
Statement as to Compliance | 48 | ||
Section 10.06. |
Payment of Taxes and Other Claims | 48 | ||
Section 10.07. |
Waiver of Certain Covenants | 48 |
ARTICLE ELEVEN REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES |
||||
Section 11.01. |
Applicability of Article | 49 | ||
Section 11.02. |
Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee | 49 | ||
Section 11.03. |
Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed | 49 | ||
Section 11.04. |
Notice of Redemption | 49 | ||
Section 11.05. |
Deposit of Redemption Price | 50 | ||
Section 11.06. |
Securities Payable on Redemption Date | 50 | ||
Section 11.07. |
Securities Redeemed in Part | 51 | ||
ARTICLE TWELVE SINKING FUNDS |
||||
Section 12.01. |
Applicability of Article | 51 | ||
Section 12.02. |
Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities | 51 | ||
Section 12.03. |
Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund | 51 | ||
ARTICLE THIRTEEN REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS |
||||
Section 13.01. |
Applicability of Article | 52 | ||
Section 13.02. |
Repayment of Securities | 52 | ||
Section 13.03. |
Exercise of Option | 52 | ||
Section 13.04. |
When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable | 52 | ||
Section 13.05. |
Securities Repaid in Part | 53 | ||
ARTICLE FOURTEEN DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE |
||||
Section 14.01. |
Applicability of Article; Companys Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 53 | ||
Section 14.02. |
Defeasance and Discharge | 53 | ||
Section 14.03. |
Covenant Defeasance | 54 | ||
Section 14.04. |
Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 54 | ||
Section 14.05. |
Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions | 55 | ||
ARTICLE FIFTEEN MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES |
||||
Section 15.01. |
Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called | 56 | ||
Section 15.02. |
Call, Notice and Place of Meetings | 56 | ||
Section 15.03. |
Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings | 56 | ||
Section 15.04. |
Quorum; Action | 57 | ||
Section 15.05. |
Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings | 57 | ||
Section 15.06. |
Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings | 58 | ||
ARTICLE SIXTEEN SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES |
||||
Section 16.01. |
Agreement to Subordinate | 58 | ||
Section 16.02. |
Distribution on Dissolution, Liquidation and Reorganization; Subrogation of Subordinated Securities | 59 | ||
Section 16.03. |
No Payment on Subordinated Securities in Event of Default on Senior Indebtedness | 60 | ||
Section 16.04. |
Payments on Subordinated Securities Permitted | 60 | ||
Section 16.05. |
Authorization of Holders to Trustee to Effect Subordination | 60 | ||
Section 16.06. |
Notices to Trustee | 60 | ||
Section 16.07. |
Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness | 61 | ||
Section 16.08. |
Modifications of Terms of Senior Indebtedness | 61 | ||
Section 16.09. |
Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent | 61 |
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC.
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939
and Indenture, dated as of March 6, 2012
Trust Indenture Act Section |
Indenture Section |
|||
§ 310 | (a)(1) | 6.07 | ||
(a)(2) | 6.07 | |||
(b) | 6.09 | |||
§ 312 | (c) | 7.01 | ||
§ 314 | (a) | 7.04 | ||
(a)(4) | 10.05 | |||
(c)(1) | 1.02 | |||
(c)(2) | 1.02 | |||
(e) | 1.02 | |||
§315 | (b) | 6.01 | ||
§316 | (a) (last sentence) | 1.01 (Outstanding) | ||
(a)(1)(A) | 5.02, 5.12 | |||
(a)(1)(B) | 5.13 | |||
(b) | 5.08 | |||
§317 | (a)(1) | 5.03 | ||
(a)(2) | 5.04 | |||
§318 | (a) | 1.11 | ||
(c) | 1.11 |
NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.
1
INDENTURE, dated as of March 6, 2012, between Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Company), and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as Trustee (as trustee in such capacity and not in its individual capacity, the Trustee).
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
WHEREAS, the Company deems it necessary to issue from time to time for its lawful purposes debt securities (hereinafter called the Securities) evidencing its secured or unsecured indebtedness, which may or may not be convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any Person (including the Company), and has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Securities, to be issued in one or more series, unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such times and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided;
WHEREAS, this Indenture (as defined herein) is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, that are required to be part of this Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions; and
WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of, and enforceable against, 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 (as defined herein) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities, or of a series thereof, as follows:
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 1.01. Definitions .
For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular and, pursuant to Section 3.01, any such item may, with respect to any particular series of Securities, be amended or modified or specified as being inapplicable;
(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act (as defined herein), either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein, and the terms cash transaction and self-liquidating paper, as used in Section 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the rules of the Commission (as defined herein) adopted under the Trust Indenture Act;
(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America;
(d) the words herein, hereof and hereunder and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision;
(e) or is not exclusive;
(f) provisions apply to successive events and transactions; and
2
(g) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the Commission from time to time.
Certain terms, used in other Articles herein, are defined in those Articles.
Act , when used with respect to any Holder of a Security, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.
Additional Amounts means any additional amounts that are required by a Security or by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, under circumstances specified therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on certain Holders and that are owing to such Holders.
Affiliate of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, control when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms controlling and controlled have meanings correlative to the foregoing; provided , that Affiliate shall not include any portfolio company of the Company which the Company may have control or in which the Company may have an investment from time to time.
Authenticating Agent means any authenticating agent appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.12 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.
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 has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.
Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act hereunder.
Board Resolution means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
Business Day , when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment or particular location are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
Clearstream means Clearstream International or its successor.
Commission means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or, if at any time after execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.
Common Depository has the meaning specified in Section 3.05.
3
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 corporation.
Company Request and Company Order mean, respectively, a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Operating Officer (or, in each case, any permitted designee of such Person as may be identified as such in a writing delivered to the Trustee from time to time), and by any Co-President, the Treasurer, or the Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.
Component Currency has the meaning specified in Section 3.12(h).
Conversion Date has the meaning specified in Section 3.12(d).
Conversion Event means the cessation of use of (i) a Foreign Currency both by the government of the country which issued such currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community, (ii) the Euro both within the European Monetary System and for the settlement of transactions by public institutions of or within the European Communities or (iii) any currency unit (or composite currency) other than the Euro for the purposes for which it was established.
Corporate Trust Office means the office of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business and this Indenture shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at One Federal Street, Third Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 Attention: Corporate Trust/CDO Unit Reference: Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.; provided that for purposes of presentment or surrender of securities for transfer or payment or exchange, such office is located at U.S. Bank National Association, 60 Livingston Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota 55107-2292, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Issuer, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).
corporation includes corporations, associations, companies and business trusts.
Currency means any currency or currencies, composite currency or currency unit or currency units, including, without limitation, the Euro, issued by the government of one or more countries or by any reorganized confederation or association of such governments.
Default means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
Defaulted Interest has the meaning specified in Section 3.07(a).
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.
Euro means the official currency of the eurozone.
Election Date has the meaning specified in Section 3.12(h).
Euroclear means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System, or its successor as operator of the Euroclear System.
European Communities means the European Union.
European Monetary System means the European Monetary System established by the Resolution of December 5, 1978 of the Council of the European Communities.
Event of Default has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.
4
Exchange Rate Agent , with respect to Securities of or within any series, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, a member of the New York Clearing House Association designated pursuant to Section 3.01 or Section 3.13. For avoidance of doubt, nothing herein shall obligate the Trustee to accept appointment as Exchange Rate Agent for any Securities.
Exchange Rate Officers Certificate means a certificate setting forth (i) the applicable Market Exchange Rate or the applicable bid quotation 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 3.02 in the relevant Currency), payable with respect to a Security of any series on the basis of such Market Exchange Rate or the applicable bid quotation signed by the Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President of the Company.
Extension Notice has the meaning specified in Section 3.08.
Extension Period has the meaning specified in Section 3.08.
Final Maturity has the meaning specified in Section 3.08.
Foreign Currency means any Currency other than the U.S. dollar, including, without limitation, the Euro.
Government Obligations means securities that are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the government which issued the Foreign Currency in which the Securities of a particular series are payable, for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such government that issued the Foreign Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable, the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.
Holder means, the Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.
Indenture means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01; provide d, 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 the or those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 3.01, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms that relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is not Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any provisions or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed and delivered after such Person had become such Trustee but to which such Person, as such Trustee, was not a party.
Indexed Security means a Security as to which all or certain interest payments and/or the principal amount payable at Maturity are determined by reference to prices, changes in prices, or differences between prices, of securities, Currencies, intangibles, goods, articles or commodities or by such other objective price, economic or other measures as are specified in Section 3.01 hereof.
5
Interest , when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity, and, when used with respect to a Security which provides for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 10.04, includes such Additional Amounts.
Interest Payment Date , when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.
Investment Company Act means the Investment Company Act of 1940 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
Junior Subordinated Security or Junior Subordinated Securities means any Security or Securities designated pursuant to Section 3.01 as a Junior Subordinated Security.
Junior Subordinated Indebtedness means the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on (i) 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, which in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding it is provided that such indebtedness ranks junior in right of payment to the Companys Senior Indebtedness and Senior Subordinated Indebtedness and equally and pari passu in right of payment to any other Junior Subordinated Indebtedness, (ii) Junior Subordinated Securities and (iii) renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any such indebtedness.
Market Exchange Rate means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, (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 3.01 for the Securities of the relevant series, (ii) for any conversion of Dollars into any Foreign Currency, the noon 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 3.01, 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 other principal market for such currency or currency unit 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 or currency unit by reason of foreign exchange regulations or otherwise, the market to be used in respect of such currency or currency unit shall be that upon which a nonresident issuer of securities designated in such currency or currency unit would purchase such currency or currency unit in order to make payments in respect of such securities as determined by the Exchange Rate Agent, in its sole discretion.
Maturity , when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, notice of redemption, notice of option to elect repayment, notice of exchange or conversion or otherwise.
Notice of Default has the meaning provided in Section 5.01.
Officers Certificate means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Operating Officer (or, in each case, any permitted designee of such Person as may be identified as such in a writing delivered to the Trustee from time to time), and by any Co-President, the Treasurer, or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee.
6
Opinion of Counsel means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company or who may be an employee of or other counsel for the Company.
Optional Reset Date has the meaning specified in Section 3.07(b).
Original Issue Discount Security means any Security that 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 5.02.
Original Stated Maturity has the meaning specified in Section 3.08.
Outstanding , when used with respect to Securities or any series of Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities or all Securities of such series, as the case may be, theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except :
(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) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities, 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 14.02 and 14.03, with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance and/or covenant defeasance as provided in Article Fourteen; and
(iv) Securities that have been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 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 protected purchaser, as defined in Section 8-303 of the Uniform Commercial Code, 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 the time of such determination, upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02, (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 Officers Certificate delivered to the Trustee, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security or Indexed Security, the Dollar equivalent as of such date of original issuance of the amount determined as provided in clause (i) above or (iii) below, respectively) of such Security, (iii) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination or calculation and that shall be deemed outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the principal face amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided with respect to such Security pursuant to Section 3.01, 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 pledgees right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.
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Paying Agent means any Person 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, association, joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity.
Place of Paymen t, when used with respect to the Securities of or within any series, means the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities are payable as specified and as contemplated by Sections 3.01 and 10.02.
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 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.
Redemption Date , when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, in whole or in part, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
Redemption Price , when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
Registered Security means any Security that is registered in the Security Register.
Regular Record Date for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Registered Securities of or within any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 3.01, whether or not a Business Day.
Repayment Date means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, means the date fixed for such repayment by or pursuant to this Indenture.
Repayment Price means, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid at the option of the Holder, means the price at which it is to be repaid by or pursuant to this Indenture.
Reset Notice has the meaning specified in Section 3.07(b).
Responsible Officer , when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer of the Trustee assigned by the Trustee to administer its corporate trust matters and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
Security or Securities has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and, more particularly, means any Security or Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided , 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 3.05.
Senior Indebtedness means the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on (i) 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, unless in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or under which the same is outstanding it is provided that such indebtedness is not senior or prior in right of payment to Subordinated Indebtedness, (ii) Senior Securities and (iii) renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any such indebtedness.
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Senior Security or Senior Securities means any Security or Securities designated pursuant to Section 3.01 as a Senior Security.
Senior Subordinated Indebtedness means the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on (i) 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, that in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding it is provided that such indebtedness ranks junior in right of payment to the Companys Senior Indebtedness, equally and pari passu in right of payment with all other Senior Subordinated Indebtedness and senior in right of payment to any Junior Subordinated Indebtedness, (ii) Senior Subordinated Securities and (iii) renewals, extensions, modifications and refinancings of any such indebtedness.
Senior Subordinated Security or Senior Subordinated Securities means any Security or Securities designated pursuant to Section 3.01 as a Senior Subordinated Security.
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 3.07.
Specified Amount has the meaning specified in Section 3.12(h).
Stated Maturity , when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable, as such date may be extended pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.08.
Subordinated Indebtedness means any Senior Subordinated Indebtedness or Junior Subordinated Indebtedness.
Subsequent Interest Period has the meaning specified in Section 3.07(b).
Subsidiary means (i) any corporation a majority of the outstanding voting stock of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries of the Company, (ii) any other Person (other than a corporation) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination thereof has a majority ownership interest or (iii) a partnership in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the time, a general partner and in which such Person, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination thereof has a majority ownership interest. For the purposes of this definition, voting stock means stock having voting power for the election of directors, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.
Trust Indenture Act or TIA means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed, except as provided in Section 9.05.
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, 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 3.01, 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 3.01, any individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a corporation, partnership or other entity
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created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (other than a partnership that is not treated as a United States Person under any applicable Treasury regulations), any estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source, or any trust if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, to the extent provided in the Treasury regulations, certain trusts in existence on August 20, 1996, and treated as United States persons prior to such date that elect to continue to be treated as United States Persons, will also be United States persons.
Valuation Date has the meaning specified in Section 3.12(c).
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 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions .
Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than pursuant to Section 10.05) shall include:
(a) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such condition or covenant and the definitions herein relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that such individual signing the certificate or opinion has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such individual to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 1.03. 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 as to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, or a certificate or representations by counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the opinion, certificate or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such Opinion of Counsel or certificate or representations may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information as to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations as to such matters are erroneous.
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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 1.04. Acts of Holders .
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of the Outstanding Securities of all series or one or more series, as the case may be, may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agents duly appointed in writing. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the Act of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 15.06.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him or her 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 his 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 reasonably sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Registered Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.
(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. Notwithstanding TIA Section 316(c), such record date shall be the record date specified in or pursuant to such Board Resolution, which shall be a date not earlier than the date 30 calendar days prior to the first solicitation of Holders generally in connection therewith and not later than the date such solicitation is completed. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than eleven months after the record date.
(f) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
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Section 1.05. Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company .
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,
(i) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or sent via overnight courier guaranteeing next day delivery or same day messenger service to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., or
(ii) the Company 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 sent via overnight courier guaranteeing next day delivery or same day messenger service, to the Company, to the attention of its Chief Financial Officer at 400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 310, Palo Alto, CA 94301.
The Company or the Trustee, by notice to the other, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) shall be deemed to have been duly given: (i) at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; (ii) five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid; and (iii) the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.
Section 1.06. Notice to Holders; Waiver .
Where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to Holders of Registered Securities by the Company or the Trustee, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, or by overnight courier guaranteeing next day delivery 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. Any notice or communication shall also be so mailed to any Person described in TIA Section 313(c), to the extent required by the TIA. In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail or by overnight courier guaranteeing next day delivery, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities. Any notice mailed or sent 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.
If by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification to Holders of Registered Securities as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification to such Holders for every purpose hereunder.
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 1.07. 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.
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Section 1.08. Successors and Assigns .
All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
Section 1.09. Separability Clause .
In case any provision in this Indenture or in any Security 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 1.10. Benefits of Indenture .
Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
Section 1.11. Governing Law .
This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of laws that would cause the application of laws of another jurisdiction. 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 1.12. Legal Holidays .
In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security other than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section), payment of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or sinking fund payment date, or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity; provided that no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be.
Section 1.13. Submission to Jurisdiction .
The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or federal court sitting in The City of New York in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Indenture and the Securities of any series, and the Company hereby irrevocably agrees that all claims in respect of such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or federal court. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent it may effectively do so, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding.
ARTICLE TWO
SECURITIES FORMS
Section 2.01. Forms of Securities .
The Registered Securities, if any, of each series, the temporary global Securities of each series, if any, and the permanent global Securities of each series, if any, to be endorsed thereon shall be in substantially the forms as shall be established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto or approved from time to time by or pursuant to a Board Resolution in accordance with Section 3.01, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements placed
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thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange on which the Securities may be listed, or to conform to usage.
The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
Section 2.02. Form of Trustees Certificate of Authentication .
Subject to Section 6.11, the Trustees certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:
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 |
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By: |
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Authorized Officer |
Section 2.03. Securities Issuable in Global Form .
If Securities of or within a series are issuable in global form, as specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, then, notwithstanding clause (viii) of Section 3.01 and the provisions of Section 3.02, 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 or the Security Registrar 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 3.03 or 3.04. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee or the Security Registrar 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 3.03 or 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to endorsement, delivery or redelivery of a Security in global form shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.
The provisions of the last sentence of Section 3.03 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 or the Security Registrar the Security in global form together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 1.02 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 3.03.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.07, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, 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 3.09 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company and the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a permanent global Security (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.
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ARTICLE THREE
THE SECURITIES
Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series .
The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.
The Securities may be issued in one or more series and shall be designated as Senior Securities, Senior Subordinated Securities or Junior Subordinated Securities. Senior Securities are unsubordinated, shall rank equally and pari passu with all of the Companys Senior Indebtedness and senior to all Subordinated Securities. Senior Subordinated Securities shall rank junior to the Companys Senior Indebtedness, equally and pari passu with all other Senior Subordinated Indebtedness and senior to any Junior Subordinated Indebtedness. Junior Subordinated Securities shall rank junior to the Companys Senior Indebtedness and any Senior Subordinated Indebtedness and equally and pari passu with all other Junior Subordinated Indebtedness. 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 3.03, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series, any or all of the following, as applicable (each of which (except for the matters set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and (xv) below), if so provided, may be determined from time to time by the Company with respect to unissued Securities of the series when issued from time to time):
(i) the title of the Securities of the series including CUSIP numbers (which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from all other series of Securities);
(ii) 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 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06, 11.07 or 13.05, and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 3.03, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);
(iii) 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 shall be payable;
(iv) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method by which such rate or rates shall be determined, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest will be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date, or the method by which such date shall be determined, and the basis upon which such interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;
(v) 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, any Registered Securities of the series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, Securities of the series may be surrendered for exchange, where Securities of that series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable, and where notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served;
(vi) the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which, the Currency or Currencies in which, and other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company, if the Company is to have the option;
(vii) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay or purchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which, the Currency or Currencies in which, and other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed, repaid or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
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(viii) 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;
(ix) if other than the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar and/or Paying Agent;
(x) 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 5.02, 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 5.04 or the method by which such portion shall be determined;
(xi) 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 3.12;
(xii) 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;
(xiii) 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 one or more Currencies 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 or Currencies in which such Securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the Currency or Currencies in which such Securities are to be paid, in each case in accordance with, in addition to or in lieu of any of the provisions of Section 3.12;
(xiv) provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of Securities of the series, including, without limitation, with respect to any collateral securing such Securities;
(xv) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants (including any deletions from, modifications of or additions to any of the provisions of Section 10.07) of the Company 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;
(xvi) whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable initially in temporary global form with or without coupons 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 in certificated form 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 3.05;
(xvii) the date as of which of the series and temporary global Security representing Outstanding Securities of the series shall be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first Security of the series to be issued;
(xviii) the Person to whom any interest on any Registered Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, 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 3.04; 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 3.07;
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(xix) the applicability, if any, of Sections 14.02 and/or 14.03 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;
(xx) if the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and/or terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;
(xxi) whether, under what circumstances and the Currency in which, the Company will pay Additional Amounts as contemplated by Section 10.04 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);
(xxii) the designation of the initial Exchange Rate Agent, if any;
(xxiii) 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;
(xxiv) 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;
(xxv) if the Securities of the series are to be listed on a securities exchange, the name of such exchange; and
(xxvi) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture or the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act), including, but not limited to, secured Securities and guarantees of Securities.
All Securities of any one series need not 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, a copy of an appropriate record of such action(s) shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers Certificate setting forth the terms of the Securities of such series.
Section 3.02. Denominations .
The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01. With respect to Securities of any series denominated in Dollars, in the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the 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.
Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating .
The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer or one of its Co-Presidents, under its corporate seal reproduced thereon, and attested by its Secretary. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such authorized officer and may be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities.
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Securities 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.
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time and if the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture establishing such series shall so permit, such Company Order may set forth procedures acceptable to the Trustee for the issuance of such Securities and determining the terms of particular Securities of such series, such as interest rate, maturity date, date of issuance and date from which interest shall accrue. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to TIA Section 315(a) through 315(d)) shall be fully protected in relying upon,
(a) an Opinion of Counsel stating,
(i) that the form or forms of such Securities have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
(ii) that the terms of such Securities have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and
(iii) that such Securities, when completed by appropriate insertions and executed and delivered by the Company to the Trustee for authentication in accordance with this Indenture, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with this Indenture and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors rights, to general equitable principles and to such other qualifications as such counsel shall conclude do not materially affect the rights of Holders of such Securities; and
(b) an Officers Certificate stating, to the best of the knowledge of the signers of such certificate, that no Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.01 and of this Section 3.03, if all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Officers Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 3.01 or the Company Order, Opinion of Counsel or Officers Certificate otherwise required pursuant to the preceding paragraph at the time of issuance of each Security of such series, but such order, opinion and certificates, with appropriate modifications to cover such future issuances, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series.
If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustees own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, the Trustee will not be required to authenticate Securities denominated in a Foreign Currency if the Trustee reasonably believes that it would be unable to perform its duties with respect to such Securities.
Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
No Security 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 or an Authenticating Agent by manual signature of an authorized signatory, and such
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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. 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 3.10 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 1.02 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 3.04. Temporary Securities .
(a) Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities that are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form, or, if authorized, in bearer form with one or more coupons or without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of Securities of any series, such temporary Securities may be in global form.
Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form (which shall be exchanged as provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution), if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount and like tenor of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations. 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.
Section 3.05. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange .
The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or in any office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment a register for each series of Securities (the registers maintained in such office or in any such office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes referred to collectively as the Security Register ) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Registered Securities and of transfers of Registered Securities. The Security Register shall be in written form or any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. The Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office, is hereby initially appointed Security Registrar for the purpose of registering Registered Securities and transfers of Registered Securities on such Security Register as herein provided, 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, or both, as herein provided. In the event that the Trustee shall cease to be Security Registrar, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register at all reasonable times.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any office or agency of the Company 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 or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.
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 or denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the Registered Securities to be exchanged at any 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 that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
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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.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, 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 3.01 and provided that any applicable notice provided in the permanent global Security shall have been given, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interest may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such beneficial owners interest in such permanent global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such permanent global Security shall be surrendered by the London office of a depositary or common depositary or such other depositary as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Companys agent for such purpose, or to the Security Registrar, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Securities of the same series without charge and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such permanent global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such permanent global Security to be exchanged; provided, however, that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 calendar 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. 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 or 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 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 or any transfer agent) 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 or any transfer agent duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company or the Trustee 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 3.04, 9.06, 11.07 or 13.05 not involving any transfer.
The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security if such Security may be among those selected for redemption during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 calendar days before selection of the Securities to be redeemed under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the day of 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, in the case of any Registered Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed or (iii) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security that has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.
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Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities .
If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee or the Company, together with, in proper cases, such security or indemnity as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to save each of them or any agent of either of them harmless, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, 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 or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall, subject to the following paragraph, execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series and principal amount, containing identical terms and provisions and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous two paragraphs, in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
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.
Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security 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 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.
Section 3.07. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved; Optional Interest Reset .
(a) Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01, interest, if any, on any Registered Security that is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 10.02; provided , however , that each installment of interest, if any, on any Registered Security may at the Companys 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 3.09, to the address of such Person as it appears on the Security Register or (ii) transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States.
Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01, any interest on any Registered Security of any series that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called Defaulted Interest ) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (i) or (ii) below:
(i) 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 (which shall not be less than 20 calendar days after such notice is received by the Trustee), and at the same time the Company shall deposit
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with the Trustee an amount of money in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 3.12(b), 3.12(d) and 3.12(e)) equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 calendar days and not less than 10 calendar days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 calendar 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 mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Registered Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 calendar days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Registered Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (ii).
(ii) 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 (and certification by the Company that the proposed manner of payment complies with the requirements of this clause (ii)), such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
(b) The provisions of this Section 3.07(b) may be made applicable to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01 (with such modifications, additions or substitutions as may be specified pursuant to such Section 3.01). 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 45 but not more than 60 calendar days prior to an Optional Reset Date for such Security. Not later than 40 calendar days prior to each Optional Reset Date (or, if such 40th calendar date does not fall on a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day), the Trustee shall transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 1.06, to the Holder of any such Security a notice (the Re set 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 Stated Maturity of such Security (each such period a Subsequent Interest Period ), including the date or dates on which or the period or periods during which and the price or prices at which such redemption may occur during the Subsequent Interest Period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, not later than 20 calendar days prior to the Optional Reset Date (or if 20 days does not fall on a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), the Company may, at its option, revoke the interest rate (or the spread or spread multiplier used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) provided for in the Reset Notice and establish a higher interest rate (or a spread or spread multiplier providing for a higher interest rate, if applicable) for the Subsequent Interest Period by causing the Trustee to transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 1.06, notice of such higher interest rate (or such higher spread or spread multiplier providing for a higher interest rate, if applicable) to the Holder of such Security. Such notice shall be irrevocable. All Securities with respect to which the interest rate (or the spread or spread multiplier used to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) is reset on an Optional Reset Date, and with respect to which the Holders of such Securities have not tendered such Securities for repayment (or have validly revoked any such tender) pursuant to the next succeeding paragraph, will bear such higher interest rate (or such higher spread or spread multiplier providing for a higher interest rate, 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
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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 calendar 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 3.05, 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, that were carried by such other Security.
Section 3.08. Optional Extension of Maturity .
The provisions of this Section 3.08 may be made applicable to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 3.01 (with such modifications, additions or substitutions as may be specified pursuant to such Section 3.01). The Stated Maturity of any Security of such series may be extended at the option of the Company for the period or periods specified on the face of such Security (each an Extension Period ) up to but not beyond the date (the Final Maturity ) set forth on the face of such Security. The Company may exercise such option with respect to any Security by notifying the Trustee of such exercise at least 45 but not more than 60 calendar days prior to the Stated Maturity of such Security in effect prior to the exercise of such option (the Original Stated Maturity ). If the Company exercises such option, the Trustee shall transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 1.06, to the Holder of such Security not later than 40 calendar days prior to the Original Stated Maturity a notice (the Extension Notice ), prepared by the Company, indicating (i) the election of the Company to extend the Stated Maturity, (ii) the new Stated Maturity, (iii) the interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula to calculate such interest rate, if applicable), if any, applicable to the Extension Period and (iv) the provisions, if any, for redemption during such Extension Period. Upon the Trustees transmittal of the Extension Notice, the Stated Maturity of such Security shall be extended automatically and, except as modified by the Extension Notice and as described in 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 calendar days before the Original Stated Maturity (or if 20 calendar days does not fall on a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) of such Security, the Company may, at its option, revoke the interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) provided for in the Extension Notice and establish a higher interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula to calculate such higher interest rate, if applicable) for the Extension Period by causing the Trustee to transmit, in the manner provided for in Section 1.06, notice of such higher interest rate (or spread, spread multiplier or other formula to calculate such interest rate, if applicable) to the Holder of such Security. Such notice shall be irrevocable. All Securities with respect to which the Stated Maturity is extended will bear such higher interest rate.
If the Company extends the Stated Maturity of any Security, the Holder will have the option to elect repayment of such Security by the Company on the Original Stated Maturity at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, plus interest accrued to such date. In order to obtain repayment on the Original Stated Maturity once the Company has extended the Stated Maturity thereof, the Holder must follow the procedures set forth in Article Thirteen for repayment at the option of Holders, except that the period for delivery or notification to the Trustee shall be at least 25 but not more than 35 calendar days prior to the Original Stated Maturity and except that, if the Holder has tendered any Security for repayment pursuant to an Extension Notice, the Holder may by written notice to the Trustee revoke such tender for repayment until the close of business on the tenth day before the Original Stated Maturity.
Section 3.09. Persons Deemed Owners .
Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest, if any, on such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Registered Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
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None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Security in global form or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any global temporary or permanent Security, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any depositary, as a Holder, with respect to such global Security or impair, as between such depositary and owners of beneficial interests in such global Security, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of such depositary (or its nominee) as Holder of such global Security.
Section 3.10. Cancellation .
All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, repayment at the option of the Holder, registration of transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. If the Company shall so acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. Cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be destroyed by the Trustee in accordance with its customary procedures, unless by a Company Order the Company directs the Trustee to deliver a certificate of such destruction to the Company or to return them to the Company.
Section 3.11. Computation of Interest .
Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 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 consisting of twelve 30-day months.
Section 3.12. Currency and Manner of Payments in Respect of Securities .
(a) Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, 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, payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on any Registered Security of such series will be made in the Currency in which such Registered Security is payable. The provisions of this Section 3.12 may be modified or superseded with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01.
(b) It may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01 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 for such series of Registered Securities a written election with signature guarantees and in the applicable form established pursuant to Section 3.01, 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 for such series of Registered
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Securities (but any such change must be made not later than the close of business on the Election Date immediately preceding the next payment date to be effective for the payment to be made on such payment date and no such change of election may be made with respect to payments to be made on any Registered Security of such series with respect to which an Event of Default has occurred or with respect to which the Company has deposited funds pursuant to Article Four or Fourteen or with respect to which a notice of redemption has been given by the Company or a notice of option to elect repayment has been sent by such Holder or such transferee). Any Holder of any such Registered Security who shall not have delivered any such election to the Trustee of such series of Registered Securities not later than the close of business on the applicable Election Date will be paid the amount due on the applicable payment date in the relevant Currency as provided in Section 3.12(a). The Trustee for each such series of Registered Securities 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 3.01, if the election referred to in paragraph (b) above has been provided for pursuant to Section 3.01, then, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, 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 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 denominated in any Currency 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 3.01 and if at least one Holder has made such election, then, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, on the second Business Day preceding such payment date the Company will deliver to the Trustee for such series of Registered Securities an Exchange Rate Officers Certificate in respect of the Dollar or Foreign Currency or Currencies payments to be made on such payment date. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, the Dollar or Foreign Currency or Currencies 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 second Business Day (the Valuation Date ) immediately preceding each payment date, and such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
(d) If a Conversion Event occurs with respect to a Foreign Currency in which any of the Securities are denominated or payable other than pursuant to an election provided for pursuant to 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 3.01, the Dollar amount to be paid by the Company to the Trustee of each such series of Securities and by such Trustee or any Paying Agent to the Holders of such Securities with respect to such payment date shall be, in the case of a Foreign Currency other than a currency unit, the Dollar Equivalent of the Foreign Currency or, in the case of a currency unit, the Dollar Equivalent of the Currency Unit, in each case as determined by the Exchange Rate Agent in the manner provided in paragraph (f) or (g) below.
(e) Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, 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) of this Section 3.12.
(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.
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(h) For purposes of this Section 3.12, 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.
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 on the Conversion Date. If after the Conversion Date the official unit of any Component Currency is altered by way of combination or subdivision, the Specified Amount of such Component Currency shall be divided or multiplied in the same proportion. If after the Conversion Date two or more Component Currencies are consolidated into a single currency, the respective Specified Amounts of such Component Currencies shall be replaced by an amount in such single currency equal to the sum of the respective Specified Amounts of such consolidated Component Currencies expressed in such single currency, and such amount shall thereafter be a Specified Amount and such single currency shall thereafter be a Component Currency. If after the Conversion Date any Component Currency shall be divided into two or more currencies, the Specified Amount of such Component Currency shall be replaced by amounts of such two or more currencies, having an aggregate Dollar Equivalent value at the Market Exchange Rate on the date of such replacement equal to the Dollar Equivalent of the Specified Amount of such former Component Currency at the Market Exchange Rate immediately before such division, and such amounts shall thereafter be Specified Amounts and such currencies shall thereafter be Component Currencies. If, after the Conversion Date of the relevant currency unit, 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.
An Election Date shall mean the Regular Record Date for the applicable series of Registered Securities or at least 16 calendar days prior to Maturity, as the case may be, or such other prior date for any series of Registered Securities as specified pursuant to clause (xiii) of Section 3.01 by which the written election referred to in Section 3.12(b) 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 for the appropriate series of Securities 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 for the appropriate series of Securities 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 and of the applicable Conversion Date to the Trustee of the appropriate series of Securities and to the Exchange Rate Agent (and such Trustee will promptly thereafter give notice in the manner provided in Section 1.06 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 of the appropriate series of Securities and to the Exchange Rate Agent (and such Trustee will promptly thereafter give notice in the manner provided in Section 1.06 to the affected Holders) specifying the Conversion Date and the Specified Amount of each Component Currency on the Conversion Date. In the event the Company determines in good faith that any subsequent change in any Component Currency as set forth in the definition of Specified Amount above has occurred, the Company will similarly give written notice to the Trustee of the appropriate series of Securities and to the Exchange Rate Agent.
The Trustee of the appropriate series of Securities 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.
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Section 3.13. Appointment and Resignation of Successor Exchange Rate Agent .
(a) Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, if and so long as the Securities of any series (i) are denominated in a Foreign Currency or (ii) may be payable in a Foreign Currency, or so long as it is required under any other provision of this Indenture, then the Company will maintain with respect to each such series of Securities, or as so required, at least one Exchange Rate Agent. The Company will cause the Exchange Rate Agent to make the necessary foreign exchange determinations at the time and in the manner specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the purpose of determining the applicable rate of exchange and, if applicable, for the purpose of converting the issued Foreign Currency into the applicable payment Currency for the payment of principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, pursuant to Section 3.12.
(b) No resignation of the Exchange Rate Agent and no appointment of a successor Exchange Rate Agent pursuant to this Section shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Exchange Rate Agent as evidenced by a written instrument delivered to the Company and the Trustee of the appropriate series of Securities accepting such appointment executed by the successor Exchange Rate Agent.
(c) If the Exchange Rate Agent shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of the Exchange Rate Agent for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Exchange Rate Agent or Exchange Rate Agents with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Exchange Rate Agent may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, at any time there shall only be one Exchange Rate Agent with respect to the Securities of any particular series that are originally issued by the Company on the same date and that are initially denominated and/or payable in the same Currency).
Section 3.14. CUSIP Numbers .
In issuing the Securities the Company may use CUSIP numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall indicate the respective CUSIP numbers of the Securities in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall advise the Trustee as promptly as practicable in writing of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
ARTICLE FOUR
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture .
Except as set forth below, 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, any surviving rights of tender for repayment at the option of the Holders and any right to receive Additional Amounts, as provided in Section 10.04), and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series when
(a) either
(i) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities of such series that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06 and (B) Securities of such series for whose payment money has heretofore been
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deposited in trust with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in the last paragraph of Section 10.3) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(ii) all Securities of such series
(1) have become due and payable, or
(2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
(3) 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 Section 4.01(a)(ii) (1), (2) or (3) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, solely for the benefit of the Holders, 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 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;
(b) the Company has irrevocably paid or caused to be irrevocably paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 6.12 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (ii) of clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.02 and the last paragraph of Section 10.03 shall survive any termination of this Indenture.
Section 4.02. Application of Trust Funds .
Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
ARTICLE FIVE
REMEDIES
Section 5.01. Events of Default .
Event of Default , wherever used herein with respect to any particular series of Securities, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether or not it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless it is either inapplicable to a particular series or is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the supplemental indenture or a Board Resolution establishing such series of Securities or is in the form of Security for such series:
(i) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that series when such interest becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 calendar days; or
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(ii) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity, and continuance of such default for a period of five (5) business days; or
(iii) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of any Security of that series, and continuance of such default for a period of five (5) business days; or
(iv) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture with respect to any Security of that series (other than a covenant or agreement a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or that has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 60 calendar days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a Notice of Default hereunder;
(v) the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(1) commences a voluntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law,
(2) consents to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or files a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief against it,
(3) consents to the entry of a decree or order for relief against it in an involuntary case or proceeding,
(4) consents to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(5) makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or admits in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due
or takes any corporate action in furtherance of any such action;
(vi) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(1) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding, or
(2) adjudges the Company bankrupt or insolvent, or approves as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company, or
(3) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(4) orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company,
and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order remains unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days;
(vii) if, pursuant to Sections 18(a)(1)(c)(ii) and 61 of the Investment Company Act, on the last business day of each of 24 consecutive calendar months any class of Securities shall have an asset coverage (as such term is used in the Investment Company Act of 1940) of less than 100%, giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to the Company by the Commission; or
(viii) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.
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The term Bankruptcy Law means title 11, U.S. Code or any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law. The term Custodian means any custodian, receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment .
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case the Trustee, or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, may declare the principal (or, if any Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal as may be specified in the terms thereof) of all the Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or specified portion thereof shall become immediately due and payable.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter provided in this Article, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:
(i) 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 3.01 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 3.12(b), 3.12(d) and 3.12(e)):
(1) all overdue installments of interest, if any, on all Outstanding Securities of that series,
(2) the principal of (and premium, if any) all Outstanding Securities of that series that have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities,
(3) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue installments of interest at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and
(4) 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
(ii) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the nonpayment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on Securities of that series that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee .
The Company covenants that if:
(i) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 calendar days, or
(ii) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) any Security of any series at its Maturity
then the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, with interest upon any overdue principal (and premium, if any) and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installments of interest, if any, at the rate or rates borne by or provided for in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
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If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon Securities of such series and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series, wherever situated.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series 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 5.04. 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 or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company 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 have made any demand on the Company for the payment of any overdue principal, premium or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (or in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities or Indexed Securities, such portion of the principal as may be provided for in the terms thereof) (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents (and take such other actions, including serving on a committee of creditors) 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
(ii) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities of such series to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee, their agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06.
Subject to Article Eight and Section 9.02 and unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01, nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security in any such proceeding.
Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities .
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities 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 in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
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Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected .
Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.06;
SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon any Senior Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Senior Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, respectively; and
THIRD: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon any Senior Subordinated Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Senior Subordinated Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, respectively; and
FOURTH: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon any Junior Subordinated Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Junior Subordinated Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, respectively; and
FIFTH: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon any other Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, respectively; and
SIXTH: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any other Person or Persons entitled thereto.
Section 5.07. Limitation on Suits .
No Holder of any Security of any series 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:
(i) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series;
(ii) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(iii) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its attorneys and agents) to be incurred in compliance with such request;
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(iv) the Trustee for 60 calendar days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(v) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.
Section 5.08. 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 of the principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holders on the Repayment Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies .
If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of Securities shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative .
Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities 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 5.11. Delay or Omission Not Waiver .
No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security 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, as the case may be.
Section 5.12. Control by Holders of Securities .
Subject to Section 6.02(v), the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that
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(i) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(ii) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(iii) the Trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders of Securities of such series not consenting.
Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults .
Subject to Section 5.02, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to Securities of such series and its consequences, except a default
(i) in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or
(ii) 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, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 5.14. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws .
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE SIX
THE TRUSTEE
Section 6.01. Notice of Defaults .
(a) Within 90 calendar 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 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 or purchase fund installment with respect to the Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Holders of the Securities of such series; and provided further that in the case of any Default or breach of the character specified in Section 5.01(iv) with respect to the Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 90 calendar days after the occurrence thereof.
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(b) Prior to the time when the occurrence of an Event of Default becomes known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default with respect to a series of Securities that may have occurred:
(i) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall with respect to the Securities of any series be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to the Securities except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that 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 on their face to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of any mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein); and
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.
Section 6.02. Certain Rights of Trustee .
Subject to the provisions of TIA Section 315(a) through 315(d):
(i) The Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in any document.
(ii) Any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order (other than delivery of any Security to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 3.03 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution.
(iii) Whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon a Board Resolution, an Opinion of Counsel or an Officers Certificate.
(iv) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.
(v) 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 pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(vi) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or 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 upon reasonable notice and at reasonable times during normal business hours to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney.
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(vii) The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(viii) The Trustee shall not deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture.
(ix) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder.
(x) The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties.
(xi) 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 not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a 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 with respect to such Securities.
(xii) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers Certificate (unless other evidence is specifically prescribed herein). The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers Certificate.
(xiii) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.
(xiv) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken 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.
(xv) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.
(xvi) Anything in this Indenture notwithstanding, in no event shall the Trustee be liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to loss of profit), even if the Trustee has been advised as to the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(xvii) The Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God; earthquakes; fire; flood; terrorism; wars and other military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunctions of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority and governmental action.
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.
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Section 6.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities .
The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustees certificate of authentication shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities 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. No representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made and no responsibility or liability is accepted by the Trustee as to the accuracy or completeness of the information included or incorporated in any disclosure materials for the Securities (other than in its Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 supplied to the Company) or any other information supplied in connection with the Securities. 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 6.04. May Hold Securities .
The Trustee, any Paying Agent, Security Registrar, Authenticating Agent or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to TIA Sections 310(b) and 311, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, Authenticating Agent or such other agent.
Section 6.05. Money Held in Trust .
Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.
Section 6.06. Compensation and Reimbursement and Indemnification of Trustee .
The Company agrees:
(i) To pay to the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee from time to time such compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder as has been agreed upon from time to time in writing (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust).
(ii) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee or any predecessor 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 negligence or bad faith.
(iii) To indemnify each of the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its own part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.
As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a claim prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on particular Securities.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01 occurs, the expenses and compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar Federal, State or analogous foreign law for the relief of debtors.
The provisions of this Section 6.06 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the satisfaction, termination or discharge of this Indenture.
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Section 6.07. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility .
There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that shall be eligible to act as Trustee under TIA Section 310(a)(1) and shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of federal, state, territorial or the District of Columbia supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
Section 6.08. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests .
If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.
Section 6.09. 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 6.10.
(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company.
(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by (i) the Company, by an Officers Certificate delivered to the Trustee, provided that contemporaneously therewith (x) the Company immediately appoints a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series meeting the requirements of Section 6.07 hereof and (y) the terms of Section 6.10 hereof are complied with in respect of such appointment (the Trustee being removed hereby agreeing to execute the instrument contemplated by Section 6.10(b) hereof, if applicable, under such circumstances) and provided further that no Default with respect to such Securities shall have occurred and then be continuing at such time, or (ii) Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.
(d) If at any time:
(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of TIA Section 310(b) after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.07 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case, (i) the Company by or pursuant to a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to TIA Section 315(e), any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.
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(e) If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 calendar days after the giving of a notice of resignation or the delivery of an Act of removal, the Trustee resigning or being removed may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(f) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series). If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to Securities of such series.
(g) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series in the manner provided for notices to the Holders of Securities in Section 1.06.
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 6.10. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor .
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 6.06.
(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and that (i) 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, (ii) 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 (iii) 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
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or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates. 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 definition of those terms in Section 1.01 which contemplate such situation.
(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments reasonably necessary to 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.
(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.
Section 6.11. 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 of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities 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 so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities. In case any Securities shall not have been authenticated by such predecessor Trustee, any such successor Trustee may authenticate and deliver such Securities, in either its own name or that of its predecessor Trustee, with the full force and effect which this Indenture provides for the certificate of authentication of the Trustee; 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 6.12. Appointment of Authenticating Agent .
At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents (which may be an Affiliate or Affiliates of the Company) with respect to one or more series of Securities that shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue or upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Any such appointment shall be evidenced by an instrument in writing signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, a copy of which instrument shall be promptly furnished to the Company. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustees 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, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 3.01, shall at all times be a bank or trust company or corporation organized and doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States of America or of any State or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authorities. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the
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combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. In case at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.
Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.
An Authenticating Agent for any series of Securities may at any time resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee for such series and to the Company. The Trustee for any series of Securities may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee for such series may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall promptly 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 set forth in Section 1.06. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent herein. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.
The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation including reimbursement of its reasonable expenses for its services under this Section.
If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustees certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
U.S. Bank National Association as Trustee |
||
By: |
|
|
as Authenticating Agent | ||
By: |
|
|
Authorized Officer |
If all of the Securities of a series may not be originally issued at one time, and the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested by the Company in writing (which writing need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent (which, if so requested by the Company, shall be an Affiliate of the Company) having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities, provided that the terms and conditions of such appointment are reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
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ARTICLE SEVEN
HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
Section 7.01. Disclosure of Names and Addresses of Holders .
Every Holder of Securities by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Paying Agent nor any Security Registrar nor any agent of any of them shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with TIA Section 312, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under TIA Section 312(b).
Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders .
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.01 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
(b) The rights of Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and duties of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of any disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee .
Within 60 calendar days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 after the first issuance of Securities pursuant to this Indenture, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders Securities as provided in TIA Section 313(c) a report dated as of such May 15 which meets the requirements of TIA Section 313(a).
A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange, if any, upon which the Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of the listing of the Securities on any stock exchange. In the event that, on any such reporting date, no events have occurred under the applicable sections of the TIA within the 12 months preceding such reporting date, the Trustee shall be under no duty or obligation to provide such reports.
Section 7.04. Reports by Company .
The Company will file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act; provided , that any such information, documents or reports filed electronically with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall be deemed filed with and delivered to the Trustee and the Holders at the same time as filed with the Commission.
Delivery of such reports, information, and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustees receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Companys compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to conclusively rely exclusively on Officers Certificates).
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Section 7.05. 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.
ARTICLE EIGHT
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER
Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms .
Unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, the Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into any other corporation or convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, unless:
(i) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the corporation (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on all the Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;
(ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have happened and be continuing; and
(iii) the Company and the successor Person have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.
Section 8.02. Successor Person Substituted .
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the successor Person to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor had been named as the Company herein; and in the event of any such conveyance or transfer, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and may be dissolved and liquidated.
ARTICLE NINE
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders .
Without the consent of any Holders of Securities, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(i) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities contained; or
(ii) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or
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(iii) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series); provided , however , that in respect of any such additional Events of Default such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of that or those series of Securities to which such additional Events of Default apply to waive such default; or
(iv) 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 that is entitled to the benefit of such provision; or
(v) to secure the Securities; or
(vi) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01, including the provisions and procedures relating to Securities convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any Person (including the Company); or
(vii) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or
(viii) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein that may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture; provided that such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect; or
(x) 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 4.01, 14.02 and 14.03; 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 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders .
With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of all Outstanding Securities affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture that affects such series of Securities or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of such series of Securities under this Indenture; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:
(i) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of (or premium, if any) or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, subject to the provisions of Section 3.08; or the terms of any sinking fund with respect to any Security; or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest (or change the manner of calculating the rate of interest, thereon, or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or change any obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 10.04 (except as contemplated by Section 8.01(i) and permitted by Section 9.01(i)), or reduce the portion of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or Indexed Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02, or upon the redemption thereof or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.04, or adversely affect any right of repayment at the option of the Holder of any Security, or change any Place of Payment where, or the Currency in which, any Security or any premium or interest thereon is
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payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption or repayment at the option of the Holder, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be), or adversely affect any right to convert or exchange any Security as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01 herein, or modify the subordination provisions set forth in Article Sixteen in a manner that is adverse to the Holder of any Security; or
(ii) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver with respect to such series (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 15.04 for quorum or voting; or
(iii) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.07, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided , however , that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder of a Security with respect to changes in the references to the Trustee and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 6.10(b) and 9.01(vii).
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.
A supplemental indenture that changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or that modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Persons entitled to consent to any indenture supplemental hereto. If a record date is fixed, the Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to consent to such supplemental indenture, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that unless such consent shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having been obtained prior to the date that is eleven months after such record date, any such consent previously given shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be cancelled and of no further effect.
Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures .
In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 1.02 of this Indenture, an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all conditions precedent to such supplemental indenture have been complied with. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture that affects the Trustees own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Section 9.04. 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 shall be bound thereby.
Section 9.05. 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.
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Section 9.06. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures .
Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall, if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.
ARTICLE TEN
COVENANTS
Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest .
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of such series of Securities and this Indenture. Unless otherwise specified with respect to Securities of any series pursuant to Section 3.01, at the option of the Company, all payments of principal may be paid by check to the registered Holder of the Registered Security or other person entitled thereto against surrender of such Security.
Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency .
The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of that series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of each such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency in respect of any series of Securities or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive such respective presentations, surrenders, notices and demands, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
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 of such purposes, and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in accordance with the requirements set forth above for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to a series of Securities, the Company hereby designates as a Place of Payment for each series of Securities the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent with its office at 100 Wall Street, Suite 1600, New York, New York, 10005, Attention: Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. [Debt Securities], and as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, 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. The Company will notify the Trustee of the name and address of any Exchange Rate Agent retained by it.
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Section 10.03. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust .
If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of any Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 3.12(b), 3.12(d) and 3.12(e)) sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on Securities of such series so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum (in the Currency or Currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, so becoming due, such sum of money to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest 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 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 of money held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such sums.
Except as otherwise provided in the Securities of any series, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company upon Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such money held in trust, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 calendar days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.
Section 10.04. Additional Amounts .
If the Securities of a series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts, the Company will pay to the Holder of any Security of such series such Additional Amounts as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01. Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security of any series or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts provided for by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 3.01 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 3.01, if the Securities of a series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts, at least 10 calendar 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 premium is made), and at least 10 calendar days prior to each date of payment of principal, premium or interest if there has been any change with respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officers Certificate, the Company will furnish the Trustee and the Companys principal Paying Agent or
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Paying Agents, if other than the Trustee, with an Officers Certificate instructing the Trustee and such Paying Agent or Paying Agents whether such payment of principal, premium or interest on the Securities of that series shall be made to Holders of Securities of that series 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 that series. If any such withholding shall be required, then such Officers Certificate shall specify by country the amount, if any, required to be withheld on such payments to such Holders of Securities of that series 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 (i) to assume that no such withholding or deduction is required with respect to any payment of principal or interest with respect to any Securities of a series until it shall have received a certificate advising otherwise and (ii) to make all payments of principal and interest with respect to the Securities of a series without withholding or deductions until otherwise advised. The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any Paying Agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officers Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section or in reliance on the Companys not furnishing such an Officers Certificate.
Section 10.05. Statement as to Compliance .
The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 calendar days after the end of each fiscal year ending after the date hereof so long as any Security is Outstanding hereunder, an Officers Certificate stating to the knowledge of the signers thereof whether the Company is in default in the performance of any of the terms, provisions or conditions of this Indenture. For purposes of this Section 10.05, such default shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture. The Company shall provide prompt written notice to the Trustee in the event the Companys fiscal year end is no longer December 31.
Section 10.06. Payment of Taxes and Other Claims .
The Company will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (1) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or upon the income, profits or property of the Company, and (2) all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies that, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company, except where the failure to do so would not be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, assets, financial condition or results of operations of the Company; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.
Section 10.07. Waiver of Certain Covenants .
The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any covenant or condition set forth in Section 10.06, and, as specified pursuant to Section 3.01(xv) for Securities of any series, in any covenants of the Company added to Article Ten pursuant to Section 3.01(xiv) or Section 3.01(xv) in connection with the Securities of a series, if before or after the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such covenant or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such covenant or condition shall remain in full force and effect.
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ARTICLE ELEVEN
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 11.01. Applicability of Article .
Securities of any series that are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.
Section 11.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee .
The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all of the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 60 calendar days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed, and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities 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 11.03. In the case of any redemption of Securities of any series prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.
Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed .
If less than all the Securities of any series issued on the same day with the same terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 calendar days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee or the applicable depositary, as applicable, from the Outstanding Securities of such series issued on such date with the same terms not previously called for redemption, in accordance with the standard operating procedures of the Trustee and any such depositary; provided that such method complies with the rules of any national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Securities are listed (which rules shall be certificated to the Trustee by the Company or such national securities exchange at the Trustees request), and may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series; 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.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.
Section 11.04. Notice of Redemption .
Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 30 calendar days nor more than 60 calendar days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 3.01, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, but failure to give such notice in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Security designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other such Security or portion thereof.
Any notice that is mailed to the Holders of Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
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(ii) the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 11.06;
(iii) if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amount) of the particular Security or Securities to be redeemed;
(iv) in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, the notice that relates to such Security shall state that on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder will receive, without a charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed;
(v) that on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date payable as provided in Section 11.06 will become due and payable upon each such Security, or the portion thereof, to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date;
(vi) the Place or Places of Payment where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any;
(vii) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case; and
(viii) the CUSIP number of such Security, if any.
A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 1.06 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed. Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed shall be given by the Company or, at the Companys request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.
Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price .
On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business Day 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, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 3.12(b), 3.12(d) and 3.12(e)) sufficient to pay on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price of, and (unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date.
Section 11.06. 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 3.01 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 3.12(b), 3.12(d) and 3.12(e)) (together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date), and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any) such Securities shall if the same were interest-bearing cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, 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 3.07.
If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the Redemption Price shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate of interest set forth in such Security or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, at the Yield to Maturity of such Security.
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Section 11.07. Securities Redeemed in Part .
Any Registered Security that is to be redeemed only in part (pursuant to the provisions of this Article or of Article Twelve) shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holders 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. If a temporary global Security or permanent global Security is so surrendered, such new Security so issued shall be a new temporary global Security or permanent global Security, respectively. However, if less than all the Securities of any series with differing issue dates, interest rates and stated maturities are to be redeemed, the Company in its sole discretion shall select the particular Securities to be redeemed and shall notify the Trustee in writing thereof at least 45 calendar days prior to the relevant redemption date.
ARTICLE TWELVE
SINKING FUNDS
Section 12.01. Applicability of Article .
The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a mandatory sinking fund payment, and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of such Securities of any series is herein referred to as an optional sinking fund payment. If provided for by the terms of any Securities of any series, the cash amount of any mandatory sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. 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 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities .
The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of a series, (i) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any previously called for redemption) and (ii) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, as provided for by the terms of such Securities; provided that such Securities so delivered or applied as a credit have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the applicable Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
Section 12.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund .
Not less than 60 calendar days prior to each sinking fund payment date for Securities of any series, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 3.12(b), 3.12(d) and 3.12(e)) and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered and
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credited. If such Officers Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 calendar 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 11.03 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 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 11.06 and 11.07.
ARTICLE THIRTEEN
REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS
Section 13.01. Applicability of Article .
Repayment of Securities of any series before their Stated Maturity at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise specified by the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 3.01) in accordance with this Article.
Section 13.02. 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 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business Day preceding the Repayment Date it will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money in the Currency in which the Securities of such series are payable (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for the Securities of such series and except, if applicable, as provided in Sections 3.12(b), 3.12(d) and 3.12(e)) sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of, and (unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid on such date.
Section 13.03. 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 Holders 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 calendar days nor later than 30 calendar 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 13.04. 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
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the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) such Securities shall, if the same were interest-bearing, cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for repayment in accordance with such provisions, 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 installments of interest on Registered Securities, whose Stated Maturity is prior to (or, if specified pursuant to Section 3.01, on) the Repayment Date shall be payable (but without interest thereon, unless the Company shall default in the payment thereof) to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.
If any Security surrendered for repayment shall not be so repaid upon surrender thereof, the Repayment Price shall, until paid, bear interest from the Repayment Date at the rate of interest set forth in such Security or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, at the Yield to Maturity of such Security.
Section 13.05. Securities Repaid in Part .
Upon surrender of any Registered Security that 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 that is not to be repaid. If a temporary global Security or permanent global Security is so surrendered, such new Security so issued shall be a new temporary global Security or a new permanent global Security, respectively.
ARTICLE FOURTEEN
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 14.01. Applicability of Article; Companys Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .
If pursuant to Section 3.01 provision is made for either or both of (a) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 14.02 or (b) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under Section 14.03, then the provisions of such Section or Sections, as the case may be, together with the other provisions of this Article (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to such Securities, elect to have either Section 14.02 (if applicable) or Section 14.03 (if applicable) be applied to such Outstanding Securities upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article.
Section 14.02. 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 on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 14.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, defeasance ). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities, which shall thereafter be deemed to be Outstanding only for the purposes of Section 14.05 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (A) and (B) of this Section, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities 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 receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 14.04 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 when such payments are due, (B) the Companys obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03 and with respect to the
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payment of Additional Amounts, if any, on such Securities as contemplated by Section 10.04, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (D) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article Fourteen, the Company may exercise its option under this Section notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 14.03 with respect to such Securities. Following a defeasance, payment of such Securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default.
Section 14.03. 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 Section 10.06, and, if specified pursuant to Section 3.01, its obligations under any other covenant with respect to such Outstanding Securities and on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 14.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, covenant defeasance ), and such Securities shall thereafter be deemed to be not Outstanding for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with Section 10.06, or such other covenant, 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, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01(iv) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby. Following a covenant defeasance, payment of such Securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default solely by reference to such Sections specified above in this Section 14.03.
Section 14.04. Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .
The following shall be the conditions to application of either Section 14.02 or Section 14.03 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series:
(i) The Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 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 the benefit of, and dedicated solely to, the Holders of such Securities, (A) an amount (in such Currency in which such Securities are then 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, without reinvestment thereof, not later than one day before the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants 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, (1) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Outstanding Securities on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (2) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities.
(ii) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
(iii) No Default or Event of Default with respect to such Securities shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as Sections 5.01(v) and 5.01(vi) 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).
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(iv) In the case of an election under Section 14.02, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) 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 will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.
(v) In the case of an election under Section 14.03, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.
(vi) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to either the defeasance under Section 14.02 or the covenant defeasance under Section 14.03 (as the case may be) have been complied with.
(vii) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.
Section 14.05. Deposited Money and Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions .
Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 14.05, the Trustee ) pursuant to Section 14.04 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities 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 3.01, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 14.04(i) 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 3.12(b) or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 14.04(a) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs as contemplated in Section 3.12(d) or 3.12(e) or by the terms of any Security in respect of which the deposit pursuant to Section 14.04(a) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on the applicable Market Exchange Rate for such Currency in effect on the second Business Day prior to each payment date, except, with respect to a Conversion Event, for such Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event.
The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the money or Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 14.04 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.
Anything in this Article 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 14.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of
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independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Article.
If, after the Company has made a deposit with the Trustee pursuant to Section 14.04, the Trustee is unable to apply any money in accordance with Section 14.05 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Companys obligations under this Indenture and the applicable Securities shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 14.04 until such time as the Trustee is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with this Article Fourteen; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of the principal of or interest on any series of Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive any such payment from the money held by the Trustee.
Money deposited with the Trustee in trust pursuant to this Section 14.05 shall not be subject to the subordination provisions of Article Sixteen.
ARTICLE FIFTEEN
MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Section 15.01. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called .
A meeting of Holders of any series of Securities 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 15.02. 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 15.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or the City in which the Corporate Trust Office is located as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 calendar days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
(b) In case at any time the Company, pursuant to a Board Resolution, or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 15.01, 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 or mailing of the notice of such meeting within 21 calendar days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or in London for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in subsection (a) of this Section.
Section 15.03. 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 (i) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (ii) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.
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Section 15.04. 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, waiver, request, demand, notice, authorization, direction or other action that this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken 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 calendar 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 calendar 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 15.02(a), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five calendar 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 9.02, 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 a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 9.02, any resolution with respect to any consent, waiver, request, demand, notice, authorization, direction or other action which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that 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, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 15.04, if any action is to be taken at a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series with respect to any consent, waiver, request, demand, notice, authorization, direction 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:
(i) there shall be no minimum quorum requirement for such meeting; and
(ii) the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series that vote in favor of such consent, waiver, request, demand, notice, authorization, direction 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 15.05. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings .
(a) Notwithstanding any other 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 it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04. 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 1.04 or other proof.
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(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 15.02(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.
(c) At any meeting of Holders, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by such Holder; 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 15.02 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 15.06. 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 chairman of the meeting shall appoint at least one inspector 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 a verified written report 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 inspector of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the fact, setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 15.02 and, if applicable, Section 15.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the 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
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES
Section 16.01. Agreement to Subordinate .
The Company, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Senior Subordinated Securities by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on each and all of the Senior Subordinated Securities is hereby expressly subordinated, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness.
The Company, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Junior Subordinated Securities by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on each and all of the Junior Subordinated Securities is hereby expressly subordinated, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness and Senior Subordinated Indebtedness.
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Section 16.02. Distribution on Dissolution, Liquidation and Reorganization; Subrogation of Subordinated Securities .
Upon any distribution of assets of the Company upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization of the Company, whether in bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or receivership proceedings or upon an assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of the assets and liabilities of the Company or otherwise (subject to the power of a court of competent jurisdiction to make other equitable provision reflecting the rights conferred in this Indenture upon the Senior Indebtedness and the holders thereof with respect to the Securities and the holders thereof by a lawful plan of reorganization under applicable bankruptcy law):
(i) the holders of all Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full of the principal thereof (and premium, if any) and interest due thereon before the Holders of the Subordinated Securities are entitled to receive any payment upon the principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on indebtedness evidenced by the Subordinated Securities;
(ii) the holders of all Senior Subordinated Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full of the principal thereof (and premium, if any) and interest due thereon before the Holders of the Junior Subordinated Securities are entitled to receive any payment upon the principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on indebtedness evidenced by the Junior Subordinated Securities;
(iii) any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article Sixteen shall be paid by the liquidating trustee or agent or other person making such payment or distribution, whether a trustee in bankruptcy, a receiver or liquidating trustee or otherwise, directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture under which any instruments evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably according to the aggregate amounts remaining unpaid on account of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Senior Indebtedness held or represented by each, to the extent necessary to make payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness; and
(iv) in the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, shall be received by the Trustee or the Holders of the Subordinated Securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, such payment or distribution shall be paid over, upon written notice to the Trustee, to the holder of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture under which any instrument evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably as aforesaid, for application to payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all such Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Subordinated Securities shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to Senior Indebtedness until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Subordinated Securities shall be paid in full and no such payments or distributions to the Holders of the Subordinated Securities of cash, property or securities otherwise distributable to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Subordinated Securities be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of the Subordinated Securities. It is understood that the provisions of this Article Sixteen are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Subordinated Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand. Nothing contained in this Article Sixteen or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Subordinated Securities is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Subordinated Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is unconditional and absolute, to pay to the Holders of the Subordinated Securities the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Subordinated Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or to affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Subordinated Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or in the Subordinated Securities prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Subordinated Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under
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this Article Sixteen of the holders of Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy. Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article Sixteen, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, shall be entitled to rely upon a certificate of the liquidating trustee or agent or other person making any distribution to the Trustee for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article Sixteen.
If the Trustee or any Holder of Subordinated Securities does not file a proper claim or proof of debt in the form required in any proceeding referred to above prior to 30 calendar days before the expiration of the time to file such claim in such proceeding, then the holder of any Senior Indebtedness is hereby authorized, and has the right, to file an appropriate claim or claims for or on behalf of such Holder of Subordinated Securities.
With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants or obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee does not owe any fiduciary duties to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, including any holder of Securities other than Securities issued under this Indenture.
Section 16.03. No Payment on Subordinated Securities in Event of Default on Senior Indebtedness .
No payment by the Company on account of principal (or premium, if any), sinking funds or interest, if any, on the Subordinated Securities shall be made unless full payment of amounts then due for principal (premium, if any), sinking funds and interest on Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for in money or moneys worth.
Section 16.04. Payments on Subordinated Securities Permitted .
Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Subordinated Securities shall (i) affect the obligation of the Company to make, or prevent the Company from making, at any time except as provided in Sections 16.02 and 16.03, payments of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Subordinated Securities or (ii) prevent the application by the Trustee of any moneys deposited with it hereunder to the payment of or on account of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Subordinated Securities, unless the Trustee shall have received at its Corporate Trust Office written notice of any event prohibiting the making of such payment more than three Business Days prior to the date fixed for such payment.
Section 16.05. Authorization of Holders to Trustee to Effect Subordination .
Each Holder of Subordinated Securities by his acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in this Article Sixteen and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.
Section 16.06. Notices to Trustee .
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article or any other provisions of this Indenture, neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent (other than the Company) shall be charged with knowledge of the existence of any Senior Indebtedness or of any event which would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys to or by the Trustee or such Paying Agent, unless and until the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have received (in the case of the Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office) written notice thereof from the Company or from the holder of any Senior Indebtedness or from the trustee for any such holder, together with proof reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee of such holding of Senior Indebtedness or of the authority of such trustee; provided , however , that if at least three Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any such moneys may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of either the principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Subordinated Security) the Trustee shall not have received with respect to such moneys the notice provided for in this Section 16.06, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such moneys and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and
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shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary, which may be received by it within three Business Days prior to such date. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such a notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article Sixteen, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article Sixteen and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.
Section 16.07. Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness .
The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article Sixteen in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness and nothing in this Indenture shall be construed to deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.
Nothing in this Article Sixteen shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.
Section 16.08. Modifications of Terms of Senior Indebtedness .
Any renewal or extension of the time of payment of any Senior Indebtedness or the exercise by the holders of Senior Indebtedness of any of their rights under any instrument creating or evidencing Senior Indebtedness, including, without limitation, the waiver of default thereunder, may be made or done all without notice to or assent from the Holders of the Subordinated Securities or the Trustee.
No compromise, alteration, amendment, modification, extension, renewal or other change of, or waiver, consent or other action in respect of, any liability or obligation under or in respect of, or of any of the terms, covenants or conditions of any indenture or other instrument under which any Senior Indebtedness is outstanding or of such Senior Indebtedness, whether or not any of the foregoing is in accordance with the provisions of any applicable document, shall in any way alter or affect any of the provisions of this Article Sixteen or of the Subordinated Securities relating to the subordination thereof.
Section 16.09. Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent .
Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article Sixteen, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Subordinated Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article Sixteen.
* * * * *
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.
The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
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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.
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/ Jessica Baron |
|
Name: Jessica Baron | ||
Title: Chief Financial Officer | ||
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee |
||
By: |
/s/ Kyle Harcourt |
|
Name: Kyle Harcourt | ||
Title: Vice President |
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EXHIBIT A
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 United States persons ( United States Person(s) ) within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code ), (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)[(iv)] 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 Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. or its agent that such financial institution will comply with the requirements of Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the Code and the United States Treasury Regulations thereunder), or (iii) is owned by United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during the restricted period (as defined in United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and, to the further effect, that financial institutions described in clause (iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)) have certified that they have not acquired the Securities for purposes of resale directly or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States or its possessions.
As used herein, United States means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia); and its possessions include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We further certify that (i) we are not making available herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) any portion of the temporary global Security representing the above-captioned Securities excepted in the above-referenced certificates of Member Organizations and (ii) as of the date hereof we have not received any notification from any of our Member Organizations to the effect that the statements made by such Member Organizations with respect to any portion of the part submitted herewith for exchange (or, if relevant, collection of any interest) are no longer true and cannot be relied upon as of the date hereof.
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]
[ ], | ||
as Operator of the Euroclear System |
||
By: |
||
Name: | ||
Title: |
63
Exhibit (d)(8)
FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
between
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC.
and
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
Dated as of April 17, 2012
FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this First Supplemental Indenture), dated as of April 17, 2012, is between Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Company), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Trustee). All capitalized terms used herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Base Indenture (as defined below).
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of March 6, 2012 (the Base Indenture and, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of the Companys unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the Securities), to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Indenture.
The Company desires to issue and sell up to $49,450,000 aggregate principal amount of the Companys 7.00% Senior Notes due 2019 (the Notes).
Sections 9.01(iv) and 901(vi) of the Base Indenture provide that without the consent of Holders of the Securities of any series issued under the Indenture, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Base Indenture to (i) change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Indenture when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of the supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision and (ii) establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 3.01 of the Base Indenture.
The Company desires to establish the form and terms of the Notes and to modify, alter, supplement and change certain provisions of the Base Indenture for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes (except as may be provided in a future supplemental indenture to the Indenture (Future Supplemental Indenture)).
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Notes and all acts and things necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding, and legal obligation of the Company and to constitute a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done and performed.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:
ARTICLE I
TERMS OF THE NOTES
Section 1.01 Terms of the Notes . The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:
(a) The Notes shall constitute a series of Senior Securities having the title 7.00% Senior Notes due 2019. The Notes shall bear a CUSIP number of 427096888 and an ISIN number of US4270968880.
(b) The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06, 11.07 or 13.05 of the Base Indenture, and except for any Securities that, pursuant to Section 3.03 of the Base Indenture, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered under the Indenture) shall be up to $49,450,000. Under a Board Resolution, Officers Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Notes, issue additional Notes (in any such case Additional Notes) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Notes and the existing Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Notes herein shall include the Additional Notes unless the context otherwise requires.
(c) The entire outstanding principal of the Notes shall be payable on April 30, 2019.
(d) The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 7.00% per annum (the Applicable Interest Rate). The date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be April 17, 2012, or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be January 30, April 30, July 30 and October 30 of each year, commencing July 30, 2012 (if an Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable interest payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment); the initial interest period will be the period from and including April 17, 2012, to, but excluding, the initial Interest Payment Date, and the subsequent interest periods will be the periods from and including an Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity, as the case may be; the interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, will be paid to the Person in whose name the
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Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 15, April 15, July 15 or October 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Payment of principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on the Notes will be made at the office of the Trustee located at 100 Wall Street, Suite 1600, New York, New York, 10005, Attention: Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (7.00% Senior Notes Due 2019) and at such other address as designated by the Trustee, 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; provided, however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however , that so long as the Notes are registered to Cede & Co., such payment will be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
(e) The Notes shall be initially issuable in global form (each such Note, a Global Note). The Global Notes and the Trustees certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this First Supplemental Indenture. Each Global Note shall represent the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Security Registrar, in accordance with Sections 2.03 and 3.05 of the Base Indenture.
(f) The depositary for such Global Notes (the Depositary) shall be The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York. The Security Registrar with respect to the Global Notes shall be the Trustee.
(g) The Notes shall be defeasible pursuant to Section 14.02 or Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture. Covenant defeasance contained in Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the covenants contained in Sections 10.06, 10.08 and 10.10 of the Indenture.
(h) The Notes shall be redeemable pursuant to Section 11.01 of the Base Indenture and as follows:
(i) The Notes will be redeemable in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, on or after April 30, 2015, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest payments otherwise payable for the then-current quarterly interest period accrued to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.
(ii) Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed, not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holders address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture.
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(iii) Any exercise of the Companys option to redeem the Notes will be done in compliance with the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.
(iv) If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Notes, the Trustee will determine the method for selecting the particular Notes to be redeemed, in accordance with the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.
(v) Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes called for redemption hereunder.
(i) The Notes shall not be subject to any sinking fund pursuant to Section 12.01 of the Base Indenture.
(j) The Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $25 and integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof.
(k) Holders of the Notes will not have the option to have the Notes repaid prior to the Stated Maturity.
(l) The Notes are hereby designated as Senior Securities under the Indenture.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 2.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article I of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following defined terms to Section 1.01 in appropriate alphabetical sequence, as follows:
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any statute successor thereto.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the opinions and pronouncements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the 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 in the United States, which are in effect from time to time.
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ARTICLE III
REMEDIES
Section 3.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (ii) thereof with the following:
(ii) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity; or
ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
Section 4.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article X of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new Sections 10.08, 10.09 and 10.10 thereto, each as set forth below:
Section 10.08 Section 18(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act .
The Company hereby agrees that for the period of time during which Notes are Outstanding, the Company will not violate (whether or not it is subject to) Section 18(a)(1)(A) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act or any successor provisions thereto of the Investment Company Act, giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to the Company by the Commission (even if the Company is no longer subject to such provisions of the Investment Company Act).
Section 10.09 Section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Investment Company Act .
The Company hereby agrees that for the period of time during which Notes are Outstanding, pursuant to Section
18(a)(1)(B) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act or any successor provisions thereto of the Investment Company Act, the Company will not declare any dividend (except a dividend payable in stock of the issuer), or
declare any other distribution, upon a class of the capital stock of the Company, or purchase any such capital stock, unless, in every such case, at the time of the declaration of any such dividend or distribution, or at the time of any such
purchase, the Company has an asset coverage (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of at least 200 per centum after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be, giving effect to any exemptive
relief granted to the Company by the Commisson.
Section 10.10 Commission Reports and Reports to Holders .
If, at any time, the Company is not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act to file any periodic reports with the Securities
5
and Exchange Commission, the Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of Notes and the Trustee for the period of time during which the Notes are Outstanding: (i) within 90 days after the end of the each fiscal year of the Company, audited annual consolidated financial statements of the Company and (ii) within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company (other than the Companys fourth fiscal quarter), unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company. All such financial statements shall be prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP.
ARTICLE V
MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Section 5.01 Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Sections under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 15.05 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (c) thereof with the following:
(c) At any meeting of Holders, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $25.00 principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by such Holder; 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.
ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 6.01 This First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. This First Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
Section 6.02 In case any provision in this First Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 6.03 This First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be an original, but such counterparts will together constitute but one and the same First Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
Section 6.04 The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture and this
6
First Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument with respect to the Notes. All provisions included in this First Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes, unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture.
Section 6.05 The provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.
Section 6.06 Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the terms and provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall apply only to the Notes and shall not apply to any other series of Securities under the Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture shall not and does not otherwise affect, modify, alter, supplement or change the terms and provisions of any other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding.
Section 6.07 The recitals contained herein and in the Notes shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Additional Notes, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this First Supplemental Indenture, authenticate the Notes and any Additional Notes and perform its obligations hereunder. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or any Additional Notes or the proceeds thereof.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/ Scott Harvey |
|
Name: | Scott Harvey | |
Title: | Chief Legal Officer | |
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | ||
By: |
/s/ Lynora Caulfield |
|
Name: | Lynora J. Caulfield | |
Title: | Vice President |
[Signature page to First Supplemental Indenture]
8
Exhibit A Form of Global Note
This Security is a Global Note within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof. This Security may not be exchanged in whole or in part for a Security registered, and no transfer of this Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than The Depository Trust Company or a nominee thereof, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture.
Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment and such certificate issued in exchange for this certificate is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The Depository Trust Company, any transfer, pledge or other use hereof for value or otherwise by or to any person is wrongful, as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
No. | $ | |
CUSIP No. 427096888 | ||
ISIN No. US4270968880 |
7.00% Senior Notes due 2019
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Maryland (herein called the Company, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of [ ] U.S. DOLLARS (U.S.$[ ]) on April 30, 2019, and to pay interest thereon from April 17, 2012 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, quarterly on January 30, April 30, July 30 and October 30 in each year, commencing July 30, 2012, at the rate of 7.00% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. This Security may be issued as part of a series.
1
Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the office of the Trustee located at 100 Wall Street, Suite 1600, New York, New York, 10005, Attention: Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (7.00% Senior Notes Due 2019) and at such other address as designated by the Trustee, 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; provided , however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however , that so long as this Security is registered to Cede & Co., such payment will be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by The Depository Trust Company and the Trustee.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.
Dated:
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC. | ||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: |
3
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee |
||
By: |
|
|
Authorized Signatory |
4
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
7.00% Senior Notes due 2019
This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of Senior Securities of the Company (herein called the Securities), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 6, 2012 (herein called the Base Indenture, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (herein called the Trustee, which term includes any successor trustee under the Base Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Base Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture relating to the Securities, dated April 17, 2012, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the First Supplemental Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture collectively are herein called the Indenture). In the event of any conflict between the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture shall govern and control.
This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $49,450,000. Under a Board Resolution, Officers Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or an indenture supplement, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Securities, issue additional Securities of this series (in any such case Additional Securities) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Securities. Any Additional Securities and the existing Securities will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Securities herein shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires. The aggregate amount of outstanding Securities represented hereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions.
The Securities of this series are subject to redemption in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, on or after April 30, 2015, at a redemption price per security equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount theref plus accrued and unpaid interest payments otherwise payable for the then-current quarterly interest period accrued to the date fixed for redemption.
Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, to each Holder of the Securities to be redeemed, not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holders address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture.
Any exercise of the Companys option to redeem the Securities will be done in compliance with the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.
If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Securities, the Trustee or the Depositary, as applicable, will determine the method for selecting the particular Securities to be redeemed, in accordance with their standard operating procedures and the Investment Company
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Act, to the extent applicable. In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes called for redemption.
Holders of Securities do not have the option to have the Securities repaid prior to April 30, 2019.
The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
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 Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for sixty (60) days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $25 and any integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company or Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
The Indenture and this Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
Exhibit (h)(1)
$43,000,000 Aggregate Principal Amount 7.00% Senior Notes Due 2019
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
April 11, 2012
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
As Representative of the several Underwriters
c/o | Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | |
501 N. Broadway | ||
St. Louis, Missouri 63102 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Company ), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (each, an Underwriter and, collectively the Underwriters ), for whom Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is acting as representative (in such capacity, the Representative ) $43,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.00% Senior Notes due 2019 (the Senior Securities ) of the Company set forth in Schedule A hereto.
The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional $6,450,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.00% Senior Notes due 2019 (the Additional Senior Securities ) if and to the extent that the Representative shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such Additional Senior Securities granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Senior Securities and the Additional Senior Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as the Securities .
The Securities will be issued under an indenture dated as of March 6, 2012 (the Base Indenture ), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of April 17, 2012 (the First Supplemental Indenture and, together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture ), between the Company and U.S. Bank, National Association, as trustee (the Trustee ). The Securities will be issued to Cede & Co. as nominee of the Depository Trust Company ( DTC ) pursuant to a blanket letter of representations (the DTC Agreement ), to be dated on or prior to the Closing Date (as defined herein), between the Company and DTC.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
Commission
) a registration statement on
Form N-2 (No. 333-179431), as amended, and a related prospectus for the registration of the Securities and certain of the Companys other securities under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the
Securities Act
), and the related rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the
Securities Act Rules and Regulations
). The registration statement, as it may have heretofore
been amended at the time it became effective, including, all documents filed as a part thereof, and including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430C and
Rule 497 under the Securities Act, and any post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the
Registration Statement
; the prospectus, dated as of March 29,
2012, included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective on March 29, 2012, (including the information, if any, deemed to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430C and
Rule 497 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the
Base Prospectus
; the preliminary prospectus supplement dated April 2, 2012, filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities
Act, is hereinafter referred to as the
Preliminary Prospectus Supplement
(and together with the Base Prospectus, the
Preliminary Prospectus
); the prospectus supplement to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 497 under the Securities Act after the execution and delivery of this Agreement is hereinafter referred to as the
Prospectus Supplement
(and together with the Base Prospectus, the
Prospectus
).
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The Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the 1939 Act ).
As used in this Agreement, the term Applicable Time means 6:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.
1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriters that:
(i) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form N-2 under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations. At the time the Registration Statement became effective, the Registration Statement complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations and did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; the Preliminary Prospectus together with the pricing terms and other information set forth on Schedule B hereto, all considered together (collectively, the General Disclosure Package ), complied, as of its date, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, and the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, and the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (as defined herein), did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however , that the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus Supplement furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the third paragraph under the caption UnderwritingCommissions and Discounts, the first and second paragraphs under the caption UnderwritingPrice Stabilizations, Short Positions and the sixth paragraph under the caption Other Relationships.
(ii) The Registration Statement has become effective; the Commission has not issued, and is not, to the knowledge of the Company, threatening to issue, any stop order under the Securities Act or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement (as amended or supplemented).
(iii) The Company has elected to be regulated by the Commission as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act ), and has not withdrawn that election, and the Commission has not ordered that such election be withdrawn nor to the best of the Companys knowledge have proceedings to effectuate such withdrawal been initiated or threatened by the Commission. All required action has or will have been taken under the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, the Investment Company Act and any state securities laws to make the public offering and the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company, and the provisions of the Companys articles of incorporation and bylaws comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(iv) Intentionally Omitted.
(v) To the Companys knowledge, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Ernst & Young LLP, the accounting firms that audited the financial statements of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and Prospectus, were and are independent registered accounting firms as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
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(vi) The financial statements, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present in all material respects the results of operations and financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations for the respective periods specified, and are prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and the selected financial information and data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the books and records of the Company.
(vii) The Company (A) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, has full corporate power and authority to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (B) has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities and the DTC Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby; and (C) is duly licensed or qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and in good standing in the State of California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois and Virginia and these are the only jurisdictions where the Company is required to be qualified or licensed or in good standing except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or to be in good standing would not result in a material adverse effect upon the financial condition, business or results of operations of the Company ( Material Adverse Effect ).
(viii) All of the Companys wholly owned subsidiaries are set forth in Schedule I hereto (the Subsidiaries) and each entity listed on Schedule I has been duly formed under the laws of, is licensed or qualified to do business, and is in good standing in, each jurisdiction listed respectively on Schedule I. The jurisdictions listed on Schedule I are the only jurisdictions where such Subsidiaries are required to be licensed or qualified to do business or in good standing except where the failure of the Subsidiaries to be so qualified or licensed or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be, in default or violation with respect to its charter or bylaws or governing documents. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be, in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, or in violation of any statutes, laws, ordinances or governmental rules or regulations or any orders or decrees to which it is subject (collectively, the Agreements and Instruments ) except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) The Companys authorized capitalization is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the outstanding shares of the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the Common Stock ) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading Description of Our Capital Stock.
(xi) The stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive rights of any security holder. The Securities have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company for the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when the Securities are issued and delivered by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and the Indenture relating thereto, against payment of the consideration set forth in this Agreement, on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date such Securities will be valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to the effect of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the
3
discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture relating thereto; and the Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the statements thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(xii) Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any transactions, other than in the ordinary course of business, that are material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (B) there has not been any material change in the capital stock of the Company, or any material adverse change, or, to the Companys knowledge, any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), business, net worth, property or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (excluding changes due to investment activities in the ordinary course of business), (C) there has been no dividend or distribution declared or paid in respect of the Companys capital stock and (D) the Company and its Subsidiaries have not incurred any short-term debt or long-term debt that is, in either case, material with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (excluding debt resulting from a draw down on the Companys credit facilities).
(xiii) There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit or proceeding, legal or governmental, to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, before or by any court or governmental agency or body, that is required to be described in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and is not so described.
(xiv) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the Securities Act Rules and Regulations that have not been so filed or incorporated by reference therein as permitted by the Securities Act Rules and Regulations.
(xv) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xvi) The Base Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding thereof may be brought.
(xvii) The First Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized, and, on the Closing Date, will be executed and delivered by the Company and, when executed and delivered by the Trustee, will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
(xviii) The DTC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
(xix) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture, the Securities and the DTC Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption Use of Proceeds) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
4
provisions of, constitute a default or Repayment Events (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 or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments, except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such action result in any violation of the Companys or any of its Subsidiaries charter, bylaws or other organizational documents, or any order, law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets, properties or operations. 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 holders behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.
(xx) No consent, approval, authorization, notification or order of, or filing with, any court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (A) such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states, the rules and regulations of the FINRA (as defined below) or the securities laws of any jurisdiction outside of the United States in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities; and (B) prior to the Closing Date, in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange ( NYSE ).
(xxi) This Agreement complies as to form in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act.
(xxii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.
(xxiii) There are no material restrictions, limitations or regulations with respect to the ability of the Company or its Subsidiaries to invest its assets as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or Prospectus, other than as described therein.
(xxiv) Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.
(xxv) The Company has received clearance to apply for the listing of the Securities on the NYSE.
(xxvi) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its Subsidiaries have all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and have made all necessary filings required under any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule, and have obtained all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, required in order to conduct their business as described under the heading Business in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except to the extent that any failure to have any such licenses, authorizations, consents or approvals, to make any such filings or to obtain any such authorizations, consents or approvals is not, alone or in the aggregate, reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, any such license, authorization, consent or approval of any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the effect of which is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notification or communication from any agency or department of federal, state, or local government or any regulatory authority or the staff thereof threatening to revoke or modify any license, authorization, consent or approval, which alone or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxvii) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not entered into any transaction with any person which would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of the Commissions Regulation S-K.
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(xxviii) Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as of the date thereof, no extension of credit has been made by the Company to an executive officer or director of the Company in violation of Section 402 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
(xxix) Except with respect to the Underwriters or as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not incurred any liability for any finders fees or similar payments in connection with the issuance and sale the Securities.
(xxx) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price or any security of the Company to facilitate the issuance or the sale or resale of the Securities.
(xxxi) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since January 1, 2006, the Company has been organized and operated, and currently is organized and operated, in conformance with the requirements to be taxed as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ( Subchapter M of the Code ).
(xxxii) The Company has been organized and operated as, and currently is organized and operated, in material conformance with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to business development companies.
(xxxiii) The provisions of the corporate charter and by-laws of the Company and the investment objective, policies and restrictions described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are not inconsistent with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to a business development company, and the provisions of the organizational documents of each of the Subsidiaries and the operations of each of the Subsidiaries allow the Company to be in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to a business development company.
(xxxiv) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the Companys most recent audited fiscal year, there have been, to the Companys knowledge, no changes in the Companys internal controls over financial reporting that could significantly affect internal controls over financial reporting, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
(xxxv) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act) designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Companys management, including its principal executive officers or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
(xxxvi) The Company and its officers and directors, in their capacities as such, are in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(xxxvii) Neither the Company nor, to the Companys knowledge, any employee of the Company has used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds, violated or is in violation of any
6
provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment, or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation.
(xxxviii) Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or the 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 neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will, 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.
(xxxviv) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee or agent of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, has made any payment of funds of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or received or retained any funds in violation of any applicable law, rule or regulation, including without limitation the know your customer and anti-money laundering laws of any applicable jurisdiction.
(xl) The Companys wholly-owned, small business investment company subsidiaries, Hercules Technology II, L.P. and Hercules Technology III, L.P. have been organized and operated as, and currently are organized and operated, in material conformance with the requirements of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to small business investment companies.
(xli) The Subsidiaries of the Company do not have employees or employ personnel.
(b) Any certificate required by this Agreement that is signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters, as to the matters covered thereby.
2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter on Schedule A hereof, plus any additional aggregate principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of this Section 9, at a price of 97% of the aggregate principal amount thereof ( Purchase Price ).
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Senior Securities, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an additional $6,450,000 aggregate principal amount of Securities at the Purchase Price (without giving effect to any accrued interest from the Closing Date to the relevant Option Closing Date, as those terms are defined herein). The Representative may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the aggregate principal amount of Additional Senior Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such aggregate principal amount of Additional Senior Securities are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Senior Securities nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Senior Securities may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Senior Securities. On each day, if any, that Additional Senior Securities are to be purchased (an Option Closing Date ), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the aggregate principal amount of Additional Senior Securities that bears the same proportion to the total aggregate principal amount of Additional Senior Securities to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the aggregate principal amount of Senior Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total aggregate principal amount of Senior Securities.
3. Public Offering of Securities. The Underwriters advise the Company that they propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Securities as soon after this Agreement has been executed and delivered as in its judgment is advisable.
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The Company is further advised by you that the Securities are to be offered to the public initially at 100% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of issuance (the Public Offering Price ) and to certain dealers selected by the Representative at a price that represents a concession not in excess of 1.50% under the Public Offering Price.
4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Senior Securities shall be made to the Company by the wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company against delivery of such Securities through the facilities of DTC for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on April 17, 2012, or at such other time on the same or such other date, no later than three business days after the date of this Agreement as the Underwriters and the Company may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the Closing Date .
Payment for any Additional Senior Securities shall be made to the Company by the wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company against delivery of such Additional Senior Securities through the facilities of DTC for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than May 16, 2012, as shall be designated in writing by the Representative.
The Senior Securities and the Additional Senior Securities shall be transferred electronically and registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representative shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Securities shall be delivered through the facilities of DTC.
5. Covenants of the Company . The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) To notify the Underwriters promptly following the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, and the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order described in this subsection hereunder and, if any such stop order is issued, to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment, and to advise the Underwriters promptly of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Securities Act or of the Company becoming the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with any offering of the Securities.
(b) To give the Underwriters notice of any intention to file any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any post-effective amendment) or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (including any revised prospectus proposed for use by the Underwriters in connection with the offering, which differs from the prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the Registration Statement becomes effective, whether such revised prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497(b) or Rule 497(h) of the Securities Act Rules and Regulations), whether required to be filed pursuant to the Investment Company Act, the Securities Act or otherwise, and to furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such amendment or supplement a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and to not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object, except as may be required by applicable law; provided, however, in the event of any such objection, the Underwriters agree to cooperate with the Company to ensure that an acceptable filing can be promptly made.
(c) To furnish, upon request and without charge, to the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 5(d) below, as many copies of the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.
(d) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object in writing within two business days after receipt, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 497 under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
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(e) If any event shall occur or a condition exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Company in consultation with counsel for the Underwriters, to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, to forthwith amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus by preparing and filing with the Commission (and furnishing to the Underwriters a reasonable number of copies of) an amendment or amendments of the Registration Statement or an amendment or amendments of or a supplement or supplements to, the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters), at the Companys expense, which will amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus, as so amended or supplemented, will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, and the Underwriters and their counsel agree to cooperate with the Company to ensure that an acceptable filing can be promptly made.
(f) To endeavor, in cooperation with the Underwriters and their counsel, to assist such counsel to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions of the United States as the Underwriters may designate; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process, or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not now so qualified. The Company will file such statements and reports as may be required to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been qualified as above provided.
(g) For a period of 30 days from the date of this Agreement, to not, without the prior consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly sell, offer to sell, enter into any agreement to sell, or otherwise dispose of, any debt securities of the Company which are substantially similar to the Securities or securities convertible into such debt securities which are substantially similar to the Securities. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if (i) during the last 17 days of the foregoing 30 day period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (ii) prior to the expiration of the foregoing 30 day period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the foregoing 30 day period, the foregoing restrictions shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
(h) To apply the net proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Securities sold by it as set forth under Use of Proceeds in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(i) To use its best efforts to maintain its status as a business development company under the Investment Company Act, except unless authorized by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company as defined by the Investment Company Act.
(j) To use its best efforts to conform with the applicable requirements to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.
(k) Except for the authorization of actions permitted to be taken by the Underwriters as contemplated herein or in the Prospectus, not to take, directly or indirectly, within 30 days of the date of the Prospectus, any action designed to cause or to result in, or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the issuance of the sale or resale of the Securities.
(l) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Company and the Companys accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Securities under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus, and any amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies
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thereof to the Underwriters, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, the Indenture, the DTC Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities (iii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iv) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky memo in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under state securities laws, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky memorandum, (v) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Securities by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ( FINRA ), if any, (vi) any fees charged by the rating agencies for the rating of the Securities, (vii) the cost of printing certificates representing the Securities, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with listing the Securities on the NYSE, (ix) the fees and expenses of the trustee and any transfer agent, registrar or depositary in connection with the issuance of the Securities, (x) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any road show undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and, with the prior approval of the Company, the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show and (xi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section and in Section 7, entitled Indemnification and Contribution, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Securities by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
(m) To make generally available to the Companys security holders and to you, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earning statement for the purposes of and to provide the benefits contemplated by Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(n) To cooperate with the Representative and use its commercially reasonable efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC.
(o) To use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect, within 30 days of the Closing Date, the listing of the Securities on The New York Stock Exchange.
6. Conditions of the Underwriters Obligations; Additional Covenants . The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Companys officers made in each certificate furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof and to the performance and observance by the Company of all covenants and agreements herein or its part to be performed and observed, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there shall not have occurred any change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Prospectus that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Securities as contemplated hereby.
(b) On the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Underwriters shall have received:
(i) The opinion, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, counsel for the Company, in form reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, and their negative assurance letter dated the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters. In rendering such opinion, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP may rely as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials;
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(ii) Such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(c) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters on Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, a certificate of the Company, signed by the President or other senior officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Section 6(a) above and to the effect that the signer of such certificate has carefully examined the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any supplement to the Prospectus and this Agreement and that, to the best of his knowledge:
(i) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects as of the date of the Agreement (except to the extent that any of such representations and warranties are already qualified as to materiality herein, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct without further qualification) and the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied in all material respects hereunder on or before the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to his knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or other), earnings, business, net worth, results of operations or prospects of, the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (excluding changes due to investment activities in the ordinary course of business), except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus.
The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(d) On each the date hereof and the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Underwriters shall have received from each of Ernst & Young LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a letter, dated hereof and the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, and stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus ordinarily covered by accountants comfort letters in connection with registered public offerings; provided, however, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a cut-off date not earlier than the date hereof and, if applicable, the letter delivered on the Option Closing Date shall use a cut-off date of not more than three business days prior to the Option Closing Date.
(e) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 6, or (ii) any change in or affecting the business or properties of the Company, the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(f) Prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representative such further appropriate information, certificates and documents as the Representative may reasonably request.
(g) The Securities shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject only to notice of issuance at or prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be.
(h) All filings with the Commission required by Rule 497 of the Securities Act to have been filed by the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 497.
(i) On the Closing Date, the Company and the Trustee shall have executed and delivered the Indenture (including the Supplemental Indenture).
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(j) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have executed and delivered the DTC Agreement.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Representative hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representative. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.
7 . Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates 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 (each, an Indemnified Party ), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, damage or liability arises out or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the 1939 Act (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Indenture, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.
(b) Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an Underwriter Indemnified Party ), against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omissions or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representative specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigation or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus Supplement furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the third paragraph under the caption UnderwritingCommissions and Discounts and the first and second paragraphs under the caption UnderwritingPrice Stabilizations, Short Positions.
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(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above, except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an indemnified party.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault 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 the Underwriters and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which 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 in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7(d) 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 which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(d).
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7, no party shall be entitled to indemnification and contribution under this Agreement in violation of Section 17(i) of the Investment Company Act.
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8 . Termination of Agreement.
(a) The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement may be terminated at anytime on or prior to the Closing Date, by notice given to the Company if, prior to the delivery and payment for the Securities there shall have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, net worth, or properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities; (ii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iii) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (iv) any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vi) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment, or clearance services in the United States; or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representative, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities.
9 . Default of Underwriters.
(a) If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Securities hereunder on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and the aggregate principal amount of Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the Representative may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate principal amount of Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the aggregate Principal amount of Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except as provided in Section 10 (provided that if such default occurs with respect to Securities after the Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Securities purchased prior to termination). If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Senior Securities and the aggregate principal amount of Additional Senior Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Additional Senior Securities to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Senior Securities to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the aggregate principal amount of Additional Senior Securities that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default.As used in this Agreement, the term Underwriter includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10 . Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations.
(a) The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. If the purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination
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of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 hereof, Section 8(a)(ii), Section 8(a)(iii), Section 8(a)(v), Section 8(a)(vi) or Section 8(a)(vii), the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Securities, and the respective obligations of the Company and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 hereof shall also remain in effect. In addition, if any Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 1 and all obligations under Section 5 shall remain in effect.
11. Notices . All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to:
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated,
501 N. Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri 63102
with a copy, which shall not constitute notice to:
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
One New York Plaza, New York, New York 10004
Attention of Stuart Gelfond, Esq.
as Representative of the Several Underwriters
and if sent to the Company:
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
400 Hamilton Avenue
Suite 310
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Attention: Scott Harvey
12. Successors . This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and will inure to the benefit of the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term successors and assigns as used in this Agreement shall not include a purchaser, as such purchaser, of Securities from the Underwriters.
13. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship . The Company acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) No Other Relationship . The Underwriters have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Underwriters have been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;
(b) Arms Length Negotiations . The price of the Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) Absence of Obligation to Disclose . The Company has been advised that the Underwriters and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) Waiver . The Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Underwriters for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Representative shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company. If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriters.
15
14. Governing Law; Construction . This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement ( Claim ), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of law provisions thereof to the extent such principles or rules would require or permit the application of the laws of another jurisdiction. The Section headings in this Agreement have been inserted as a matter of convenience of reference and are not a part of this Agreement.
15. Submission to Jurisdiction . Except as set forth below, no Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Company hereby consents to personal jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any Claim arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against the Underwriter or any indemnified party. Each of the Underwriters and the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.
16. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
17. Severability . In case any provision in this Agreement 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.
(a) If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Underwriters.
16
Very truly yours, | ||
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/ Manuel Henriquez |
|
Name: | Manuel A. Henriquez | |
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the date first
above written by Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
as Representative of the Several
Underwriters listed on Schedule A hereto
By: |
/s/ Allen Laufenberg |
|
Name: | Allen G. Laufenberg | |
Title: | Managing Director |
17
SCHEDULE A
Underwriter |
Aggregate Principal Amount
of Senior Securities to be Purchased |
|||
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated |
$ | 15,050,000 | ||
BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, LLC. |
$ | 7,417,500 | ||
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC. |
$ | 8,385,000 | ||
Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. |
$ | 7,417,500 | ||
Wunderlich Securities, Inc. |
$ | 3,440,000 | ||
JMP Securities LLC. |
$ | 1,290,000 | ||
|
|
|||
Total: |
$ | 43,000,000 | ||
|
|
SCHEDULE B
$43,000,000
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC.
7.00% Senior Notes due 2019
1. The aggregate principal amount of the Senior Securities is $43,000,000.
2. The purchase price for the Senior Securities shall be 100% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of issuance.
3. The purchase price for the Senior Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be 97% of the aggregate principal amount thereof.
4. The interest rate is 7.00%.
SCHEDULE I
HERCULES TECHNOLOGY GROWTH CAPITAL, INC.
CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES
1. Hercules Technology II, L.P.
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
Colorado | In good standing | |
Illinois | In good standing | |
Massachusetts | Legal existence and in good standing | |
Washington | In existence and authorized | |
Virginia | Registered, in effect and current |
2. Hercules Technology III, LP
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
Colorado | In good standing | |
Massachusetts | Legal existence and in good standing | |
Virginia | Registered, in effect and current |
3. Hercules Technology IV, LP
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
Colorado | In good standing | |
Massachusetts | Legal existence and in good standing |
4. Hercules Technology SBIC Management, LLC
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
Colorado | In good standing | |
Illinois | In good standing | |
Massachusetts | In good standing | |
Virginia | Registered to transact business |
5. Hercules Funding II LLC
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) |
6. Hercules Technology Management Co II, Inc.
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
New Jersey | Active business in good standing | |
Pennsylvania | Subsisting corporation | |
New York | Authorized |
7. Hercules Technology Management Co III, Inc.
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
Georgia | In existence |
8. Hercules Technology Management Co V, Inc.
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) |
9. Hercules Technology I, LLC
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) |
10. Hercules Technology II, LLC
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) |
11. Hydra Ventures LLC
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) |
12. Hydra Management Co., Inc.
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) |
2
13. Hydra Management LLC
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) |
14. Spa Chakra Acquisition Corp.
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Indiana | In existence | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
New York | Authorized | |
Illinois | In good standing | |
Florida | Active |
15. Spa Chakra SBIC Management Corp.
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
New York | Authorized to do business | |
Illinois | In good standing | |
Indiana | In existence | |
Florida | Active |
16. Spa Chakra Trademark, LLC
Jurisdiction | Status | |
Delaware | In good standing | |
California | Active (good standing) | |
New York | Authorized to do business | |
Illinois | In good standing | |
Indiana | In existence | |
Florida | Active |
3
Exhibit (l)(2)
|
SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP
1275 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20004-2415
202.383.0100 Fax 202.637.3593
www.sutherland.com |
April 17, 2012
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
400 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 310
Palo Alto, California 94301
Re: | Registration Statement on Form N-2 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Company ), in connection with the preparation and filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission of a registration statement on Form N-2 on February 8, 2012 (File No. 333-179431) (as amended from time to time, the Registration Statement ) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ), and the final prospectus supplement dated April 11, 2012, with respect to the issuance pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of up to $43,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Companys 7.00% Senior Notes due 2019 (the Notes ).
As counsel to the Company, we have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and have examined the originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction as being true copies, of the following:
(i) | The Underwriting Agreement, dated April 11, 2012, between the Company and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated as the representative of the Underwriters named therein), relating to the issuance and sale of the Notes; |
(ii) | The Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Company, as amended, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company; |
(iii) | The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company; |
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
April 17, 2012
Page 2
(iv) | The Indenture, dated as of March 6, 2012 (the Base Indenture ), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the Trustee ), and filed as Exhibit d.7 to the Registration Statement; |
(v) | The First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 17, 2012 (the Supplemental Indenture and, together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture ), between the Company and the Trustee (and, together with, the Underwriting Agreement, the Base Indenture and the Notes, the Transaction Documents ); |
(vi) | A certificate of the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland as to the good standing of the Company, as of April 16, 2012; and |
(vii) | The resolutions of the board of directors of the Company relating to, among other things, (a) the authorization and approval of the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, (b) the authorization of the issuance, offer and sale of the Notes pursuant to the Registration Statement and (c) the authorization, execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company. |
With respect to such examination and our opinion expressed herein, we have assumed, without any independent investigation or verification, (i) the genuineness of all signatures on all documents submitted to us for examination, (ii) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (iii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (iv) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as conformed or reproduced copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copied documents, and (v) that all certificates issued by public officials have been properly issued. We also have assumed without independent investigation or verification (i) the accuracy and completeness of all corporate records made available to us by the Company and (ii) that the Transaction Documents will be a valid and legally binding obligation of the parties thereto (other than the Company).
As to certain matters of fact relevant to the opinion in this opinion letter, we have relied upon certificates of public officials (which we have assumed remain accurate as of the date of this opinion), upon certificates and/or representations of officers and employees of the Company, upon such other certificates as we deemed appropriate, and upon such other data as we have deemed to be appropriate under the circumstances. We have not independently established the facts, or in the case of certificates of public officials, the other statements, so relied upon.
This opinion letter is limited in all respects and matters to the contract law of the State of New York and the Maryland General Corporation Law, in each case, as in effect on the date hereof, and we express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any other laws of the State of New York or the State of Maryland or the laws of any other jurisdictions. Without limiting the preceding sentence, we express no opinion as to any state securities or broker dealer laws or regulations thereunder relating to the offer, issuance and sale of the Notes. This opinion letter has been prepared, and should be interpreted, in accordance with customary practice followed in the preparation of opinion letters by lawyers who regularly give, and such customary practice followed by lawyers who on behalf of their clients regularly advise opinion recipients regarding, opinion letters of this kind.
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc.
April 17, 2012
Page 3
The opinion expressed below is subject to the following qualifications and exceptions: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance or transfer, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors rights generally and (ii) limitations imposed by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, and subject to the limitations and qualifications set forth in this opinion letter, we are of the opinion that, when the Notes are duly executed and delivered by duly authorized officers of the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee, all in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, and delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment of the agreed consideration therefor, the Notes will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company.
The opinion expressed in this opinion letter: (a) are strictly limited to the matters stated in this opinion letter, and without limiting the foregoing, no other opinions are to be implied and (b) are only as of the date of this opinion letter, and we are under no obligation, and do not undertake, to advise the addressee of this opinion letter or any other person or entity either of any change of law or fact that occurs, or of any fact that comes to our attention, after the date of this opinion letter, even though such change or such fact may affect the legal analysis or a legal conclusion in this opinion letter.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement. We do not admit by giving this consent that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP