UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): June 2, 2015

 

 

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-8207   95-3261426

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

2455 Paces Ferry Road, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30339

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(770) 433-8211

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 


Item 8.01. Other Events.

On June 2, 2015, The Home Depot, Inc. (the “Company”) completed a public offering of $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2.625% Senior Notes due 2022 and $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 4.250% Senior Notes due 2046 (collectively, the “Notes”). The offering of the Notes was made pursuant to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-183621) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 29, 2012, including a related prospectus and prospectus supplement filed with the SEC on August 29, 2012 and May 29, 2015, respectively.

In connection with the offering of the Notes, the Company entered into an Underwriting Agreement dated May 28, 2015 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Company and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representatives of the underwriters named therein (together, the “Underwriters”). Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Company agreed to sell the Notes to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agreed to purchase the Notes for resale to the public. The Underwriting Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants by the Company. It also provides for customary indemnification by each of the Company and the Underwriters against certain liabilities and customary contribution provisions in respect of those liabilities.

The Notes were issued under an Indenture dated as of August 24, 2012 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee.

The foregoing summary is qualified by reference to the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the respective forms of global note for the offering, which are filed as exhibits to this Form 8-K and are incorporated herein and in the above-referenced shelf registration statement by reference.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

The documents included as exhibits to this report are filed solely to provide information about their terms, are not intended to provide any factual or other information about the Company or the other parties to the agreements, and should not be relied upon by investors for any other purpose.


(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 28, 2015 among The Home Depot, Inc. and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representatives of the Underwriters named therein.
  4.1    Indenture dated as of August 24, 2012 between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-183621).
  4.2    Form of 2.625% Senior Notes due June 1, 2022.
  4.3    Form of 4.250% Senior Notes due April 1, 2046.
  5.1    Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP.
23.1    Consent of Alston & Bird LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).


SIGNATURES

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

 

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
(Registrant)
Date: June 2, 2015 By:

/s/ Carol B. Tomé

Name: Carol B. Tomé
Title: Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice
President – Corporate Services


INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 28, 2015 among The Home Depot, Inc. and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representatives of the Underwriters named therein.
  4.1    Indenture dated as of August 24, 2012 between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee – incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-183621).
  4.2    Form of 2.625% Senior Notes due June 1, 2022.
  4.3    Form of 4.250% Senior Notes due April 1, 2046.
  5.1    Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP.
23.1    Consent of Alston & Bird LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

Exhibit 1.1

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

2.625% Senior Notes due 2022

4.250% Senior Notes due 2046

Underwriting Agreement

May 28, 2015

To the Representatives

  named in Schedule I

  hereto of the several

  Underwriters named in

  Schedule II hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Home Depot, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “ Company ”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “ Underwriters ”), for whom you (the “ Representatives ”) are acting as representatives, the principal amount of its securities identified in Schedule I hereto (the “ Securities ”), to be issued under an indenture (the “ Indenture ”) dated as of August 24, 2012 between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule II other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the documents constituting the Disclosure Package shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the documents constituting the Disclosure Package, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the documents constituting the Disclosure Package shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the documents constituting the Disclosure Package, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 19 hereof.


1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.

(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission an automatic shelf registration statement (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I hereto) on Form S-3, including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Securities has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Company may have filed with the Commission, as part of an amendment to the Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more Preliminary Prospectuses relating to the Securities, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the Commission a Final Prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with Rule 424(b). The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, is effective and meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).

(b) On each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein in Section 3 of this Agreement), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules thereunder; on each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Indenture did or will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and as of its date and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(c) The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(d) At the Execution Time, the Disclosure Package does not and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3), the Disclosure Package, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a

 

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material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(e) (i) At the time of the most recent amendment of the Registration Statement for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus) and (ii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption in Rule 163, the Company was or is (as the case may be) a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. The Company agrees to pay the fees required by the Commission relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r).

(f) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Act, the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer.

(g) Each Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(h) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(i) The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, 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 the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department.

(j) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated

 

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with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; (iv) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom; or (v) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

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

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto.

3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “ Closing Date ”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.

 

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5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object promptly after receipt thereof. The Company will cause the Final Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (1) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (2) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed and become effective, (3) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement or for any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (4) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice that would prevent its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (5) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use all reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and, if necessary, using all reasonable efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

(b) If so requested by you, to prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, in a form approved by you and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule.

(c) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (1) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (2) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (3) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

 

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(d) If, at any time when a Final Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder the Company promptly will (1) notify the Representatives of such event, (2) prepare, at its own expense, and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (3) use all reasonable efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Final Prospectus, and (4) supply any supplemented Final Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

(e) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

(f) Upon request, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto), and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.

(g) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate, will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities and will pay any fee of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., in connection with its review of the offering; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(h) The Company agrees that, unless it has obtained or will obtain the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has obtained or will obtain, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a Free Writing Prospectus required to be filed by the

 

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Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433, other than the information contained in any final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, included in Schedule I hereto. Any such Free Writing Prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

Each Underwriter agrees to furnish the Company with a copy of each proposed Free Writing Prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter before its first use and not to use any Free Writing Prospectus, to which the Company reasonably objects; provided, however, that without consent of the Company each Underwriter may use one or more preliminary or final term sheets relating to the Securities and the offering thereof containing customary information.

6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) The Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); any final term sheet contemplated by Section 5(b) hereto, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice that would prevent its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

(b) You shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of the Associate General Counsel - Corporate & Securities of the Company, to the effect that:

(i) the Company has been duly incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware;

(ii) the Indenture and the Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;

(iii) such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings required to be described in the Preliminary Prospectus or Final

 

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Prospectus which are not described as required or of any contracts or documents of a character required to be described in the Preliminary Prospectus or Final Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to any document incorporated by reference in the Preliminary Prospectus or Final Prospectus which are not described and filed as required;

(iv) the Registration Statement has become effective under the Act; any required filing of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b), has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice that would prevent its use has been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened;

(v) (a) the Registration Statement, on the Effective Date, and the Final Prospectus, as of its date, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules of the Commission thereunder; and (b) such counsel has no reason to believe that (1) on the Effective Date, the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (2) the Disclosure Package at the Execution Time, or as amended and supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (3) the Final Prospectus as of its date and on the Closing Date included or includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in the case of each of clauses (a) and (b)(1), (2) and (3), other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein or excluded therefrom, assessments of or reports on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, auditors’ reports on internal controls and the Form T-1, as to each of which such counsel need express no view);

(vi) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(vii) no consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated in this Agreement and in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained; and

 

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(viii) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Indenture, the Securities and this Agreement, compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions thereof and the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company will not (a) result in a breach or violation of any of the material terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any subsidiary of the Company filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the documents incorporated by reference therein, or (b) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company.

In giving the opinions required by this subsection (b) of this Section 6, the Associate General Counsel - Corporate & Securities of the Company (i) may limit such opinion to the laws of the State of Georgia, the corporate law of the State of Delaware and the Federal laws of the United States and (ii) may rely, as to matters of fact, upon the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and upon certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials. The foregoing opinions may also be subject to such assumptions and qualifications as are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

(c) You shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of Alston & Bird LLP, counsel to the Company, to the effect that:

(i) the Indenture constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);

(ii) each of the Securities, when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Indenture, constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture;

(iii) no consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body of the State of New York is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of such jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated in this Agreement and in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained; and

 

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(iv) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Indenture and this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company, and compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions of the Indenture, this Agreement and the Securities, will not result in a violation of any United States federal or New York State law, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or any published rule or regulation that in such counsel’s experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such execution, delivery, issuance, sale, compliance or performance (though such counsel need express no opinion relating to the United States federal securities laws or any state securities or Blue Sky laws).

In giving the opinions required by this subsection (c) of this Section 6, Alston & Bird LLP (i) may limit such opinion to the laws of the State of New York, the corporate law of the State of Delaware and the Federal laws of the United States and (ii) may rely, as to matters of fact, upon the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and upon certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials. The foregoing opinions may also be subject to such assumptions and qualifications as are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

(d) The Representatives shall have received from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(e) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by any Vice President and by the principal financial or accounting officer or the Treasurer or the Controller of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, the Disclosure Package and any supplements or amendments thereto, and this Agreement and that, to the knowledge of the signers:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice that would prevent its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

 

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(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(f) The Representatives shall have received a letter from KPMG LLP, dated the Closing Date, addressed and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that such firm is “independent” within the meaning of the Act and covering matters that are ordinarily covered by “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, there shall not have been any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus the effect of which is, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

(h) Subsequent to the Execution Time and prior to the closing, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating.

(i) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

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 reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

 

11


The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the location specified in Schedule I hereto, on the Closing Date.

7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law 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 a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or in the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Securities, Final Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein.

(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that (i) the names of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities as set forth in the table of Underwriters under the first paragraph of text under the heading “Underwriting” in the prospectus supplement included in the Final Prospectus, (ii) the third paragraph of text under the heading “Underwriting” in the prospectus supplement included in the Preliminary Prospectus and the

 

12


Final Prospectus relating to the initial sale of the Securities at the initial public offering price, selling concessions and reallowances, (iii) the eighth and ninth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting” in the prospectus supplement included in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids and (iv) the last paragraph under the heading “Underwriting” in the prospectus supplement included in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the prospectus supplement included in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 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 this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding, 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 any indemnified party.

(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason,

 

13


the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending same) (collectively “ Losses ”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to

 

14


purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such time (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The Company’s responsibility for the expenses to be paid by it pursuant to Section 5 hereof and the provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010, Attention: LCD-IBD, Goldman, Sachs & Co., 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, Attention: Registration Department, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10179, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk - 8 th floor (fax no.: 212-834-6081) and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, NY1-050-12-01, New York, New York 10036, Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal (fax no.: 646-855-5958); or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to The Home Depot, Inc., 2455 Paces Ferry Rd., N.W., Atlanta, Georgia, 30339-4024, (fax no.: (770) 384-5842), to the attention of the Chief Financial Officer and a copy sent to the General Counsel.

13. Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the

 

15


Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

14. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

15. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

16. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

18. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

19. Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

16


“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Execution Time, (iii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule I hereto, and (iv) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto relating to the Securities became or become effective (including as determined for purposes of Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Act).

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

“Final Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together with the Base Prospectus.

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 of the Act.

“Ineligible Issuer” shall mean an ineligible issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Act.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 that the Issuer has filed or is required to file under Rule 433(d) under the Act.

“Material Adverse Effect” shall mean the material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary form of the prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above which relates to the Securities and is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus.

“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on the most recent Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.

 

17


“Rule 158,” “Rule 163,” “Rule 164,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 433,” “Rule 456(b)(1),” “Rule 456(b)” and “Rule 457(r)” refer to such rules under the Act.

“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” shall mean a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405.

 

18


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,
THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
By:

/s/ Dwaine A. Kimmet

Name:  Dwaine A. Kimmet
Title: Treasurer and Senior Vice President - Payments

The foregoing Agreement is

hereby confirmed and accepted

as of the date specified in

Schedule I hereto.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

For themselves and the other

several Underwriters, if any,

named in Schedule II to the

foregoing Agreement.


By: CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC
By:

/s/ Bob McMinn

Name: Bob McMinn
Title: Managing Director


By: GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
By:

/s/ Adam Greene

Name: Adam Greene
Title: Vice President


By: J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
By:

/s/ Som Bhattacharyya

Name: Som Bhattacharyya
Title: Vice President


By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
                               INCORPORATED
By:

/s/ William O. Tucker

Name:  William O. Tucker
Title: Managing Director


SCHEDULE I

Underwriting Agreement dated: May 28, 2015

Registration Statement No. 333-183621

 

Representative(s): Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses:

 

  Term sheet filed pursuant to Rule 433, substantially in the form of the term sheet attached as Schedule III to the Underwriting Agreement.

Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:

 

Title: 2.625% Senior Notes due 2022 Title: 4.250% Senior Notes due 2046
Principal amount: $1,250,000,000 Principal amount: $1,250,000,000
Purchase price (include accrued interest or amortization, if any): 99.232% Purchase price (include accrued interest or amortization, if any): 98.874%
Redemption provisions: Optional redemption at the option of the Company as described under the heading “Description of the Notes” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated May 28, 2015 as supplemented by the Term Sheet. Redemption provisions: Optional redemption at the option of the Company as described under the heading “Description of the Notes” in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated May 28, 2015 as supplemented by the Term Sheet.

 

Closing Date, Time and Location: June 2, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at the offices of Alston & Bird LLP at One Atlantic Center, 1201 W. Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30309.


SCHEDULE II

 

    

Principal

Amount

of Securities to

be Purchased

    

Principal

Amount

of Securities to

be Purchased

 

Underwriters

   2.625% Senior
Notes
due 2022
     4.250% Senior
Notes
due 2046
 
     (U.S.$)      (U.S.$)  

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

   $ 182,000,000       $ 182,000,000   

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

   $ 182,000,000       $ 182,000,000   

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

   $ 182,000,000       $ 182,000,000   

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                      Incorporated

   $ 182,000,000       $ 182,000,000   

Barclays Capital Inc.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

Mizuho Securities USA Inc.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

TD Securities (USA) LLC

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

The Williams Capital Group, L.P.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

   $ 39,200,000       $ 39,200,000   

Lebenthal & Co., LLC

   $ 12,400,000       $ 12,400,000   

Total

   $ 1,250,000,000       $ 1,250,000,000   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 


SCHEDULE III

Form of

Final Term Sheet

May 28, 2015

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

$1,250,000,000 2.625% Senior Notes due 2022

$1,250,000,000 4.250% Senior Notes due 2046

 

Issuer: The Home Depot, Inc.
Title of Securities:

$1,250,000,000 2.625% Senior Notes due June 1, 2022 (the “Notes due 2022”)

 

$1,250,000,000 4.250% Senior Notes due April 1, 2046 (the “Notes due 2046” and, together with the Notes due 2022, the “Notes”)

Principal Amount:

Notes due 2022: $1,250,000,000

Notes due 2046: $1,250,000,000

Expected Ratings (Moody’s/S&P/Fitch)*:
Trade Date: May 28, 2015
Settlement Date (T+3): June 2, 2015
Maturity Date:

Notes due 2022: June 1, 2022

Notes due 2046: April 1, 2046

Interest Payment Dates:

Notes due 2022: Semi-annually on each June 1 and December 1, commencing December 1, 2015

 

Notes due 2046: Semi-annually on each April 1 and October 1, commencing October 1, 2015

Optional Redemption:

Notes due 2022: Prior to May 1, 2022, make-whole call at T+12.5 bps; par call on and after May 1, 2022

 

Notes due 2046: Prior to October 1, 2045, make-whole call at T+25 bps; par call on and after October 1, 2045

Treasury Benchmark:

Notes due 2022: 1.750% due 4/30/2022

Notes due 2046: 2.500% due 2/15/2045

Benchmark Yield:

Notes due 2022: 1.883%

Notes due 2046: 2.915%

Spread to Benchmark:

Notes due 2022: 80 bps

Notes due 2046: 135 bps

Reoffer Yield:

Notes due 2022: 2.683%

Notes due 2046: 4.265%

Coupon:

Notes due 2022: 2.625% per annum

Notes due 2046: 4.250% per annum

Price to Public:

Notes due 2022: 99.632%

Notes due 2046: 99.749%


CUSIP/ISIN:

Notes due 2022: 437076 BG6 / US437076BG61

Notes due 2046: 437076 BH4 / US437076BH45

Joint Book-Running Managers:

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Co-Managers:

Barclays Capital Inc.

BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

Mizuho Securities USA Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

TD Securities (USA) LLC

The Williams Capital Group, L.P.

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Lebenthal & Co., LLC

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by contacting (i) Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Prospectus Department, toll-free at 1-800-221-1037, (ii) Goldman, Sachs & Co., Prospectus Department, toll-free at 1-866-471-2526, (iii) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at 1-212-834-4533 or (iv) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll-free at 1-800-294-1322.

 

* Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

Exhibit 4.2

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY NAMED BELOW OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, WHICH MAY BE TREATED BY THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND ANY AGENT THEREOF AS OWNER AND HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ALL PURPOSES.

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (THE “DEPOSITARY”) TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF THE DEPOSITARY, TO THE DEPOSITARY OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE.


No.     

$            

CUSIP:                     

ISIN NUMBER:                     

The Home Depot, Inc.

Dated:             , 2015

        % Senior Note due             , 2022

The Home Depot, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), for value received hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns the principal sum of          MILLION DOLLARS ($        ) at the Company’s office or agency for said purpose in the City of New York, on                  , 2022 (the “ Maturity ”), in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest, semiannually on                   and                   (each an “ Interest Payment Date ”) of each year, commencing on                  , 2015, on said principal sum in like coin or currency at the rate per annum set forth above at said office or agency from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest on the Securities of this series has been paid or duly provided for or, if no interest on the Securities of this series has been paid or duly provided for, from                  , 2015. The interest so payable on any Interest Payment Date will, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, be paid to the person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the          or         , as the case may be, immediately preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date (the “ Regular Record Date ”) whether or not such day is a Business Day, provided that interest may be paid, at the option of the Company, by mailing a check therefor payable to the registered holder entitled thereto at such holder’s last address as it appears on the Security Register or by wire transfer, in immediately available funds, to such bank or other entity in the continental United States as shall be designated in writing by such holder prior to the relevant Regular Record Date and shall have appropriate facilities for such purpose. If and for so long as all of the Securities of this series are represented by Securities in global form, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Global Security shall be paid in same day funds to the Depositary, or to such name or entity as is requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary.

Reference is made to the further provisions set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

This Security shall not be valid or obligatory until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been duly signed by the Trustee acting under the Indenture.


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

 

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
By:  

 

Name:    Dwaine A. Kimmet
Title:   Treasurer and Senior Vice President – Payments

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

Date:

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Signature Page to 2022 Note


REVERSE OF SECURITY

The Home Depot, Inc.

        % Senior Note due                  , 2022

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of debt securities of the Company, issued or to be issued in one or more series pursuant to an indenture dated as of August 24, 2012 (the “ Indenture ”), duly executed and delivered by the Company to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture). Reference is hereby made to the Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the holders (the words “ holders ” or “ holder ” meaning the registered holders or registered holder) of the Securities of this series.

This Security will bear interest until final Maturity at the rate per annum shown above. If any Interest Payment Date, redemption date or the Maturity of this Security is not a Business Day, then payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest will be made on the next succeeding Business Day. No interest will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from such Interest Payment Date, redemption date or Maturity, as the case may be, to the date payment is made. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of 12 months of 30 days each. The Company will pay interest on overdue principal of, premium, if any, and to the extent lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest on this Security, at the same rate. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in the City of New York as the office or agency to be maintained by it where this Security may be presented for payment, registration of transfer, or exchange and where notices or demands to or upon the Company in respects of this Security or the Indenture may be served.

In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to this series of Securities, the principal of all the outstanding Securities of this series may be declared due and payable, in the manner and with the effect, and subject to the conditions, provided in the Indenture. The Indenture provides that in certain events such declaration and its consequences may be waived by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of this series then outstanding and that, prior to any such declaration, such holders may waive any past default under the Indenture and its consequences except a default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of this series. Any consent or waiver by the holder of this Security (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders and owners of this Security and any Security of this series which may be issued in exchange or substitution herefor, whether or not any notation thereof is made upon this Security or such other Securities of this series.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the Company and the Trustee, with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, evidenced as provided in the Indenture, to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Securities.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any holder of Securities of this series, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Securities of this series to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to provide for uncertificated Securities of this series in addition to or in place of certificated Securities of this series, to provide for the assumption of the Company’s obligations to holders of Securities of this series in the case of a transaction described in Section 10.01 of the Indenture, to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee and to add to or change any of the provisions of the Indenture necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts by more than one trustee, to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of Securities of this series or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any such holder, or to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.


No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Security at the place, times, and rate, and in the currency, herein prescribed.

The Securities of this series are issuable only as registered Securities without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and any multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

At the office or agency of the Company referred to on the face hereof and in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture and this Security, Securities of this series may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series of other authorized denominations.

Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of this Security at the above-mentioned office or agency of the Company, a new Security or Securities of this series of authorized denominations, for a like aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the transferee as provided in the Indenture. No service charge shall be made for any such transfer, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto.

Default in the performance, or breach, of the covenant set forth under “Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control” will be an “Event of Default” under Section 5.01 of the Indenture, and the covenant set forth under such section will be subject to defeasance in accordance with Section 12.03 of the Indenture.

The Company, the Trustee, and any authorized agent of the Company or the Trustee, may deem and treat the registered holder hereof as the absolute owner of this Security (whether or not this Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone other than the Company, the Trustee or any authorized agent of the Company or the Trustee), for the purpose of receiving payment of, or on account of, the principal hereof and premium, if any, and interest hereon and for all other purposes, and none of the Company, the Trustee nor any authorized agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

The Securities of this series are subject to defeasance as described in the Indenture.

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or the interest on this Security, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture or any Indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

The Indenture is hereby incorporated by reference and, to the extent of any conflict between the provisions hereof and the Indenture, the Indenture shall control. Terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture.

This Security shall be deemed to be a contract under the laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State, except as may otherwise be required by mandatory provisions of law.

Optional Redemption

The Securities of this series are redeemable in whole or in part, at the option of the Company at any time and from time to time, on not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed to the holders of the Securities. Prior to                  , 2022 (one month prior to the date of Maturity of the Securities of this series), the Securities of this series will be redeemable at a redemption price, plus accrued interest to the date of redemption, equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed or (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities of this series to be redeemed that would be due if the Securities of this series matured on the Par Call Date (except that, if the redemption date is not an Interest Payment Date, the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment will be reduced (solely for the purpose of this


calculation) by the amount of interest accrued thereon to the redemption date), discounted to the redemption date (using the discount rate set forth below) on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months). The discount rate for the Securities of this series will be the Treasury Rate plus      basis points.

At any time on or after                  , 2022 (one month prior to the date of Maturity of the Securities of this series), the Securities of this series are redeemable, in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, at the Company’s option at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued interest thereon to the date of redemption.

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Securities of this series. “Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained, or (3) if only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation is obtained, such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation.

Par Call Date ” means, the date that is one month prior to the date of Maturity of the Securities of this series.

Reference Treasury Dealer ” means Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and their successors and two other nationally recognized investment banking firms that are Primary Treasury Dealers specified from time to time by the Company, except that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall be required to designate as a substitute another nationally recognized investment banking firm that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer as of 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the second Business Day immediately preceding such redemption date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

Prior to any redemption date, the Company shall be required to deposit with a paying agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, the Securities of this series to be redeemed on such date. If the Company is redeeming less than all the Securities of this series, the Trustee must select the Securities to be redeemed, either pro rata, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, provided, that so long as the Securities of this series are represented by one or more Global Securities, interests in such Securities will be selected for redemption by the Depositary in accordance with its standard procedures therefor. Subject to payment by the Company of a sum sufficient to pay the amount due on redemption, interest on this Security (or portion hereof if this Security is redeemed in part) shall cease to accrue upon the date duly fixed for redemption of this Security (or portion hereof if this Security is redeemed in part). In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof. On the redemption date, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating the redemption price. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for


determining the redemption price. Notwithstanding Section 11.02 of the Indenture, the notice of such redemption need not set forth the redemption price but only the manner of calculation thereof if such redemption price is not then ascertainable.

Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control

If a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined below) occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities of this series as described above, holders of the Securities of this series will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of their Securities pursuant to the offer described below (the “ Change of Control Offer ”). In the Change of Control Offer, the Company will be required to offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Securities of this series repurchased, to the date of purchase (the “ Change of Control Payment ”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company will be required to mail a notice to holders of the Securities of this series describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase such Securities on the date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “ Change of Control Payment Date ”), pursuant to the procedures described herein and in such notice. The Company must comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Securities of this series as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions herein, the Company will be required to comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control provisions herein by virtue of such conflicts.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will be required, to the extent lawful, to (i) accept for payment all Securities of this series or portions of such Securities properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer; (ii) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Securities of this series or portions of such Securities properly tendered; and (iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Securities of this series properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series or portions of such Securities being purchased.

Below Investment Grade Rating Event ” means the Securities of this series are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by each of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Securities of this series is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies).

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any Person other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries; (ii) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any Person becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Company’s voting stock; or (iii) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors.

Change of Control Triggering Event ” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who (i) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of original issue of this Security; or (ii) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a


majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election (either by a specific vote or by approval of the Company’s proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

Fitch ” means Fitch Ratings.

Investment Grade Rating ” means a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by Fitch, Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P.

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Person ” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, joint stock company, business trust, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or political subdivision or agency thereof.

Rating Agencies ” means (i) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; and (ii) if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the notes or fails to make a rating of the notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a Board Resolution) as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, or all of them, as the case may be.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.


FORM OF TRANSFER NOTICE

FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered holder hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

Insert Taxpayer Identification No.:

Please print or typewrite name and address including zip code of assignee of the within Security:

and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing                      to transfer said Security on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

 

By:
Date:


SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

The following increases or decreases in this Global Security have been made:

 

Date of Increase
or Decrease
 

Amount of decrease

in Principal Amount

of the Global

Security

 

Amount of increase

in Principal Amount

of this Global

Security

 

Principal Amount of

this Global Security

following such

decrease or increase

 

Signature of

authorized signatory of

Trustee or Securities

Custodian

       
       
       

Exhibit 4.3

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY NAMED BELOW OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, WHICH MAY BE TREATED BY THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND ANY AGENT THEREOF AS OWNER AND HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ALL PURPOSES.

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (THE “DEPOSITARY”) TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF THE DEPOSITARY, TO THE DEPOSITARY OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE.


No.      $                

CUSIP:                     

ISIN NUMBER:                     

The Home Depot, Inc.

Dated:                  , 2015

        % Senior Note due                  , 2046

The Home Depot, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), for value received hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns the principal sum of          MILLION DOLLARS ($        ) at the Company’s office or agency for said purpose in the City of New York, on             , 2046 (the “ Maturity ”), in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest, semiannually on                   and                   (each an “ Interest Payment Date ”) of each year, commencing on                  , 2015, on said principal sum in like coin or currency at the rate per annum set forth above at said office or agency from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest on the Securities of this series has been paid or duly provided for or, if no interest on the Securities of this series has been paid or duly provided for, from                  , 2015. The interest so payable on any Interest Payment Date will, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, be paid to the person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the          or         , as the case may be, immediately preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date (the “ Regular Record Date ”) whether or not such day is a Business Day, provided that interest may be paid, at the option of the Company, by mailing a check therefor payable to the registered holder entitled thereto at such holder’s last address as it appears on the Security Register or by wire transfer, in immediately available funds, to such bank or other entity in the continental United States as shall be designated in writing by such holder prior to the relevant Regular Record Date and shall have appropriate facilities for such purpose. If and for so long as all of the Securities of this series are represented by Securities in global form, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Global Security shall be paid in same day funds to the Depositary, or to such name or entity as is requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary.

Reference is made to the further provisions set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

This Security shall not be valid or obligatory until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been duly signed by the Trustee acting under the Indenture.


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

 

THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
By:  

 

Name:    Dwaine A. Kimmet
Title:   Treasurer and Senior Vice President – Payments

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory
Date:  

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Signature Page to 2046 Note


REVERSE OF SECURITY

The Home Depot, Inc.

        % Senior Note due                      , 2046

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of debt securities of the Company, issued or to be issued in one or more series pursuant to an indenture dated as of August 24, 2012 (the “ Indenture ”), duly executed and delivered by the Company to Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture). Reference is hereby made to the Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the holders (the words “ holders ” or “ holder ” meaning the registered holders or registered holder) of the Securities of this series.

This Security will bear interest until final Maturity at the rate per annum shown above. If any Interest Payment Date, redemption date or the Maturity of this Security is not a Business Day, then payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest will be made on the next succeeding Business Day. No interest will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from such Interest Payment Date, redemption date or Maturity, as the case may be, to the date payment is made. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of 12 months of 30 days each. The Company will pay interest on overdue principal of, premium, if any, and to the extent lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest on this Security, at the same rate. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in the City of New York as the office or agency to be maintained by it where this Security may be presented for payment, registration of transfer, or exchange and where notices or demands to or upon the Company in respects of this Security or the Indenture may be served.

In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to this series of Securities, the principal of all the outstanding Securities of this series may be declared due and payable, in the manner and with the effect, and subject to the conditions, provided in the Indenture. The Indenture provides that in certain events such declaration and its consequences may be waived by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of this series then outstanding and that, prior to any such declaration, such holders may waive any past default under the Indenture and its consequences except a default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of this series. Any consent or waiver by the holder of this Security (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future holders and owners of this Security and any Security of this series which may be issued in exchange or substitution herefor, whether or not any notation thereof is made upon this Security or such other Securities of this series.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the Company and the Trustee, with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, evidenced as provided in the Indenture, to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Securities.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of any holder of Securities of this series, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Securities of this series to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to provide for uncertificated Securities of this series in addition to or in place of certificated Securities of this series, to provide for the assumption of the Company’s obligations to holders of Securities of this series in the case of a transaction described in Section 10.01 of the Indenture, to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee and to add to or change any of the provisions of the Indenture necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts by more than one trustee, to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of Securities of this series or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any such holder, or to comply with requirements of the Commission in order to maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act.


No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Security at the place, times, and rate, and in the currency, herein prescribed.

The Securities of this series are issuable only as registered Securities without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and any multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

At the office or agency of the Company referred to on the face hereof and in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture and this Security, Securities of this series may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series of other authorized denominations.

Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of this Security at the above-mentioned office or agency of the Company, a new Security or Securities of this series of authorized denominations, for a like aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the transferee as provided in the Indenture. No service charge shall be made for any such transfer, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto.

Default in the performance, or breach, of the covenant set forth under “Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control” will be an “Event of Default” under Section 5.01 of the Indenture, and the covenant set forth under such section will be subject to defeasance in accordance with Section 12.03 of the Indenture.

The Company, the Trustee, and any authorized agent of the Company or the Trustee, may deem and treat the registered holder hereof as the absolute owner of this Security (whether or not this Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone other than the Company, the Trustee or any authorized agent of the Company or the Trustee), for the purpose of receiving payment of, or on account of, the principal hereof and premium, if any, and interest hereon and for all other purposes, and none of the Company, the Trustee nor any authorized agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

The Securities of this series are subject to defeasance as described in the Indenture.

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or the interest on this Security, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture or any Indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

The Indenture is hereby incorporated by reference and, to the extent of any conflict between the provisions hereof and the Indenture, the Indenture shall control. Terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Indenture.

This Security shall be deemed to be a contract under the laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State, except as may otherwise be required by mandatory provisions of law.

Optional Redemption

The Securities of this series are redeemable in whole or in part, at the option of the Company at any time and from time to time, on not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice mailed to the holders of the Securities. Prior to                  , 2045 (six months prior to the date of Maturity of the Securities of this series), the Securities of this series will be redeemable at a redemption price, plus accrued interest to the date of redemption, equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed or (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities of this series to be redeemed that would be due if the Securities of this series matured on the Par Call Date (except that, if the redemption date is not an Interest Payment Date, the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment will be reduced (solely for the purpose of this


calculation) by the amount of interest accrued thereon to the redemption date), discounted to the redemption date (using the discount rate set forth below) on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months). The discount rate for the Securities of this series will be the Treasury Rate plus      basis points.

At any time on or after                  , 2045 (six months prior to the date of Maturity of the Securities of this series), the Securities of this series are redeemable, in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, at the Company’s option at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued interest thereon to the date of redemption.

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Securities of this series. “Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained, or (3) if only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation is obtained, such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation.

Par Call Date ” means, the date that is six months prior to the date of Maturity of the Securities of this series.

Reference Treasury Dealer ” means Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and their successors and two other nationally recognized investment banking firms that are Primary Treasury Dealers specified from time to time by the Company, except that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall be required to designate as a substitute another nationally recognized investment banking firm that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer as of 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the second Business Day immediately preceding such redemption date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

Prior to any redemption date, the Company shall be required to deposit with a paying agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, the Securities of this series to be redeemed on such date. If the Company is redeeming less than all the Securities of this series, the Trustee must select the Securities to be redeemed, either pro rata, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, provided, that so long as the Securities of this series are represented by one or more Global Securities, interests in such Securities will be selected for redemption by the Depositary in accordance with its standard procedures therefor. Subject to payment by the Company of a sum sufficient to pay the amount due on redemption, interest on this Security (or portion hereof if this Security is redeemed in part) shall cease to accrue upon the date duly fixed for redemption of this Security (or portion hereof if this Security is redeemed in part). In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof. On the redemption date, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating the redemption price. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for


determining the redemption price. Notwithstanding Section 11.02 of the Indenture, the notice of such redemption need not set forth the redemption price but only the manner of calculation thereof if such redemption price is not then ascertainable.

Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control

If a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined below) occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities of this series as described above, holders of the Securities of this series will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of their Securities pursuant to the offer described below (the “ Change of Control Offer ”). In the Change of Control Offer, the Company will be required to offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Securities of this series repurchased, to the date of purchase (the “ Change of Control Payment ”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company will be required to mail a notice to holders of the Securities of this series describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase such Securities on the date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “ Change of Control Payment Date ”), pursuant to the procedures described herein and in such notice. The Company must comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Securities of this series as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions herein, the Company will be required to comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control provisions herein by virtue of such conflicts.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will be required, to the extent lawful, to (i) accept for payment all Securities of this series or portions of such Securities properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer; (ii) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Securities of this series or portions of such Securities properly tendered; and (iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Securities of this series properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series or portions of such Securities being purchased.

Below Investment Grade Rating Event ” means the Securities of this series are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by each of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Securities of this series is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies).

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any Person other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries; (ii) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any Person becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Company’s voting stock; or (iii) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors.

Change of Control Triggering Event ” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who (i) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of original issue of this Security; or (ii) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a


majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election (either by a specific vote or by approval of the Company’s proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

Fitch ” means Fitch Ratings.

Investment Grade Rating ” means a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by Fitch, Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P.

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Person ” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, joint stock company, business trust, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity, or a government or political subdivision or agency thereof.

Rating Agencies ” means (i) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; and (ii) if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the notes or fails to make a rating of the notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a Board Resolution) as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, or all of them, as the case may be.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.


FORM OF TRANSFER NOTICE

FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned registered holder hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

Insert Taxpayer Identification No.:

Please print or typewrite name and address including zip code of assignee of the within Security:

and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing to transfer said Security on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

 

By:
Date:


SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

The following increases or decreases in this Global Security have been made:

 

Date of Increase

or Decrease

 

Amount of decrease

in Principal Amount

of the Global

Security

 

Amount of increase

in Principal Amount

of this Global

Security

 

Principal Amount of

this Global Security
following such

decrease or increase

 

Signature of

authorized signatory of
Trustee or Securities
Custodian

       
       
       

Exhibit 5.1

A LSTON & B IRD LLP

One Atlantic Center

1201 West Peachtree Street

Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3424

404-881-7000

Fax: 404-881-7777

www.alston.com

June 2, 2015

The Home Depot, Inc.

2455 Paces Ferry Road, N.W.

Atlanta, Georgia 30339

 

  Re: The Home Depot, Inc. Senior Notes Offering

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to The Home Depot, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company to the several underwriters referenced below (the “Underwriters”) of $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 2.625% Senior Notes due 2022 and $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 4.250% Senior Notes due 2046 (collectively, the “Notes”) to be issued under the Indenture dated as of August 24, 2012 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Company is selling the Notes to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement dated May 28, 2015 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) by and among the Company and the representatives of the several Underwriters named therein. The Indenture, the Underwriting Agreement and the global certificates evidencing the Notes are referred to herein collectively as the “Transaction Documents.”

We are furnishing the opinion set forth below pursuant to Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).

In rendering the opinions set forth herein, we have examined and relied upon the following:

(i) an executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement;

(ii) an executed copy of the Indenture;

(iii) the global certificates evidencing the Notes in the forms delivered by the Company to the Trustee for authentication and delivery;

(iv) copies of certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted on May 21, 2015 and copies of certain resolutions of a Pricing Committee comprised of officers of the Company established by the Company’s Board of Directors adopted on May 28, 2015, each certified by Stacy S. Ingram, Assistant Secretary of the Company;

 

 

Atlanta • Brussels • Charlotte • Dallas • Los Angeles • New  York • Research Triangle • Silicon Valley • Ventura County • Washington, D.C.

 


The Home Depot, Inc.

June 2, 2015

Page 2

 

(v) an Authentication Order dated June 2, 2015 executed by Dwaine A. Kimmet, as Treasurer and Senior Vice President — Payments of the Company;

(vi) an Officers’ Certificate of Carol B. Tomé, as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Corporate Services of the Company, and Dwaine A. Kimmet, as Treasurer and Senior Vice President — Payments of the Company, dated June 2, 2015;

(vii) a Secretary’s Certificate of Stacy S. Ingram, Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated June 2, 2015; and

(viii) the documents delivered at the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement.

We have also examined such other agreements, instruments and other documents and such certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials, and have made such examination of law, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes hereof.

As to certain factual matters, but not conclusions of law, we have relied upon the representations and warranties of the parties to the Transaction Documents and upon certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials. Except as otherwise expressly set forth, we have made no independent examination of facts, review of court records or other public records, or factual investigation for the purposes of this opinion letter.

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed (i) the genuineness of all signatures; (ii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals; (iii) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed, photostatic, electronic or telefacsimile copies; (iv) the legal capacity of all natural persons; and (v) the due authorization, execution, and delivery of and the validity and binding effect of the Transaction Documents with regard to the parties to the Transaction Documents other than the Company.

We express no opinion herein in respect of any laws other than the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the laws of the State of New York that, in our experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the other assumptions, exceptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Notes have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and, when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.


The Home Depot, Inc.

June 2, 2015

Page 3

 

The foregoing opinion is subject to the effects of (i) bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservatorship, and similar laws, and limitations imposed under judicial decisions, related to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally, (ii) general equitable principles, regardless of whether the issue of enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and principles limiting the availability of the remedy of specific performance, (iii) concepts of good faith, fair dealing, materiality and reasonableness, and (iv) the possible unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions providing for exculpation, indemnification and contribution that are contrary to public policy.

The opinion contained herein is limited to the matters expressly stated herein, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the opinion expressly stated.

The foregoing opinion is rendered as of the date hereof, and we make no undertaking and expressly disclaim any duty to supplement or update such opinion if, after the date hereof, facts or circumstances come to our attention or changes in the law occur which could affect such opinion.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter with the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K being filed on the date hereof and incorporated by reference into the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-183621) related to the Notes, including information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B of the Commission (the “Registration Statement”). We also hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

ALSTON & BIRD LLP
By:

/s/ M. Hill Jeffries

    A Partner