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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): September 10, 2021

 

 

BROADSTONE NET LEASE, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Maryland   001-39529   26-1516177
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
  (Commission
File Number)
  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

800 Clinton Square  
Rochester, New York   14604
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 585 287-6500

(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:

 

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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange
on which registered

Common Stock, $0.00025 par value   BNL   The New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☒

 

 

 


Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information set forth in Item 2.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

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

On September 15, 2021, Broadstone Net Lease, LLC (the “Issuer”), the operating partnership of Broadstone Net Lease, Inc. (the “Company”), closed an underwritten public offering of $375 million aggregate principal amount of its 2.600% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”).

The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed (the “Guarantee”) by the Company (in such capacity, the “Guarantor”). The terms of the Notes are governed by an indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”), by and among the Issuer, the Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a first supplemental indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “First Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), by and among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee. The Indenture contains various restrictive covenants, including requirements to maintain a certain percentage of total unencumbered assets by the Company. Copies of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, including the form of Notes and the Guarantee, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference, are attached as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Under certain circumstances, the Indenture will require certain of the Company’s subsidiaries (other than the OP) to guarantee the Notes in the future if, and for so long as, such subsidiary, directly or indirectly, guarantees or otherwise becomes obligated in respect of the Issuer’s revolving credit facility, senior unsecured notes and unsecured term loans.

The purchase price paid by the underwriters for the Notes was 99.166% of the principal amount thereof. The Notes are the Issuer’s senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of the Issuer’s other existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness. However, the Notes are effectively subordinated in right of payment to: (i) all of the Issuer’s existing and future mortgage indebtedness and other secured indebtedness (to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness); (ii) all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities, whether secured or unsecured, of the Issuer’s subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes and of any entity the Issuer accounts for using the equity method of accounting; and (iii) all preferred equity not owned by the Issuer, if any, in any of the Issuer’s subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes and in any entity the Issuer accounts for using the equity method of accounting. The Notes bear interest at 2.600% per annum. Interest is payable on March 15 and September 15 of each year, beginning March 15, 2022, until the maturity date of September 15, 2031.

The Notes will be redeemable in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the Issuer’s option, at a redemption price equal to the sum of:

 

   

100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to, but not including, the redemption date; and

 

   

a make-whole premium calculated in accordance with the Indenture.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any of the Notes are redeemed on or after June 15, 2031 (three months prior to the maturity date of the Notes), the redemption price will not include a make-whole premium.

Certain events are considered events of default, which may result in the accelerated maturity of the Notes, including:

 

   

default for 30 days in the payment of any installment of interest under the Notes;

 

   

default in the payment of the principal amount or any other portion of the redemption price due with respect to the Notes, when the same becomes due and payable;

 

   

failure by the Issuer or the Guarantor to comply with any of the Issuer’s or the Guarantor’s respective other agreements in the Notes, the Guarantee or the Indenture with respect to the Notes upon receipt by the Issuer of notice of such default by the Trustee or by holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding and the Issuer’s failure to cure (or obtain a waiver of) such default within 60 days after the Issuer receives such notice;

 

   

failure to pay any Debt (as defined in the Indenture) (other than Non-Recourse Debt (as defined in the Indenture)) for monies borrowed by the Issuer, the Company or any of their respective Significant Subsidiaries (as defined in the


 

Indenture) in an outstanding principal amount in excess of $50.0 million at final maturity or upon acceleration after the expiration of any applicable grace period, which Debt (other than Non-Recourse Debt) is, or has become, the primary obligation of the Issuer or the Company and is not discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration is not cured or rescinded, within 60 days after written notice to the Issuer from the Trustee (or to the Issuer and the Trustee from holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes);

 

   

the Guarantee of the Guarantor ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of the Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or the Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Indenture or its Guarantee, except by reason of the release of such Guarantee in accordance with provisions of the Indenture; or

 

   

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or court appointment of a receiver, liquidator or trustee of the Issuer or the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary or all or substantially all of their respective property.

The descriptions of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture in this Current Report on Form 8-K are summaries and are qualified in their entirety by the terms of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, respectively.

The Notes were offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 23, 2021 (Registration Nos. 333-257317 and 333-257317-01), a base prospectus, dated June 23, 2021, and a prospectus supplement, dated September 10, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On September 10, 2021, the Issuer and the Guarantor entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Truist Securities, Inc. and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, with respect to the offering of the Notes, which will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)

Exhibits

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2021, by and among Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., Broadstone Net Lease, LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Truist Securities, Inc. and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto.
4.1    Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021, among the Issuer, the Company and the Trustee, including the form of the Guarantee.
4.2    First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021, among the Issuer, the Company and the Trustee, including the form of the Notes.
5.1    Opinion of Ballard Spahr LLP.
5.2    Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP.
23.1    Consent of Ballard Spahr LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
23.2    Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2).
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.


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 thereunto duly authorized.

 

  BROADSTONE NET LEASE, INC.
By:  

/s/ Ryan M. Albano

  Name: Ryan M. Albano
  Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Date: September 15, 2021

Exhibit 1.1

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC

2.600% Senior Notes due 2031

Underwriting Agreement

September 10, 2021

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC,

Truist Securities, Inc., and

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

As Representatives of the

   several Underwriters listed

   in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

c/o Truist Securities, Inc.

3333 Peachtree Road NE, 11th Floor

Atlanta, Georgia 30326

c/o U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

214 N. Tryon St., 26th Floor

Charlotte, NC 28202

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, a New York limited liability company and the operating partnership (the “Issuer”), and Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Guarantor,” and together with the Issuer, the “Transaction Parties”), confirm their agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, that the Issuer will issue and sell to the several underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $375,000,000 principal amount of its 2.600% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Securities”). The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture to be dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”) among the Transaction Parties and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended by a Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Securities will be guaranteed on a senior basis by the Guarantor (the “Guarantee”).


Each of the Transaction Parties, jointly and severally, hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

1.    Registration Statement. The Transaction Parties have prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-257317 and 333-257317-01), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities and the Guarantee. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. If the Transaction Parties have filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Transaction Parties had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated September 10, 2021 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto, including a Pricing Term Sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto.

Applicable Time” means 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on September 10, 2021.

2.    Purchase of the Securities. (a) Upon the basis of the warranties and representations herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Issuer agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”), and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Issuer the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.166% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from September 15, 2021 to the Closing Date (as defined below).

 

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(b)    The Transaction Parties understand that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package. The Transaction Parties acknowledge and agree that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

(c)    Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Transaction Parties to the Representatives in the case of the Securities, and closing will take place remotely by electronic exchange of documents and signatures at 10:00 A.M. New York City time on September 15, 2021, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the third business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Transaction Parties may agree upon in writing. The time and date of such payment for the Securities is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.

Payment for the Securities shall be made against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of the several Underwriters of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”) with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Securities duly paid by the Issuer. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives at the office of DTC or its designated custodian not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

(d)    The Transaction Parties acknowledge and agree that the Representatives and the other Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Transaction Parties with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Transaction Parties or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Transaction Parties or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. Each of the Transaction Parties shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representatives nor the other Underwriters shall have any responsibility or liability to the Transaction Parties with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives and the other Underwriters of the Transaction Parties, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representatives and the other Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Transaction Parties.

3.    Representations and Warranties of the Transaction Parties. Each of the Transaction Parties, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a)    Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with

 

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the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Transaction Parties make no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Transaction Parties in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(b)    Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of any Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Transaction Parties make no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Transaction Parties in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

(c)    Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Parties (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to or will prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities or relates to the Guarantee (each such communication by either of the Transaction Parties or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. As of its date, each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and did not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Transaction Parties make

 

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no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Transaction Parties in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(d)    Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act has been received by the Transaction Parties. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against either of the Transaction Parties or related to the offering of the Securities or the issuance of the Guarantee has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Transaction Parties, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Transaction Parties make no representation or warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Transaction Parties in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

(e)    Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and

 

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none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(f)    Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; all disclosures included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable; and the pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(g)    No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Guarantor included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than, in each case as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (1) the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of outstanding stock options and warrants, (2) the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans, including the Broadstone Net Lease, Inc. 2020 Omnibus Equity and Incentive Plan, (3) the potential obligation of the Transaction Parties to pay additional earnout consideration in connection with the internalization transaction consummated in connection with the Guarantor’s initial

 

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public offering (the “Internalization”) and (4) any dividend or distribution of any kind contemplated, declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by either of the Transaction Parties on any class of its capital stock, in the case of the Guarantor, or on the membership units (“OP Units”) of the Issuer, non-controlling interests, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries, or other form of ownership interests, as applicable, or any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the business, the real properties owned or leased by the Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries (collectively, the “Properties”), management, results of operations, financial condition or stockholders’ equity of the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Transaction Parties nor any of their respective subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent (including off-balance sheet obligations), that is material to the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Transaction Parties nor any of their respective subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(h)    Organization and Good Standing of the Guarantor. The Guarantor has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and has all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the business in which it is engaged, as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, Properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Transaction Parties of their obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(i)    Organization and Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each significant subsidiary of the Guarantor (including, without limitation, the Issuer) has been duly organized or formed, as applicable, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such qualification, and has all corporate, trust, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged, as described in the

 

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Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Guarantor does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Guarantor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year and certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a significant subsidiary. The only “significant subsidiaries” of the Guarantor within the meaning of Section 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Exchange Act are (1) the Issuer and (2) the Guarantor’s taxable REIT subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(j)    Capitalization. The Guarantor has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Guarantor have been duly and validly authorized and issued and, are fully paid and non-assessable, are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights and have been offered and sold in compliance with U.S. federal and applicable state securities laws; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Guarantor or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options, except the potential earnout consideration payable in connection with the Internalization; the capital stock of the Guarantor conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary (including, without limitation, all of the issued and outstanding OP Units) owned, directly or indirectly, by the Guarantor have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are owned directly or indirectly by the Guarantor, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

(k)    Due Authorization. Each of the Transaction Parties has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (including the Guarantee set forth therein) (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents, and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby has been duly and validly taken.

(l)    Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Transaction Parties.

 

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(m)    The Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Transaction Parties and on the Closing Date will be duly executed and delivered by the Transaction Parties and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Transaction Parties enforceable against the Transaction Parties in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”); and on the Closing Date the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

(n)    The Securities and the Guarantee. The Securities to be issued and sold by the Issuer hereunder have been duly authorized by the Issuer and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Issuer enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture; and the Guarantee has been duly authorized by the Guarantor and, when the Guarantee has been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be a valid and legally binding obligation of the Guarantor, enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

(o)    OP Agreement and Ownership of OP Units. The Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Issuer (the “Operating Partnership Agreement”) is in full force and effect.

(p)    Description of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

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

 

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(r)    No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Transaction Parties of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities, the issuance of the Guarantee, the compliance by the Transaction Parties with the terms of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, result in the termination, modification or acceleration of, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, right or asset of either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is bound or to which any property, right or asset of either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation, default, lien, charge or encumbrance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(s)    No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Transaction Parties of any of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities, the issuance of the Guarantee, the compliance by the Transaction Parties with the terms of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for (i) the registration of the Securities and the Guarantee under the Securities Act, (ii) the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act and (iii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities and the Guarantee by the Underwriters.

(t)    Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (“Actions”) pending to which either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such Actions are threatened or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Registration

 

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Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

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

(v)    Title to Real and Personal Property. (i) The Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries have good and marketable fee simple title to, or leasehold interest under a lease in, the Properties, in each case, free and clear of all security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens, encumbrances, claims or equities of any kind other than those that (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such Property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such Property by the Transaction Parties and any of their respective subsidiaries; (ii) except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, each of the leases under which a Transaction Party or one of its subsidiaries is a tenant relating to a Property are in full force and effect, and (A) no default or event of default has occurred under any such lease with respect to such Property and none of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of any event which, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under such lease and (B) none of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries under any of the leases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Transaction Parties and any of their respective subsidiaries to the continued possession of the leased premises under any such lease; (iii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no tenant under any of the leases of the Properties to which a Transaction Party or any of its subsidiaries is a party (as a landlord) (the “Leases”) has a right of first refusal or an option to purchase any Property, which, if exercised, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) the Transaction Parties have no actual knowledge that any Property fails to comply with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to such Property), except for such failures to comply that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (v) no mortgage or deed of trust encumbering any Property is convertible into ownership interests in a Transaction Party or any of its subsidiaries; and (vi) none of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the

 

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knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any lessee under a Lease is in default under any of the Leases and none of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries knows of any event which, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of the Leases, except, in each case, for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(w)    Intellectual Property. (i) The Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries own or have the right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, domain names and other source indicators, copyrights and copyrightable works, know-how, trade secrets, systems, procedures, proprietary or confidential information and all other worldwide intellectual property, industrial property and proprietary rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) used in the conduct of their respective businesses; (ii) to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, the Transaction Parties’ and their respective subsidiaries’ conduct of their respective businesses does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property of any person; (iii) the Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim relating to Intellectual Property; and (iv) to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, the Intellectual Property of the Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries is not being infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any person.

(x)    No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among either of the Transaction Parties or any of their subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers, suppliers or other affiliates of the Transaction Parties or any of their subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

(y)    Investment Company Act. Neither of the Transaction Parties is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

(z)    Taxes. The Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof, except for any taxes which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP, or where the failure to pay or file would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse

 

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Effect, there is no tax deficiency that has been asserted in writing against the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

(aa)    Licenses and Permits. The Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Parties nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization or has actual knowledge that any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(bb)    No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, is contemplated or threatened, and neither of the Transaction Parties are aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(cc)    Certain Environmental Matters. Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) the Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries (x) are in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws (including common law), rules, regulations, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and other legally enforceable requirements relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety (as it relates to exposure to hazardous or toxic substances), the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (y) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under any Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (z) have not received written notice of any actual or potential liability or obligation under or relating to, or any actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, there are no costs or liabilities arising under Environmental Laws of or relating to the Transaction Parties or their respective subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) except as described in each of the Pricing Disclosure

 

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Package and the Prospectus, (x) there is no proceeding involving potential monetary sanctions that is pending, or that is known to be contemplated, against the Transaction Parties or their respective subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceeding regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Transaction Parties and their respective subsidiaries and (z) none of the Transaction Parties or their respective subsidiaries anticipates that material capital expenditures for environmental control facilities will be required in the current or succeeding fiscal years or in any further periods as may be material.

(dd)    Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Guarantor or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Guarantor within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Guarantor under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any “benefit plan investor” within the meaning of the Department of Labor regulation at 29 C.F.R. § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; and (iv) none of the Guarantor or any member of its Controlled Group (A) has any liability under Title IV of ERISA or (B) sponsors, maintains or contributes to any Plan, or has any obligation to sponsor, maintain or contribute to any Plan, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (iv) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

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

 

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(ff)    Accounting Controls. The Guarantor and its subsidiaries maintain a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to comply with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Guarantor and its subsidiaries maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Based on the Guarantor’s most recent evaluation of its internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Rule 13a-15(c) of the Exchange Act, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Guarantor’s internal controls. The Guarantor’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Guarantor have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Transaction Parties’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Guarantor’s internal controls over financial reporting.

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

 

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(hh)    Cybersecurity; Data Protection. The Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses, and, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost, liability or obligation, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

(ii)    No Unlawful Payments. Neither of the Transaction Parties nor any of their respective subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, or any employee of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Guarantor and its subsidiaries will not use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder in furtherance of an offer, promise, or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit in violation of any applicable anti-bribery or anti-

 

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corruption laws. The Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.

(jj)    Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Transaction Parties or any of their subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-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 Transaction Parties or any of their subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, threatened.

(kk)    No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws. Neither the Transaction Parties nor any of their respective subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties, any employee of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Transaction Parties or any of their subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is either of the Transaction Parties or any of their subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and neither the Issuer nor the Guarantor will directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Transaction Parties and their subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, and are not now knowingly engaged in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

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(ll)    No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. No subsidiary of the Guarantor (including the Issuer) is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Issuer or the Guarantor, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Issuer or the Guarantor any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Issuer or the Guarantor or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Issuer or the Guarantor or any other subsidiary of the Issuer or the Guarantor.

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

(nn)    No Registration Rights. Except for that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated February 7, 2020, among the Guarantor, the Trident Owners, and the Founding Owners, no person has the right to require either of the Transaction Parties or their respective subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.

(oo)    No Stabilization. Neither of the Transaction Parties nor any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

(pp)    Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Issuer as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

(qq)    Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Transaction Parties that has caused either of the Transaction Parties to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(rr)    Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of either of the Transaction Parties or any of their respective directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with which the Guarantor is required to comply, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

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(ss)    Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Issuer or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Issuer was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Issuer has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act or will pay such fee within the time period required by such rule (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

(tt)    Accurate Disclosure. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities” and insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, the Guarantee and the Indenture, and under the captions “Restrictions on Ownership” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, and subject to the limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects.

(uu)    Real Estate Investment Trust. Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2008, the Guarantor has been organized and has operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, and its form of organization and proposed method of operation, as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will enable it to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and no actions have been taken or are planned to be taken (or not taken which are required to be taken) which would cause such qualification or method of taxation to be lost. Each of the Guarantor’s corporate subsidiaries that has elected, together with the Guarantor, to be a taxable REIT subsidiary of the Guarantor is in compliance with all requirements applicable to a “taxable REIT subsidiary” within the meaning of Section 856(l) of the Code and all applicable regulations under the Code, and no actions have been taken or are planned to be taken (or not taken which are required to be taken) which would cause such qualification to be lost. Each of the Guarantor’s subsidiaries that is not a “taxable REIT subsidiary” of the Guarantor is a disregarded entity or a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. All statements regarding the Guarantor’s qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Guarantor’s organization and proposed method of operation set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are accurate in all material respects.

4.    Further Agreements of the Transaction Parties. Each of the Transaction Parties jointly and severally covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a)    Required Filings. The Transaction Parties will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Transaction Parties will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to

 

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be filed by them with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Transaction Parties will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Transaction Parties will pay the registration fee for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

(b)    Delivery of Copies. The Transaction Parties will deliver, upon request and without charge, (i) to the Representatives, three signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c)    Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective, the Transaction Parties will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object in a timely manner.

(d)    Notice to the Representatives. The Transaction Parties will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing (which may be by electronic mail), (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed or distributed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by

 

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the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by either of the Transaction Parties of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (vii) of the receipt by either of the Transaction Parties of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Parties the initiation or, threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and each of the Transaction Parties will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e)    Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Transaction Parties will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with applicable law, the Transaction Parties will promptly

 

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notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.

(f)    Blue Sky Compliance. If required by applicable law, the Transaction Parties will qualify the Securities and the Guarantee for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that neither of the Transaction Parties shall be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g)    Earning Statement. The Guarantor will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Guarantor occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

(h)    Clear Market. During the period from the date hereof through and including the Closing Date, neither Transaction Party will offer, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by either of the Transaction Parties and having a tenor of more than one year without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than the Securities to be sold hereunder.

(i)    Use of Proceeds. The Issuer will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”

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

(k)    Reports. During the period ending five years following the date of this Agreement, so long as the Securities are outstanding, the Transaction Parties will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or

 

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other) furnished to holders of the Securities, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Transaction Parties will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) system.

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

(n)    Real Estate Investment Trust. The Guarantor will use its best efforts to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2021 and its subsequent taxable years, unless the Guarantor’s Board of Directors determines in good faith that it is no longer in the best interest of the Guarantor and its stockholders to so qualify.

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

(a)    It has not used, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Guarantor and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Guarantor) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Guarantor in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use the Pricing Term Sheet referred to in Annex C hereto without the consent of the Transaction Parties.

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

 

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

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

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

(c)    No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any debt securities, convertible securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by either of the Transaction Parties or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

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

(e)    Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Guarantor and one additional senior executive officer of the Guarantor who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Transaction Parties in this Agreement are true and correct and that each Transaction Party has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

 

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

(ii) On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, the Transaction Parties shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, of the Guarantor’s chief financial officer with respect to certain financial data contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, providing “management comfort” with respect to such information, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(g)    Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Transaction Parties. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Transaction Parties, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Transaction Parties, their written opinions and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex B-1 and Annex B-2 hereto.

(h)    Opinion of Maryland Counsel for the Transaction Parties. Ballard Spahr LLP, Maryland counsel for the Transaction Parties, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Transaction Parties, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex B-3 hereto.

(i)    Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date, an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Clifford Chance US LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

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

 

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(k)    Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Transaction Parties and the subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 hereto in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(l)    Indenture and Securities. The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by duly authorized officers of each of the Transaction Parties and the Trustee, and the Securities and the Guarantee shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Issuer and the Guarantor, respectively, and duly authenticated by the Trustee.

(m)    Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Transaction Parties shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

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

7.    Indemnification and Contribution.

(a)    Indemnification of the Underwriters by the Transaction Parties. Each of the Transaction Parties, jointly and severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”) or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Transaction Parties in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in paragraph (b) below.

 

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(c)    Indemnification of the Transaction Parties. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Transaction Parties, the Guarantor’s directors, the Guarantor’s officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls either of the Transaction Parties within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred) that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Transaction Parties in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter under the caption “Underwriting”: (i) the names of the Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities, (ii) the concession figure appearing in the fifth paragraph thereunder and (iii) the information regarding stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids appearing in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth paragraphs thereunder.

(d)    Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 7. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall

 

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pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the Indemnified Person and the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable and documented fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Transaction Parties, the Guarantor’s directors, the Guarantor’s officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of either of the Transaction Parties shall be designated in writing by the Guarantor. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(e)    Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) or (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Transaction Parties, on the one hand,

 

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and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Transaction Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Transaction Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Transaction Parties from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Transaction Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Transaction Parties or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(f)    Limitation on Liability. The Transaction Parties and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) above were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any reasonable and documented legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

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

8.    Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.

 

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

10.    Defaulting Underwriter.

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

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

(c)    If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Transaction Parties as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that

 

30


remain unpurchased on the Closing Date, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, or if the Transaction Parties shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Transaction Parties, except that the Transaction Parties will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

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

11.    Payment of Expenses.

(a)    Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, each of the Transaction Parties, jointly and severally, will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and the Guarantee and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Transaction Parties’ counsel and independent accountants; (iv) up to $5,000 of the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the reasonable and documented related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vi) the filing fees and all expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA, including the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in an amount up to $30,000; (vii) all expenses incurred by the Transaction Parties in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors (1) any travel expenses of the Transaction Parties’ officers and employees and (2) any other expenses of the Transaction Parties; and (viii) all fees and expenses of the Trustee and its counsel. It is understood, however, that, except as otherwise provided in this Section 11, the Underwriters will pay all fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters.

(b)    If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Transaction Parties for any reason fail to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, each of the Transaction Parties, jointly and severally, agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their external counsel but not in-house counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

 

31


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

13.    Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Transaction Parties and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Transaction Parties or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Transaction Parties or the Underwriters or the directors, officers, controlling persons or affiliates referred to in Section 7 hereof.

14.    Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; and (d) the term “significant subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

15.    Compliance with USA 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 Transaction Parties, 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.

16.    Miscellaneous.

(a)    Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Truist Securities, Inc., and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC Truist Securities, Inc., and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b)    Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: (212) 270-1063); Attention: Legal Department; Truist Securities, Inc. 3333 Peachtree Road NE, 11th Floor Atlanta, Georgia 30326; and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. 214 N. Tryon St., 26th Floor Charlotte, NC 28202. Notices to the Transaction Parties shall be given to them c/o Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., 800 Clinton Square, Rochester, New York, 14604 (e-mail: john.callan@broadstone.com); Attention: John D. Callan Jr., Senior Vice President & General Counsel.

 

32


(c)    Governing Law. This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

(d)    Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the Transaction Parties hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the Transaction Parties waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. Each of the Transaction Parties agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Transaction Parties and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which the Transaction Party is subject by a suit upon such judgment.

(e)    Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

(f)    Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(i) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(ii) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

As used in this Section 16(g):

BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

Covered Entity” means any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

33


(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

(g)    Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by e-mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com) or facsimile transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

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

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

 

34


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

 

Very truly yours,
BROADSTONE NET LEASE, INC.
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Czarnecki

  Name: Christopher J. Czarnecki
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer
BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC
By:   Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.,
  its Managing Member
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Czarnecki

  Name: Christopher J. Czarnecki
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted: As of the date first written above
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
For itself and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
By:  

/s/ Steven L. Sheiner

  Name:   Steven L. Sheiner
  Title:   Executive Director
TRUIST SECURITIES, INC.
For itself and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
By:  

/s/ Robert Nordlinger

  Name:   Robert Nordlinger
  Title:   Director
U.S. BANCORP INVESTMENTS, INC.
For itself and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
By:  

/s/ Charles P. Carpenter

  Name:   Charles P. Carpenter
  Title:   Director

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

   Principal Amount of Securities  

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

   $ 90,000,000  

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

   $ 60,000,000  

Truist Securities, Inc.

   $ 60,000,000  

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

   $ 37,500,000  

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

   $ 37,500,000  

M&T Securities, Inc.

   $ 22,500,000  

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

   $ 22,500,000  

Capital One Securities, Inc.

   $ 11,250,000  

KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.

   $ 11,250,000  

Regions Securities LLC

   $ 11,250,000  

TD Securities (USA) LLC

   $ 11,250,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 375,000,000  

 

Sch. 1-1


Schedule 2

Subsidiaries of the Guarantor

Broadstone Net Lease TRS, LLC

 

Sch. 2-1


Annex A

(a) Pricing Disclosure Package

Preliminary Prospectus dated September 10, 2021 and the information set forth in (b) below.

(b) Pricing Term Sheet, dated September 10, 2021, substantially in the form of Annex C

 

Annex A-1


Annex B-1

[Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Transaction Parties]

 

Annex B-1-1


Annex B-2

[Form of Tax Opinion of Counsel for the Transaction Parties]

 

Annex B-2-1


Annex B-3

[Form of Opinion of Maryland Counsel for the Guarantor]

 

Annex B-3-1


Annex C

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration Statement Nos. 333-257317 and

333-257317-01

Relating to Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated September 10, 2021

to Prospectus dated June 23, 2021

Pricing Term Sheet

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC

$375 million 2.600% Senior Notes due 2031

September 10, 2021

 

Issuer:   Broadstone Net Lease, LLC
State of Formation:   New York
Guarantor:   Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.
Expected Ratings*   [Intentionally Omitted]
Security:   2.600% Senior Notes due 2031
Aggregate Principal Amount:   $375,000,000
Maturity Date:   September 15, 2031
Interest Rate:   2.600% per annum
Interest Payment Dates:   March 15 and September 15, commencing March 15, 2022
Price to Public:   99.816% of the aggregate principal amount
Yield to Maturity:   2.621%
Benchmark Treasury:   UST 1.250% due August 15, 2031
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:   T + 128 basis points
Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield:   99-05 / 1.341%
Optional Redemption:   Prior to June 15, 2031 (three months prior to the Maturity Date of the Notes), “make-whole” redemption at the Adjusted Treasury Rate (as defined) plus 20 basis points (calculated as though the actual Maturity Date of the Notes was June 15, 2031), plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date. On and after

 

Annex C-1


  June 15, 2031 (three months prior to the Maturity Date of the Notes), at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date. See the preliminary prospectus supplement for the definition of “Adjusted Treasury Rate” and for further terms and provisions applicable to optional redemption and the calculation of the redemption price.
Trade Date:   September 10, 2021
Settlement Date:   September 15, 2021 (T+3); under Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the Notes prior to the date that is two business days preceding the settlement date will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Notes initially settle in T+3 to specify an alternate settlement arrangement at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the Notes who wish to trade the Notes during such period should consult their advisors.
CUSIP / ISIN:   11135EAA2 / US11135EAA29
Minimum denomination   $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof
Joint Book-Running Managers  

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Truist Securities, Inc.

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

M&T Securities, Inc

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Co-Managers  

Capital One Securities, Inc.

KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.

Regions Securities LLC

TD Securities (USA) LLC

 

*

A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be revised or withdrawn at any time. Each of the ratings above should be evaluated independently of any other security rating.

 

Annex C-2


The issuer and guarantor have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and a preliminary prospectus supplement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and the preliminary prospectus supplement and other documents the issuer and guarantor have filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and guarantor 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, the guarantor, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by contacting: J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at 1-212-834-4533; Truist Securities, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-685-4786; or U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. toll-free at (877) 558-2607. 

 

Annex C-3

Exhibit 4.1

BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC

INDENTURE

Dated as of September 15, 2021

U.S. Bank National Association

Trustee


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     1  

Section 1.1

 

Definitions

     1

Section 1.2

 

Other Definitions

     5

Section 1.3

 

Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act

     5

Section 1.4

 

Rules of Construction

     5

ARTICLE II THE SECURITIES

     6  

Section 2.1

 

Issuable in Series

     6

Section 2.2

 

Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities

     6

Section 2.3

 

Execution and Authentication

     8

Section 2.4

 

Registrar and Paying Agent

     9

Section 2.5

 

Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust

     10

Section 2.6

 

Securityholder Lists

     10

Section 2.7

 

Transfer and Exchange

     11

Section 2.8

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

     11

Section 2.9

 

Outstanding Securities

     12

Section 2.10

 

Treasury Securities

     12

Section 2.11

 

Temporary Securities

     12

Section 2.12

 

Cancellation

     13

Section 2.13

 

Defaulted Interest

     13

Section 2.14

 

Global Securities

     13

Section 2.15

 

CUSIP Numbers

     15

ARTICLE III REDEMPTION

     15  

Section 3.1

 

Notice to Trustee

     15

Section 3.2

 

Selection of Securities to be Redeemed

     15

Section 3.3

 

Notice of Redemption

     16

Section 3.4

 

Effect of Notice of Redemption

     16

Section 3.5

 

Deposit of Redemption Price

     17

Section 3.6

 

Securities Redeemed in Part

     17

ARTICLE IV COVENANTS

     17  

Section 4.1

 

Payment of Principal and Interest

     17

Section 4.2

 

SEC Reports

     17

Section 4.3

 

Compliance Certificate

     18

Section 4.4

 

Stay, Extension and Usury Laws

     18

ARTICLE V SUCCESSORS

     18  

Section 5.1

 

When Company May Merge, Etc.

     18

Section 5.2

 

Successor Corporation Substituted

     19

Section 5.3

 

Managing Member May Consolidate on Certain Terms

     19

Section 5.4

 

Managing Member Successor to Be Substituted

     19

 

i


ARTICLE VI DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     20  

Section 6.1

 

Events of Default

     20

Section 6.2

 

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

     21

Section 6.3

 

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     22

Section 6.4

 

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     22

Section 6.5

 

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

     23

Section 6.6

 

Application of Money Collected

     23

Section 6.7

 

Limitation on Suits

     24

Section 6.8

 

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest

     24

Section 6.9

 

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     24

Section 6.10

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     25

Section 6.11

 

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     25

Section 6.12

 

Control by Holders

     25

Section 6.13

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

     26

Section 6.14

 

Undertaking for Costs

     26

ARTICLE VII TRUSTEE

     26  

Section 7.1

 

Duties of Trustee

     26

Section 7.2

 

Rights of Trustee

     27

Section 7.3

 

Individual Rights of Trustee

     29

Section 7.4

 

Trustee’s Disclaimer

     29

Section 7.5

 

Notice of Defaults

     29

Section 7.6

 

Reports by Trustee to Holders

     29

Section 7.7

 

Compensation and Indemnity

     29  

Section 7.8

 

Replacement of Trustee

     30

Section 7.9

 

Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

     31

Section 7.10

 

Eligibility; Disqualification

     31

Section 7.11

 

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

     31

ARTICLE VIII SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

     32  

Section 8.1

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     32

Section 8.2

 

Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification

     33

Section 8.3

 

Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series

     33

Section 8.4

 

Covenant Defeasance

     35

Section 8.5

 

Repayment to Company

     36

Section 8.6

 

Reinstatement

     36

ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

     36  

Section 9.1

 

Without Consent of Holders

     36

Section 9.2

 

With Consent of Holders

     37

Section 9.3

 

Limitations

     38

Section 9.4

 

Compliance with Trust Indenture Act

     38

Section 9.5

 

Revocation and Effect of Consents

     38

Section 9.6

 

Notation on or Exchange of Securities

     39

Section 9.7

 

Trustee Protected

     39

 

ii


ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS

     39  

Section 10.1

 

Trust Indenture Act Controls

     39

Section 10.2

 

Notices

     40

Section 10.3

 

Communication by Holders with Other Holders

     41

Section 10.4

 

Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

     41

Section 10.5

 

Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

     41

Section 10.6

 

Rules by Trustee and Agents

     42

Section 10.7

 

Legal Holidays

     42

Section 10.8

 

No Recourse Against Others

     42

Section 10.9

 

Counterparts

     42

Section 10.10

 

Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction

     43

Section 10.11

 

No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements

     43

Section 10.12

 

Successors

     44

Section 10.13

 

Severability

     44

Section 10.14

 

Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

     44

Section 10.15

 

Securities in a Foreign Currency

     44

Section 10.16

 

Judgment Currency

     44

Section 10.17

 

Force Majeure

     45

Section 10.18

 

U.S.A. Patriot Act

     45

ARTICLE XI SINKING FUNDS

     45  

Section 11.1

 

Applicability of Article

     45

Section 11.2

 

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

     46

Section 11.3

 

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

     46

ARTICLE XII GUARANTEE

     47  

Section 12.1

 

Unconditional Guarantee

     47

Section 12.2

 

Execution and Delivery of Notation of Guarantee

     48

Section 12.3

 

Limitation on Guarantors’ Liability

     48

Section 12.4

 

Release of Guarantors from Guarantee

     49

 

iii


BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and

Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021

 

§ 310(a)(1)

     7.10

(a)(2)

     7.10

(a)(3)

     Not Applicable

(a)(4)

     Not Applicable

(a)(5)

     7.10

(b)

     7.10

§ 311(a)

     7.11

(b)

     7.11

(c)

     Not Applicable

§ 312(a)

     2.6

(b)

     10.3

(c)

     10.3

§ 313(a)

     7.6

(b)(1)

     7.6

(b)(2)

     7.6

(c)(1)

     7.6

(d)

     7.6

§ 314(a)

     4.2, 10.5

(b)

     Not Applicable

(c)(1)

     10.4

(c)(2)

     10.4

(c)(3)

     Not Applicable

(d)

     Not Applicable

(e)

     10.5

(f)

     Not Applicable

§ 315(a)

     7.1

(b)

     7.5

(c)

     7.1

(d)

     7.1

(e)

     6.14

§ 316(a)

     2.10

(a)(1)(A)

     6.12

(a)(1)(B)

     6.13

(b)

     6.8

§ 317(a)(1)

     6.3

(a)(2)

     6.4

(b)

     2.5

§ 318(a)

     10.1

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

 

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Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021, among Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, a New York limited liability company (“Company”), the Guarantors (as defined herein) party hereto and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association organized under the laws of the United States, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Section 1.1    Definitions.

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

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

Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent.

Board of Directors” means, for any person, the board of directors or other governing body of such person or, if such person does not have such a board of directors or other governing body, or is owned or managed by a single entity, the board of directors or other governing body of such entity or, in either case, any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board of directors or other governing body. Unless otherwise provided, “Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Managing Member.

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by an Officer, to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York, New York (or in connection with any payment, the place of payment) on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Capital Stock” means (a) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock; (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated and whether or not voting) of corporate stock, including each class of common stock and preferred stock of such person; and (c) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited).

 

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Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.

Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by an Officer.

Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business related to this Indenture shall be principally administered, which office at the date of the Indenture is located at the address set forth in Section 10.2, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company.

CUSIP” means the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures and will be used pursuant to Section 2.15.

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

Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of such Series.

Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Dollars” and “$” means the currency of The United States of America.

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

Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of the United States of America, including the Euro.

Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect as of the date of determination.

 

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Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depositary for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.

Guarantor” means each person that executes this Indenture as a guarantor and its respective successors and assigns, in each case until the Guarantee (as defined in Section 12.1) of such person has been released in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture; provided, however, that such person shall be a Guarantor only with respect to a Series of Securities for which such person has executed a Notation of Guarantee with respect to such Series.

Holder” or “Securityholder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered.

Indenture” means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

Managing Member” means Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., in its capacity as managing member of the Company, and, subject to the provisions of Article V, its successor and assigns.

Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

Notation of Guarantee” means a notation, substantially in the form of Exhibit A, executed by a Guarantor and affixed to each Security of any Series to which the Guarantee of such Guarantor under Article XII of this Indenture applies.

Officer” means, in respect of any person, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and any Senior Vice President of such person.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer, which complies with Section 10.4.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company. The opinion may contain customary limitations, conditions and exceptions.

Parent” means Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

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

 

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principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.

Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office having responsibility for administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter relating to this Indenture is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however, that, if at any time there is more than one person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities” with respect to any such person shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any Series as to which such person is not Trustee.

Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.

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

Subsidiary” of any specified person means any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that person or a combination thereof.

TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.

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

U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are direct obligations of, or guaranteed by, The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depositary receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.

 

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Section 1.2    Other Definitions.

 

TERM    DEFINED IN SECTION  

Bankruptcy Law

     6.1  

Custodian

     6.1  

Event of Default

     6.1  

Guarantee

     12.1(b)  

Judgment Currency

     10.16  

Legal Holiday

     10.7  

mandatory sinking fund payment

     11.1  

New York Banking Day

     10.16  

Notice Agent

     2.4  

optional sinking fund payment

     11.1  

Paying Agent

     2.4  

Registrar

     2.4  

Required Currency

     10.16  

Specified Courts

     10.10  

successor person

     5.1  

Section 1.3    Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

Commission” means the SEC.

indenture securities” means the Securities.

indenture security holder” means a Securityholder.

indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.

obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.

Section 1.4    Rules of Construction.

Unless the context otherwise requires:

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

 

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

(c)    “or” is not exclusive;

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

(e)    provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

ARTICLE II

THE SECURITIES

Section 2.1    Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officer’s Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

Section 2.2    Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.

At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2.1 and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2.2 through 2.2.23) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate:

2.2.1    the title (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series) and ranking (including the terms of any subordination provisions) of the Series;

2.2.2    the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;

2.2.3    any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);

 

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2.2.4    the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

2.2.5    the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

2.2.6    the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;

2.2.7    if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

2.2.8    the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

2.2.9    the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;

2.2.10    if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;

2.2.11    the forms of the Securities of the Series and whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities;

2.2.12    if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.13    the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

2.2.14    the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;

 

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2.2.15    if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;

2.2.16    the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

2.2.17    the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series or the Guarantees;

2.2.18    any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.19    any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;

2.2.20    any Depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein;

2.2.21    the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any Securities of such Series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price, the conversion or exchange period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, at the option of the Holders thereof or at the option of the Company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange if such Series of Securities are redeemed;

2.2.22    any other terms of the Series (which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series), including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of Securities of that Series; and

2.2.23    whether the Securities of such Series are entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee of any Guarantor pursuant to this Indenture, whether any such Guarantee shall be made on a senior or subordinated basis and, if applicable, a description of the subordination terms of any such Guarantee.

All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate referred to above.

Section 2.3    Execution and Authentication.

Any Officer shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual, facsimile or other electronic signature.

 

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

A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.

The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.

Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officer’s Certificate, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents or a committee of Responsible Officers shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.

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

Section 2.4    Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered (“Notice Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in

 

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the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided, however, that any appointment of the Trustee as the Notice Agent shall exclude the appointment of the Trustee or any office of the Trustee as an agent to receive the service of legal process on the Company.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional notice agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional notice agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Notice Agent” includes any additional notice agent. The Company or any of its Affiliates may serve as Registrar or Paying Agent.

The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.

Section 2.5    Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

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

Section 2.6    Securityholder Lists.

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.

 

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Section 2.7    Transfer and Exchange.

Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).

Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business 15 days immediately preceding the sending of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day such notice is sent, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.

Section 2.8    Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (a) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (b) such security or indemnity bond as may be required by each of them to hold itself and any of its agents harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon receipt of a Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

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

Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.

 

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

Section 2.9    Outstanding Securities.

The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date as provided in this Indenture, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

The Company may purchase or otherwise acquire the Securities, whether by open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security (but see Section 2.10 below).

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Section 2.10    Treasury Securities.

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver only Securities of a Series that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

Section 2.11    Temporary Securities.

Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers

 

12


appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon receipt of a Company Order shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.

Section 2.12    Cancellation.

The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy such canceled Securities (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act and the Trustee) and deliver a certificate of such cancellation to the Company upon written request of the Company. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.13    Defaulted Interest.

If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least ten days before the special record date, the Company shall send to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.

Section 2.14    Global Securities.

2.14.1    Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities.

2.14.2    Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee only if (a) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event or (b) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.

 

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Except as provided in this Section 2.14.2, a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary, by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.

2.14.3    Legends. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.”

In addition, so long as the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) is the Depositary, each Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

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

2.14.4    Acts of Holders. The Depositary, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.

2.14.5    Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.

2.14.6    Consents, Declaration and Directions. The Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary

 

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or by the applicable procedures of the Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 2.15    CUSIP Numbers.

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

ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION

Section 3.1    Notice to Trustee.

The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the redemption date and the principal amount of the Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 15 days before the redemption date, unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the Trustee.

Section 3.2    Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Securities of the Series to be redeemed will be selected as follows: (a) if the Securities are in the form of Global Securities, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary; (b) if the Securities are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Securities are listed; or (c) if not otherwise provided for under clause (a) or (b), in the manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, including by lot or other method, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange requirements, subject, in the case of Global Securities, to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Securities to be redeemed shall be selected from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. Portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000 may be selected for redemption. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selected for redemption shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 thereof or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and the authorized integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.

 

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Section 3.3    Notice of Redemption.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall send or cause to be sent by first-class mail or electronically, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed.

The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:

(a)    the redemption date;

(b)    the redemption price;

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

(d)    if any Securities are being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date and upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Security shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Security;

(e)    that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(f)    that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

(g)    the CUSIP number, if any; and

(h)    any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense, provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least five days (unless a shorter time shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the notice date, such notice and an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice.

Section 3.4    Effect of Notice of Redemption.

Once notice of redemption is sent as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. Except as otherwise provided in the supplemental indenture, Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate for a Series, a notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest, if any, to the redemption date.

 

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Section 3.5    Deposit of Redemption Price.

On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.

Section 3.6    Securities Redeemed in Part.

Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same Maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

Section 4.1    Payment of Principal and Interest.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it shall duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture. On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the applicable payment date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of each Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

Section 4.2    SEC Reports.

The Parent shall, so long as any Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Parent is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company and the Parent also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a). Reports, information and documents filed with the SEC via the EDGAR system will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 4.2.

Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under this Section 4.2 are for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates). The Trustee shall have no responsibility for the filing, timeliness or content of any reports, information or documents. The Trustee shall have no obligation to determine whether or not such reports, information or documents have been filed pursuant to the SEC’s EDGAR filing system (or its successor) or postings to any website have occurred, and the Trustee shall have no duty to participate in or monitor any conference calls.

 

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Section 4.3    Compliance Certificate.

The Company and each Guarantor (to the extent that such Guarantor is so required under the TIA) shall, so long as any Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officer’s Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Guarantors, the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officer with a view to determining whether the Company and any Guarantor has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of such Officer’s knowledge the Company and any Guarantor has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which such Officer may have knowledge).

Section 4.4    Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.

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

ARTICLE V

SUCCESSORS

Section 5.1    When Company May Merge, Etc.

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”) unless:

(a)    the Company is the surviving entity or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture;

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

(c)    if the Company is not the successor person, then each Guarantor, unless it has become the successor person, shall confirm that its Guarantee shall continue to apply to the obligations under the Securities and this Indenture to the same extent as prior to such merger, conveyance, transfer or lease, as applicable.

 

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The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officer’s Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.

Notwithstanding the above, any Subsidiary of the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to the Company. Neither an Officer’s Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection therewith.

Section 5.2    Successor Corporation Substituted.

Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

Section 5.3    Managing Member May Consolidate on Certain Terms.

Nothing contained in this Indenture or in the Securities shall prevent any consolidation or merger of the Managing Member with or into any other person or persons (whether or not affiliated with the Managing Member), or successive consolidations or mergers in which the Managing Member will be the continuing entity or the Managing Member or its successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or shall prevent any sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the property of the Managing Member, to any other person (whether or not affiliated with the Managing Member); provided, however, that the following conditions are met:

(a)    the Managing Member shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity (if other than the Managing Member) formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall expressly assume the obligations of the Managing Member under the Guarantee and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions in this Indenture;

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

(c)    the Managing Member or the successor person, in either case, shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate of the Managing Member and Opinion of Counsel, stating that such consolidation, sale, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture comply with this Section 5.3 and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

Section 5.4    Managing Member Successor to Be Substituted.

Upon any consolidation or merger or any sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Managing Member to any person in accordance with Section 5.3, the successor person formed by such consolidation or into which the Managing Member is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Managing Member under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person had been named as the Managing Member herein, and thereafter, the predecessor person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture; provided, however, that the predecessor Managing Member shall not be relieved from the obligation, if any, to guarantee the payment of the principal of and interest on the Securities except in the case of a sale of all or substantially all of the Managing Member’s assets in a transaction that is subject to, and that complies with the provisions of, Section 5.3 hereof.

 

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ARTICLE VI

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.1    Events of Default.

Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

(a)    default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the 30th day of such period); or

(b)    default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or

(c)    default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than defaults pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) above or pursuant to a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(d)    the Company or any Guarantor pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law (as defined below):

(i)    commences a voluntary case,

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

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

 

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

(v)    generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or

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

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

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

(iii)    orders the liquidation of the Company or any Guarantor, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

(f)    any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.18.

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

Section 6.2    Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(d) or (e)) then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration, if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.

 

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

Section 6.3    Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if:

(a)    default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b)    default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or

(c)    default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a Security,

then, the Company and the Guarantors shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

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

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

Section 6.4    Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

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

 

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

(b)    to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.

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

Section 6.5    Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.

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

Section 6.6    Application of Money Collected.

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

 

  First:    To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee (acting in any capacity hereunder) under Section 7.7; and
  Second:    To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and
  Third:    To the Company or the Guarantors, as applicable.

 

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Section 6.7    Limitation on Suits.

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

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

(b)    the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c)    such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by the Trustee in compliance with such request;

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

(e)    no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series; it being understood, intended and expressly covenanted by the Holder of every Security with every other Holder and the Trustee that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders of the applicable Series.

Section 6.8    Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 6.9    Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to

 

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any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 6.10    Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 6.11    Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

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

Section 6.12    Control by Holders.

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that:

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

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

(c)    subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability, and

(d)    prior to taking any action as directed under this Section 6.12, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

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Section 6.13    Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series, by written notice to the Trustee and the Company, waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 6.14    Undertaking for Costs.

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).

ARTICLE VII

TRUSTEE

Section 7.1    Duties of Trustee.

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

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

(i)    The Trustee needs to perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.

(ii)    In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically

 

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required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the form requirements of this Indenture.

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

(i)    This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.

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

(iii)    The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series in accordance with Section 6.12.

(d)    Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.

(e)    The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power.

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

(g)    No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers.

(h)    The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections and immunities as are set forth in paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this Section, each with respect to the Trustee.

Section 7.2    Rights of Trustee.

(a)    The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document (whether in its original or facsimile form) reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 

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(b)    Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

(c)    The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depositary shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depositary.

(d)    The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or gross negligence.

(e)    The Trustee may, at the expense of the Company, consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without willful misconduct or gross negligence, and in reliance thereon.

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

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

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

(i)    In no event shall the Trustee be liable to any person for special, punitive, indirect, consequential or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.

(j)    The permissive right of the Trustee to take the actions permitted by this Indenture shall not be construed as an obligation or duty to do so.

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

 

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Section 7.3    Individual Rights of Trustee.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

Section 7.4    Trustees Disclaimer.

The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.

Section 7.5    Notice of Defaults.

If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall send to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.

Section 7.6    Reports by Trustee to Holders.

Within 60 days after each November 15 commencing November 15, 2021, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar, a brief report dated as of such anniversary date, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA Section 313.

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each national securities exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when Securities of any Series are listed or de-listed on any national securities exchange.

Section 7.7    Compensation and Indemnity.

The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

 

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The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including the cost of defending itself) against any cost, expense or liability, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.

The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through willful misconduct or gross negligence, as determined by a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

The provisions of this Section shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the termination of this Indenture.

Section 7.8    Replacement of Trustee.

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

The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation and the retiring or resigning Trustee shall have no liability or responsibility for the action or inaction of any successor Trustee. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:

(a)    the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

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

(c)    (c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

 

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(d)    the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it for actions taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with its rights, powers and duties under this Indenture prior to such replacement.

Section 7.9    Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee, subject to Section 7.10.

Section 7.10    Eligibility; Disqualification.

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b).

Section 7.11    Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

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

 

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ARTICLE VIII

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

Section 8.1    Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture shall upon Company Order be discharged with respect to the Securities of any Series and cease to be of further effect as to all Securities of such Series (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(a)    either

(i)    all Securities of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii)    all such Securities of such Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation:

(1)    have become due and payable by reason of sending a notice of redemption or otherwise, or

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

(3)    have been called for redemption or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or

(4)    are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable;

and the Company, in the case of (1), (2) or (3) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount of money or U.S. Government Obligations, which amount shall be sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;

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

(c)    the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.

 

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If the Company exercises the satisfaction and discharge provisions in compliance with this Indenture with respect to Securities of a particular Series that are entitled to the benefit of the Guarantee of any Guarantor, the Guarantee will terminate with respect to that Series of Securities.

Section 8.2    Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.

(a)    Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4.

(b)    The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 8.1, 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.

(c)    The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Order any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Section 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.

Section 8.3    Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.

Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2, to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect and any Guarantee will terminate with respect to that Series of Securities (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, execute instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:

(a)    the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Maturity of such principal or

 

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installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;

(b)    the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 7.7, 8.2, 8.3, 8.5 and 8.6; and

(c)    the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith;

provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

(d)    the Company shall have deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;

(e)    such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

(f)    no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

(g)    the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

(h)    the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

 

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(i)    the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.4    Covenant Defeasance.

Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 5.1 and, unless otherwise specified therein, any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities will be unaffected thereby; provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

(a)    with reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants or investment bank expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal or interest are due;

(b)    such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

(c)    no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

(d)    the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance had not occurred;

 

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(e)    The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

(f)    The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.5    Repayment to Company.

Subject to applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.

Section 8.6    Reinstatement.

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money deposited with respect to Securities of any Series in accordance with Section 8.1 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series and under the Securities of such Series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.1 until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.1; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent after payment in full to the Holders.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.1    Without Consent of Holders.

The Company, any Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:

(a)    to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

(b)    to comply with Article V;

(c)    to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;

(d)    to surrender any of the Company’s rights or powers under this Indenture;

 

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(e)    to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of Securities of any Series;

(f)    to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable Depositary;

(g)    to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;

(h)    to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;

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

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

(k)    to reflect the release of any Guarantor in accordance with Article XII; or

(l)    to add Guarantors with respect to any or all of the Securities or to secure any or all of the Securities or the Guarantees.

Section 9.2    With Consent of Holders.

The Company, any Guarantors and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall send to the Holders of Securities affected thereby, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

 

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Section 9.3    Limitations.

Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:

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

(b)    reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;

(c)    reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

(d)    reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

(e)    waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

(f)    make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;

(g)    make any change in Section 6.8, 6.13 or 9.3 (this sentence);

(h)    waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security, provided that such redemption is made at the Company’s option; or

(i)    (i) if the Securities of that Series are entitled to the benefit of the Guarantee, release any Guarantor of such Series other than as provided in this Indenture or modify the Guarantee in any manner adverse to the Holders.

Section 9.4    Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.

Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

Section 9.5    Revocation and Effect of Consents.

Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective.

 

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Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.3 or requires the consent of each Security Holder affected, as set forth in a supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate in respect to a particular Series of Securities. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or take any such action, whether or not such persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date.

Section 9.6    Notation on or Exchange of Securities.

The Company or the Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.

Section 9.7    Trustee Protected.

The Trustee will execute and deliver any amendment or supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this Article 9; provided, however, that the Trustee need not (but may, in its sole and absolute discretion) execute or deliver any such amendment or supplemental indenture that the Trustee concludes adversely affects the Trustee’s rights, duties, liabilities or immunities. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures upon delivery of such an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1    Trust Indenture Act Controls.

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.

 

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Section 10.2    Notices.

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

if to the Company or any Guarantor:

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC

800 Clinton Square

Rochester, New York 14604

Attention: John D. Callan Jr., Senior Vice President & General Counsel

Telephone: (585) 287-6500

with a copy to:

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

801 17th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20006

Attention: Stuart A. Barr

Telephone: (202) 639-7486

if to the Trustee:

U.S. Bank National Association

Global Corporate Trust

100 Wall Street, 6th Floor

New York, New York 10005

Attention: Administrator – Broadstone Net Lease, LLC

Telephone: (212) 951-6990

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

Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be sent electronically or by first-class mail to his, her or its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary. Failure to send a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.

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

If the Company or any Guarantor sends a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall send a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

 

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Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee) pursuant to the customary procedures of such Depositary.

Section 10.3    Communication by Holders with Other Holders.

Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).

Section 10.4    Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

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

(a)    an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(b)    an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

Section 10.5    Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:

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

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

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

(d)    a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

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Section 10.6    Rules by Trustee and Agents.

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 10.7    Legal Holidays.

Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

Section 10.8    No Recourse Against Others.

A director, officer, employee or stockholder (past or present), as such, of the Company or any Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities, the Guarantee or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

Section 10.9    Counterparts.

This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic format (e.g., “.pdf” or “.tif”) transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or electronic format (e.g., “.pdf” or “.tif”) shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

Unless otherwise provided herein or in any other Securities, the words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” and “signature” and words of similar import used in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Indenture, any Securities or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including amendments, waivers, consents and other modifications) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures and the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature in ink or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as applicable, to the fullest extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, and any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee is not under any obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by such Trustee pursuant to procedures approved by such Trustee. The Trustee shall not have any duty to confirm that the person sending any notice, instruction or other communication (a “Notice”) by electronic transmission (including by e-mail, facsimile transmission, web portal or other electronic

 

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methods) is, in fact, a person authorized to do so. Electronic signatures believed by the Trustee to comply with the ESIGN Act of 2000 or other applicable law (including electronic images of handwritten signatures and digital signatures provided by DocuSign, Orbit, Adobe Sign or any other digital signature provider acceptable to the Trustee) shall be deemed original signatures for all purposes. Each other party assumes all risks arising out of the use of electronic signatures and electronic methods to send Notices to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on an unauthorized Notice, and the risk of interception or misuse by third parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee may in any instance and in its sole discretion require that an original document bearing a manual signature be delivered to the Trustee in lieu of, or in addition to, any such electronic Notice.

Section 10.10    Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction.

THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE OR THE SECURITIES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTORS, THE TRUSTEE AND THE HOLDERS (BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES) EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.

Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The Company, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders (by their acceptance of the Securities) each hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 10.11    No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

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Section 10.12    Successors.

All agreements of the Company and the Guarantors in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

Section 10.13    Severability.

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

Section 10.14    Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

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

Section 10.15    Securities in a Foreign Currency.

Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in more than one currency, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be determined by converting any such other currency into a currency that is designated upon issuance of any particular Series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, such conversion shall be made by the Company at the spot rate for the purchase of the designated currency as published in The Financial Times in the “Currency Rates” section (or, if The Financial Times is no longer published, or if such information is no longer available in The Financial Times, such source as may be selected in good faith by the Company) on any date of determination. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

All decisions and determinations provided for in the preceding paragraph shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Trustee and all Holders.

Section 10.16    Judgment Currency.

The Company and each Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities

 

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of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Section 10.17    Force Majeure.

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

Section 10.18    U.S.A. Patriot Act.

The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.

ARTICLE XI

SINKING FUNDS

Section 11.1    Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series if so provided by the terms of such Securities pursuant to Section 2.2, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.

 

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The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.

Section 11.2    Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.

Section 11.3    Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any,

 

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to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date will be selected in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and the Company shall send or cause to be sent a notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in and in accordance with Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.

ARTICLE XII

GUARANTEE

Section 12.1    Unconditional Guarantee.

(a)    Notwithstanding any provision of this Article XII to the contrary, the provisions of this Article XII shall be applicable only to, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Securities of any Series designated, pursuant to Section 2.2.23, as entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee of each Guarantor identified in such designation and that has executed a Notation of Guarantee with respect to such Series.

(b)    For value received, each Guarantor hereby jointly and severally, fully, unconditionally and absolutely guarantees (the “Guarantee”) to the Holders and to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on each Series of Securities for which such Guarantor has executed a Notation of Guarantee with respect to such Series and all other amounts due and payable under this Indenture and the Securities of such Series by the Company, when and as such principal, premium, if any, and interest shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, according to the terms of such Securities and this Indenture, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 12.3.

(c)    Failing payment when due of any amount guaranteed pursuant to the Guarantee, for whatever reason, each of the Guarantors will be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be full, unconditional and absolute, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Securities, the Guarantee (including the Guarantee of any other Guarantor) or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Securities with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company or any other Guarantor, or any action to enforce the same or any other circumstances which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of any of the Guarantors. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that in the event of a default in payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities entitled to the Guarantee of such Guarantor, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of the Holders or, subject to Section 6.7, by the Holders, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture, directly against such Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee without first proceeding against the Company or any other Guarantor.

 

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

(e)    Each Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders and the Trustee against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by such Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture; provided, however, that such Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce or to receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all of the Securities entitled to the Guarantee of such Guarantor and the Guarantee shall have been paid in full or discharged.

Section 12.2    Execution and Delivery of Notation of Guarantee.

To evidence the Guarantee of a Guarantor of a Series of Securities, a Notation of Guarantee, executed by either manual or facsimile signature of an Officer of such Guarantor, shall be affixed on each Security entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee of such Guarantor. If any Officer of any Guarantor whose signature is on a Notation of Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates a Security to which such Notation of Guarantee is affixed or at any time thereafter, the Guarantee of such Security shall be valid nevertheless. The delivery of any Security by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of any Guarantee relating to such Security set forth in the Indenture on behalf of the Guarantor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the absence of a Notation of Guarantee being affixed to such Security.

Section 12.3    Limitation on Guarantors Liability.

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

 

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Section 12.4    Release of Guarantors from Guarantee.

(a)    Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Guarantee of any Guarantor may be released upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 8.1, Section 8.3 and this Section 12.4. Provided that no Default shall have occurred and shall be continuing under this Indenture, the Guarantee incurred by a Guarantor pursuant to this Article XII shall be unconditionally released and discharged (i) automatically upon (A) any sale, exchange or transfer, whether by way of merger or otherwise, to any person that is not an Affiliate of the Company, of all of the Company’s direct or indirect equity interests in such Guarantor (provided such sale, exchange or transfer is not prohibited by this Indenture) or (B) the merger of such Guarantor into the Company or any other Guarantor or the liquidation and dissolution of such Guarantor (in each case to the extent not prohibited by this Indenture) or (ii) with respect to any Series of Securities, upon the occurrence of any other condition set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate establishing the terms of such Series.

(b)    Upon receipt of a written request of the Company accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any Guarantor is entitled to be released from the Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee shall deliver instruments reasonably requested by the Company or such Guarantor evidencing the release of such Guarantor from the Guarantee. Any Guarantor not so released shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest on the Securities entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee as provided in this Indenture, subject to the limitations of Section 12.3.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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

 

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, as the Company
By:   Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., its managing member
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Czarnecki

  Name:   Christopher J. Czarnecki
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President
Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., as a Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Czarnecki

  Name:   Christopher J. Czarnecki
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President
U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Grell

  Name:   Christopher J. Grell
  Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


Exhibit A

[FORM OF]

NOTATION OF GUARANTEE

Each Guarantor signing below has fully, unconditionally and absolutely guaranteed, to the extent set forth in the Indenture and subject to the provisions in the Indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities to which this notation is affixed and all other amounts due and payable under the Indenture and the Securities to which this notation is affixed by the Company.

The obligations of such Guarantor to the Holders of Securities to which this notation is affixed and to the Trustee pursuant to the Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article XII of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Guarantee.

 

[NAME OF GUARANTOR(S)]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Its:

 

A-1

Exhibit 4.2

BROADSTONE NET LEASE LLP

BROADSTONE NET LEASE, INC.,

AS PARENT GUARANTOR,

AND

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

AS TRUSTEE

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

TO INDENTURE DATED SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

$375,000,000

OF

2.600% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2031


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I. RELATION TO BASE INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.1 Relation to Base Indenture

     1  

Section 1.2 Definitions

     2  

ARTICLE II. TERMS OF THE SECURITIES

     9  

Section 2.1 Title of the Securities

     9  

Section 2.2 Price

     9  

Section 2.3 Limitation on Initial Aggregate Principal Amount; Further Issuances

     9  

Section 2.4 Interest and Interest Rates; Stated Maturity of Notes

     9  

Section 2.5 Method of Payment

     10  

Section 2.6 Currency

     11  

Section 2.7 Additional Notes

     11  

Section 2.8 Redemption

     11  

Section 2.9 No Sinking Fund

     11  

Section 2.10 Registrar and Paying Agent

     11  

ARTICLE III. FORM OF THE SECURITIES

     11  

Section 3.1 Global Form

     11  

Section 3.2 Transfer and Exchange

     12  

ARTICLE IV. REDEMPTION OF NOTES

     16  

Section 4.1 Optional Redemption of Notes

     16  

Section 4.2 Notice of Optional Redemption, Selection of Notes

     17  

Section 4.3 Payment of Notes Called for Redemption by the Company

     18  

ARTICLE V. GUARANTEE

     18  

Section 5.1 Note Guarantee

     19  

Section 5.2 Execution and Delivery of Note Guarantee

     20  

Section 5.3 Limitation of Guarantor’s Liability

     20  

Section 5.4 Application of Certain Terms and Provisions to the Guarantors

     20  

Section 5.5 Release of Guarantee of a Subsidiary Guarantor

     21  

ARTICLE VI. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

     21  

Section 6.1 Limitations on Incurrence of Debt

     21  

Section 6.2 Existence

     23  

Section 6.3 Merger, Consolidation or Sale

     23  

Section 6.4 Payment of Taxes and Other Claims

     25  

Section 6.5 Provision of Financial Information

     25  

Section 6.6 Maintenance of Properties

     26  

 

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Section 6.7 Insurance

     26  

Section 6.8 Subsidiary Guarantors

     26  

ARTICLE VII. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     26  

Section 7.1 Events of Default

     27  

Section 7.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

     28  

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

     28  

Section 8.1 Without Consent of Holders

     29  

Section 8.2 With Consent of Holders

     29  

ARTICLE IX. MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF NOTES

     31  

Section 9.1 Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called

     31  

Section 9.2 Call, Notice and Place of Meetings

     31  

Section 9.4 Quorum; Action

     31  

Section 9.5 Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings

     32  

Section 9.6 Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings

     32  

ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     33  

Section 10.1 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent, Certificates to Trustee

     33  

Section 10.2 No Recourse Against Others

     33  

Section 10.3 Trust Indenture Act Controls

     34  

Section 10.4 Governing Law

     34  

Section 10.5 Counterparts

     34  

Section 10.6 Successors

     35  

Section 10.7 Severability

     35  

Section 10.8 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

     35  

Section 10.9 Ratifications

     35  

Section 10.10 Effectiveness

     35  

Section 10.11 The Trustee

     35  

 

ii


THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “First Supplemental Indenture”) is entered into as of September 15, 2021 among Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, a New York limited liability company (the “Company”), Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Parent” and, in its capacity as guarantor, the “Parent Guarantor”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company and the Parent Guarantor have delivered to the Trustee an Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”), providing for the issuance by the Company from time to time of Securities in one or more Series;

WHEREAS, Section 2.2 of the Base Indenture provides for various matters with respect to any Series of Securities issued under the Base Indenture to be established in an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, each of the Company and the Parent Guarantor desires to execute this First Supplemental Indenture to establish the form and to provide for the issuance of a Series of the Company’s senior notes designated as 2.600% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”), in an initial aggregate principal amount of $375,000,000;

WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Parent, on behalf of the Parent and in its capacity as the sole general partner of the Company, has duly adopted resolutions authorizing the Company and the Parent Guarantor to execute and deliver this First Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all of the other conditions and requirements necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture, when duly executed and delivered, a valid and binding agreement in accordance with its terms and for the purposes herein expressed, have been performed and fulfilled.

THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Series of Securities provided for herein by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of Securities of such Series, as follows:

ARTICLE I.

RELATION TO BASE INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Relation to Base Indenture.

This First Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Base Indenture. Notwithstanding any other provision of this First Supplemental Indenture, all provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture are expressly and solely for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes and any such provisions shall not be deemed to apply to any other Securities issued under the Base Indenture and shall not be deemed to amend, modify or supplement the Base Indenture for any purpose other than with respect to the Notes.

 

1


Section 1.2 Definitions.

For all purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided for or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(a)

Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Base Indenture; and

 

(b)

All references herein to Articles and Sections, unless otherwise specified, refer to the corresponding Articles and Sections of this First Supplemental Indenture as they amend or supplement the Base Indenture, and not the Base Indenture or any other document.

Acquired Debt” means Debt of a Person (1) existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or (2) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case, other than Debt incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such acquisition. Acquired Debt shall be deemed to be incurred on the date of the related acquisition of assets from any Person or the date the acquired Person becomes a Subsidiary.

Additional Notes” means additional Notes (other than the Initial Notes) issued under the Indenture in accordance with Sections 2.3, 2.7 and 8.1 hereof, as part of the same Series as the Initial Notes.

Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date: (1) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (as defined below) (if no maturity is within three months before or after the Remaining Life (as defined below), yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or (2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price (as defined below) for such Redemption Date. The Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be calculated by the Company on the third Business Day preceding the date the notice of redemption is given.

Annual Service Charge” means, for any period, without duplication, the maximum amount that is payable for interest expense on, and the amortization during such period of any original issue discount of, the Parent’s and its Subsidiaries’ Debt in such period, but excluding: (1) interest reserves funded from the proceeds of any loan; (2) amortization of deferred financing costs, including gains or losses on early extinguishment of debt; (3) prepayment penalties; (4) non-cash swap ineffectiveness charges; and (5) any expenses resulting from the discounting of any indebtedness or fair value adjustments of interest rate hedges in connection with the application of purchase accounting in connection with any acquisition.

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

Authentication Order” means a Company Order to the Trustee to authenticate and deliver the Notes, signed in the name of the Company by an Officer of the Parent.

Bankruptcy Law” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 7.1.

 

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Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which banking institutions in New York, New York or the place of payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting), including partnership or limited liability company interests, whether general or limited, in the equity of such Person, outstanding as of any date, including all options, warrants or other rights issued by such Person to purchase Capital Stock of such Person.

Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme.

Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by an Officer of the Parent.

Comparable Treasury Issue” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the U.S. Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the Remaining Life 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 Life of such Notes.

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 such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations.

Confidential Datasite” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 6.5.

Consolidated Income Available for Debt Service” means, for any period, Earnings from Operations of the Parent and its Subsidiaries plus amounts which have been deducted, and minus amounts which have been added, for the following (without duplication):

 

(a)

interest expense on Debt of the Parent and its Subsidiaries;

 

(b)

provision for taxes of the Parent and its Subsidiaries based on income;

 

(c)

impairment losses;

 

(d)

depreciation and amortization including, without limitation, amortization of debt discount, premium and deferred financing costs and amortization of right-of-use assets associated with finance leases of property;

 

(e)

credit losses and gains recognized on financial assets and certain other instruments not measured at fair value;

 

(f)

extraordinary, non-recurring and other unusual items (including, without limitation, any costs and fees incurred in connection with any debt financing or amendments thereto, or any acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or similar transaction (regardless of whether such transaction is completed), casualty gains and losses and severance);

 

(g)

gains and losses resulting from the extinguishment of debt;

 

(h)

the effect of any non-cash charge resulting from a change in accounting principles in determining Earnings from Operations for such period;

 

(i)

gains or losses on derivative financial instruments;

 

(j)

non-controlling interests (other than with respect to cash dividends and distributions actually received and included in the definition of “Earnings from Operations” as set forth below);

 

3


(k)

all other non-cash items (including, without limitation, amortization of deferred charges, share-based compensation expense and provisions for unrealized gains and losses); and

 

(l)

with regard to unconsolidated real estate joint ventures, plus amounts which have been deducted and minus amounts which have been added for the activity types referred to above (excluding interest expense) included in arriving at equity in income of unconsolidated entities.

Debt” of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries means any indebtedness of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, excluding any accrued expense or trade payable, whether or not contingent, in respect of:

 

(a)

borrowed money evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments;

 

(b)

indebtedness secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, but only to the extent of the lesser of (1) the amount of indebtedness so secured and (2) the fair market value of the property subject to such mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

(c)

the reimbursement obligations, contingent or otherwise, in connection with any letters of credit actually issued and drawn or amounts representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property, or all conditional sale obligations or obligations under any title retention agreement; or

 

(d)

any lease of property by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries as lessee that is reflected on the Parent’s consolidated balance sheet and classified as a finance lease in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that in the case of this clause, Debt excludes operating lease liabilities on a Person’s balance sheet in accordance with GAAP;

and to the extent, in the case of items of indebtedness under clause (a) and clause (c) immediately above, that any such items (other than letters of credit) would appear as a liability on the Parent’s consolidated balance sheet in accordance with GAAP, and also includes, to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise (other than for purposes of collection in the ordinary course of business), Debt of another Person (other than the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries); provided, however, that the term “Debt” shall not include: (1) Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantees of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries until they become primary obligations of, and payments are due and required to be made thereunder by, the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries; or (2) any Debt or other obligations evidenced pursuant to security certificates issued in connection with securitization transactions and retained for risk retention purposes to the extent that (a) such security certificates are issued by Persons other than the Parent and all of the Subsidiaries of the Parent, (b) such security certificates are held by the Parent or a Subsidiary of the Parent and (c) such Debt and other obligations are included as “Liabilities” on the Parent’s balance sheets.

Defaulted Interest” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.5.

Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 3.2, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.

Depositary” means, with respect to the Notes, The Depository Trust Company and any successor thereto.

Earnings from Operations” means, for any period, net income excluding gains and losses on sales of assets and investments (including investments in unconsolidated joint ventures), net, as reflected in the financial statements of the Parent and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

4


Encumbrance” means any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries securing Debt, other than a Permitted Encumbrance.

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

Event of Default” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 7.1.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as used in the United States applied on a consistent basis as in effect from time to time.

Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 3.2(f), which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under the Indenture.

Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Notes deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto and that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, issued in accordance with the Indenture.

Guarantee” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 5.1(a).

Guarantors” means collectively the Subsidiary Guarantors, if any, and the Parent Guarantor.

Holders” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4.

Indenture” means the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, and as further supplemented, amended or restated.

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

Initial Notes” means the first $375,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this First Supplemental Indenture on the date hereof.

interest” means, when used with reference to the Notes, any interest payable under the terms of the Notes.

Interest Payment Date” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4.

Non-Recourse Debt” means Debt of a joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or an entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is directly or indirectly secured by real estate assets or other real estate-related assets (including Capital Stock) of the joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower and is non-recourse to the Parent or any Subsidiary of the Parent (other than pursuant to a Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantee and other than with respect to the joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower);

 

5


provided further that, if any such Debt is partially recourse to the Parent or any Subsidiary of the Parent (other than pursuant to a Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantee and other than with respect to the joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower) and therefore does not meet the criteria set forth above, only the portion of such Debt that does meet the criteria set forth above shall constitute “Non-Recourse Debt.”

Note Guarantee” means the Guarantee by the Parent Guarantor of the Company’s obligations under the Indenture and the Notes, executed pursuant to the provisions of the Base Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture, and the Guarantee by any Subsidiary Guarantor, if any, executed pursuant to the provisions of the Base Indenture, this First Supplemental Indenture, the form of supplemental indenture attached hereto as Exhibit B and any Notation of Guarantee.

Notes” has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this First Supplemental Indenture. The Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture, and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the Notes shall include the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes.

Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and any Senior Vice President of the Parent Guarantor.

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by any two Officers of the Parent Guarantor.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the Parent Guarantor. The opinion may contain customary limitations, conditions and exceptions.

Par Call Date” means June 15, 2031 (three months prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes).

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

Permitted Encumbrances” means operating leases, Encumbrances securing taxes, assessments and similar charges, mechanics’ liens and other similar Encumbrances.

Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantees” means customary completion or budget guarantees, indemnities or other customary guarantees provided to lenders (including by means of separate indemnification agreements, carve-out guarantees or pledges of the equity interests in the borrower) under such Non-Recourse Debt in the ordinary course of business of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in financing transactions that are directly or indirectly secured by real estate assets or other real estate-related assets (including Capital Stock) of a joint venture or Subsidiary of the Parent (or an entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member), in each case that is the borrower in such financing, but is non-recourse to the Parent or any of its other Subsidiaries, except for such completion or budget guarantees, indemnities or other guarantees (including by means of separate indemnification agreements or carve-out guarantees or pledges of the equity interests in the borrower) as are consistent with customary industry practice (such as environmental indemnities and recourse triggers based on violation of transfer restrictions and other customary exceptions to non-recourse liability).

 

6


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

Primary Treasury Dealer” means a primary U.S. Government securities dealer.

“Quotation Agent” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the Reference Treasury Dealer appointed by the Company.

Record Date” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4.

Redemption Date” means, with respect to any Note or portion thereof to be redeemed in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.1, the date fixed for such redemption in accordance with the provisions of Sections 4.1 and 4.2.

Redemption Price” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.1.

Reference Treasury Dealer” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, each of (1) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, (2) a Primary Treasury Dealer selected by Truist Securities, Inc., (3) a Primary Treasury Dealer selected by US Bancorp Investments, Inc. or (4) a Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the Reference Treasury Dealers referred to in clause (1), (2) or (3) above ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute therefor another 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 at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding the notice of such Redemption Date.

Remaining Life” means, with respect to any Notes to be redeemed, the remaining term of such Notes to be re redeemed, calculated as if the maturity date of such Notes were the Par Call Date.

Revolving Credit Facility” means the Revolving Credit Agreement, dated September 4, 2020, by and among, inter alios, the Company, as borrower, the Parent, the lenders party thereto, the other financial institutions party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, refunded or replaced (in whole or in part, including with any new credit agreement or facility) from time to time.

Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office having responsibility for administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter relating to this Indenture is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as in effect from time to time.

Senior Unsecured Notes” means any of the Company’s 4.84% Series A Notes due April 2027, 5.09% Series B Notes due July 2028 and 5.19% Series C Notes due July 2030, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, refunded or replaced (in whole or in part, including with any new credit agreement or facility) from time to time.

 

7


Significant Subsidiary” has the meaning ascribed to the term in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Stated Maturity” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4(c).

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, a corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity the majority of the shares of the voting capital stock or other equivalent ownership interests of which (except directors’ qualifying shares) are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person and/or any other Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of such Person and which is required to be consolidated with the accounts of such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “voting capital stock” means capital stock having voting power for the election of directors, trustees or managers, as the case may be, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of capital stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

“Subsidiary Guarantor” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 6.8.

Total Assets” means, as of any date, the sum of (1) Undepreciated Real Estate Assets and (2) all of the Parent’s and its Subsidiaries’ other assets, in each case, excluding accounts receivable, right-of-use operating lease assets and non-real estate intangibles and, in each case, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Total Unencumbered Assets” means the sum of the Parent’s and its Subsidiaries’ Undepreciated Real Estate Assets and the value determined in accordance with GAAP of all of the Parent’s and its Subsidiaries’ other assets, excluding accounts receivable, right-of-use operating lease assets and non-real estate intangibles, in each case not subject to an Encumbrance; provided, however, that “Total Unencumbered Assets” does not include investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, unconsolidated limited partnerships, unconsolidated limited liability companies and other unconsolidated entities.

Triggering Indebtedness” means Debt under the Revolving Credit Facility, any of the Senior Unsecured Notes or any of the Unsecured Term Loans.

Undepreciated Real Estate Assets” as of any date means the cost (original cost plus capital improvements) of real estate assets, loans secured by real estate assets, right-of-use assets associated with leases of property required to be reflected as finance leases on the balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP and related intangibles of the Parent and its Subsidiaries on such date, before depreciation and amortization charges, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that “Undepreciated Real Estate Assets” shall not include right-of-use assets associated with leases of property required to be reflected as operating leases on the balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act” means any applicable federal, provincial or state fraudulent conveyance legislation and any successor legislation.

Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act” means any applicable federal, provincial or state fraudulent transfer legislation and any successor legislation.

 

8


Unsecured Debt” means Debt of the types described in clauses (a) and (c) of the definition thereof that is not secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge or security interest of any kind upon any of the properties of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

Unsecured Term Loans” means each of (1) the 2022 Term Loan Agreement, dated February 7, 2020, by and among, the Parent, the Company, as borrower, the lenders party thereto, the other financial institutions party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner, (2) the 2023 and 2024 Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement, dated June 23, 2017, by and among, the Parent, the Company, as borrower, the lenders party thereto, the other financial institutions party thereto and Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, as administrative agent, joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner, and (3) the 2026 Term Loan Agreement, dated February 27, 2019, by and among, the Parent, the Company, as borrower, the lenders party thereto, the other financial institutions party thereto and Capital One, National Association, as administrative agent, joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner, in each case as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, extended, restructured, renewed, refinanced, restated, refunded or replaced (in whole or in part, including with any new credit agreement or facility) from time to time.

ARTICLE II.

TERMS OF THE SECURITIES

Section 2.1 Title of the Securities.

There shall be a Series of Securities designated the “2.600% Senior Notes due 2031.”

Section 2.2 Price.

The Initial Notes shall be issued at a public offering price of 99.816% of the principal amount thereof, other than any offering discounts pursuant to the initial offering and resale of the Notes.

Section 2.3 Limitation on Initial Aggregate Principal Amount; Further Issuances.

The aggregate principal amount of the Notes initially shall be limited to $375,000,000. The Company may, without notice to or consent of the Holders, issue Additional Notes from time to time in the future in an unlimited principal amount, subject to compliance with the terms of the Indenture.

Nothing contained in this Section 2.3 or elsewhere in this First Supplemental Indenture, or in the Notes, is intended to or shall limit execution by the Company or authentication or delivery by the Trustee of Notes under the circumstances contemplated by Section 3.2 of this First Supplemental Indenture or Sections 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6 of the Base Indenture.

Section 2.4 Interest and Interest Rates; Stated Maturity of Notes.

(a) The Notes shall bear interest at the rate of 2.600% per year. Interest on the Notes will accrue from September 15, 2021 or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for, and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing on March 15, 2022 (each such date being an “Interest Payment Date”), to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered in the security register (the “Holders”) at the close of business on the March 1 or September 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date (each such date being a “Record Date”). Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

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(b) If any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Redemption Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the required payment shall be made on the next Business Day as if it were made on the date the payment was due and no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after that Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be, until the next Business Day.

(c) The Stated Maturity of the Notes shall be September 15, 2031 (the “Stated Maturity”).

Section 2.5 Method of Payment.

Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be payable at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, initially located at 100 Wall Street, 6th Floor, New York, New York 10005, Attn: Administrator – Broadstone Net Lease, LLC. The Company shall pay interest (1) on any Notes in certificated form by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears in the security register; provided, however, that a Holder of any Notes in certificated form in the aggregate principal amount of more than $2,000,000 may specify by written notice to the Company (with a copy to the Trustee) that it pay interest by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account specified by the Holder in such notice, or (2) on any Global Note by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee. Any interest on any Note which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder registered as such on the relevant Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest shall be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment (which shall be not less than twenty-five (25) calendar days after the receipt by the Trustee of such notice, unless the Trustee shall agree to an earlier date), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Company shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than fifteen (15) calendar days and not less than ten (10) calendar days prior to the date of the proposed payment, and not less than ten (10) calendar days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment (unless the Trustee shall agree to an earlier date). The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of such special record date and shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor to be sent to each Holder at its address as it appears in the security register, not less than ten (10) calendar days prior to such special record date (unless the Trustee shall agree to an earlier date). Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such special record date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b) of this Section 2.5.

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or designated for issuance, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange or automated quotation system, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

 

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Section 2.6 Currency.

Principal and interest on the Notes shall be payable in U.S. Dollars.

Section 2.7 Additional Notes.

The Company will be entitled, without the consent of any Holders of the Notes, upon delivery of an Officers’ Certificate, Opinion of Counsel and Authentication Order to the Trustee, and subject to its compliance with Section 6.1, to issue Additional Notes under the Indenture that will have identical terms to the Initial Notes issued on the date of the Indenture other than with respect to the date of issuance, issue price, the date from which interest thereon shall begin to accrue and, if applicable, the initial Interest Payment Date; provided, however, that if such Additional Notes will not be fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number. Such Additional Notes will rank equally and ratably in right of payment and will be treated as a single series for all purposes under the Indenture.

With respect to any Additional Notes, the Company will set forth in a Board Resolution of the Parent acting on behalf of the Company and an Officers’ Certificate, a copy of each of which will be delivered to the Trustee, the following information:

(a) the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to the Indenture; and

(b) the issue price, the issue date and the CUSIP number of such Additional Notes.

Section 2.8 Redemption.

The Notes may be redeemed at the option of the Company prior to the Stated Maturity as provided in Article IV.

Section 2.9 No Sinking Fund.

The provisions of Article XI of the Base Indenture shall not be applicable to the Notes.

Section 2.10 Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Trustee shall initially serve as Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes.

ARTICLE III.

FORM OF THE SECURITIES

Section 3.1 Global Form.

The Notes shall initially be issued in the form of one or more fully registered Global Notes that will be deposited with, or on behalf of the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, subject to Sections 2.7 and 2.14 of the Base Indenture. So long as the

 

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Depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of the Global Note, the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole Holder of the Notes represented by the Global Note for all purposes under the Indenture.

The Notes shall not be issuable in definitive form except as provided in Section 3.2(a) of this First Supplemental Indenture. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto. The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with Section 2.3 of the Base Indenture, authenticate and hold each Global Note as custodian for the Depositary. Each Global Note will represent such of the outstanding Notes as will be specified therein and each shall provide that it represents the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby will be made by the Registrar or the custodian, at the direction of the Trustee. The terms and provisions contained in the form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Indenture and, to the extent applicable, the Company, the Parent Guarantor and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

Participants of the Depositary shall have no rights either under the Indenture or with respect to the Global Notes. The Depositary or its nominee, as applicable, may be treated by the Company, the Parent Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or the Trustee as the absolute owner and Holder of such Global Notes for all purposes under the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Parent Guarantor or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or its nominee, as applicable, or impair, as between the Depositary and its participants, the operation of customary practices of such Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of an owner of a beneficial interest in the Global Notes.

Section 3.2 Transfer and Exchange.

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

(1) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as Depositary for a Global Note or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of the notification to the Company or of the Company becoming aware of the Depositary ceasing to be so registered;

(2) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Note shall be so exchangeable; or

(3) upon request from such Depositary if there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to such Global Note.

Upon the occurrence of any of the preceding events in (1), (2) or (3) above, Definitive Notes shall be issued in such names as the Depositary shall instruct the Trustee in writing. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.8 and 2.11 of the Base Indenture. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 3.2 or

 

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Section 2.8 and 2.11 of the Base Indenture, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 3.2(a); however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 3.2(b) or (c).

(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also will require compliance with either subparagraph (1) or (2) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:

(1) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 3.2(b)(1).

(2) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 3.2(b)(1) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either:

both:

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

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

both:

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

(D) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (b)(1) above.

Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 3.2(g).

(c) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes for Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 3.2(b)(2) and written notice to the Trustee, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 3.2(g) hereof, and the Company will execute and, upon the receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 3.2(c) will be registered in

 

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such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest requests through instructions to the Registrar from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee will deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered.

(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. A Holder of a Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee will cancel the applicable Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Global Notes. If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to the previous sentence at a time when a Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 3.2, the Trustee will authenticate one or more Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.

(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon the written request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 3.2(e), the Registrar will register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder must present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder must provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 3.2(e). A Holder of Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a written request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.

(f) Legend. Each Global Note issued under the Indenture, unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of the Indenture, will bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2 OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2(a) OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.12 OF THE BASE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC (THE “COMPANY”) AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”) TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER,

 

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EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”

(g) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note will be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.12 of the Base Indenture. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note will be reduced accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note will be increased accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

(h) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.

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

(2) No service charge will be made to a Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.11 and 9.6 of the Base Indenture and Section 4.3 of this First Supplemental Indenture).

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

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

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

(A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note during a period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days before the delivery of a notice of redemption of the Notes selected for redemption under Article IV and ending at the close of business on the day of such delivery;

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

(C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date.

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

 

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(7) The Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.1 hereof.

(8) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 3.2 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

(i) In connection with any proposed transfer outside the book-entry system, there shall be provided to the Trustee all information necessary to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Internal Revenue Code Section 6045. The Trustee may conclusively rely on the information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information.

(j) None of the Trustee or any Agent shall have any obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under the Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Depositary participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, the Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

(k) None of the Trustee or any Agent shall have any responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in the Depositary or other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Depositary or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than the Depositary) of any notice (including any notice of optional redemption) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Notes.

ARTICLE IV.

REDEMPTION OF NOTES

The provisions of Article III of the Base Indenture, as amended by the provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture, shall apply to the Notes.

Section 4.1 Optional Redemption of Notes.

The Company shall have the right to redeem the Notes at its option and in its sole discretion, at any time or from time to time prior to the Par Call Date, in whole or in part, at a redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) in cash calculated by the Company and equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or (2) as determined by the Quotation Agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal of and interest on the Notes to be redeemed that would be due if the Notes matured on the Par Call Date (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate plus 20 basis points (0.20%), plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date; provided, however, that if the Redemption Date falls after a Record Date and on or prior to

 

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the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Company will pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of record at the close of business on the corresponding Record Date (instead of the Holder surrendering its Notes for redemption). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have the right to redeem the Notes at its option and in its sole discretion, at any time or from time to time, in whole or in part on or after the Par Call Date and, if the Notes are redeemed on or after the Par Call Date, the Redemption Price in cash will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus unpaid interest, if any, accrued thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date; provided, however, that if the Redemption Date falls after a Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Company will pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of record at the close of business on the corresponding Record Date (instead of the Holder surrendering its Notes for redemption). The Company shall not redeem the Notes pursuant to this Section 4.1 on any date the principal amount of the Notes has been accelerated, and such acceleration has not been rescinded or cured on or prior to such date.

Section 4.2 Notice of Optional Redemption, Selection of Notes.

(a) In case the Company shall desire to exercise the right to redeem all or, as the case may be, any part of the Notes pursuant to Section 4.1, it shall fix a date for redemption and it or, at its written request received by the Trustee not fewer than five Business Days prior (or such shorter period of time as may be acceptable to the Trustee) to the date the notice of redemption is to be sent, the Trustee in the name of and at the expense of the Company, shall mail or cause to be mailed, or sent by electronic transmission, a notice of such redemption not fewer than fifteen (15) calendar days but not more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its last address as the same appears on the security register; provided that if the Company makes such request of the Trustee, it shall, together with such request, also provide the notice of redemption to the Trustee, provided further that the text of the notice shall be prepared by the Company. Such mailing shall be by first class mail or by electronic transmission. The notice, if sent in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or electronic submission or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Note designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note.

(b) Each such notice of redemption shall specify: (1) the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed; (2) the CUSIP number or numbers of the Notes being redeemed; (3) the Redemption Date (which shall be a Business Day); (4) the Redemption Price at which Notes are to be redeemed; (5) the place or places of payment and that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Notes; and (6) that interest accrued and unpaid to, but excluding, the Redemption Date will be paid as specified in said notice, and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portion thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue. If fewer than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the notice of redemption shall identify the Notes to be redeemed (including CUSIP numbers, if any). In case any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that, on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

(c) On or prior to the Redemption Date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section 4.2, the Company will deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 2.5 of the Base Indenture) an amount of money in immediately available funds sufficient to redeem on the Redemption Date all the Notes (or portions thereof) so called for redemption at the appropriate Redemption Price; provided that if such payment is made on the Redemption Date, it must be received by the Paying

 

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Agent, by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date. The Company shall be entitled to retain any interest, yield or gain on amounts deposited with the Paying Agent pursuant to this Section 4.2 in excess of amounts required hereunder to pay the Redemption Price (it being acknowledged that the Trustee has no obligation to invest any such deposit).

(d) If less than all of the outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, on a pro rata basis, by lot or such other method it deems fair and appropriate in accordance with the customary procedures of the Depositary or as required by the Depositary for Global Notes, subject to Applicable Procedures (in the case of Global Notes), the Notes or portions thereof of the Global Notes or the Notes in certificated form to be redeemed (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof). The Notes (or portions thereof) so selected for redemption shall be deemed duly selected for redemption for all purposes hereof.

Section 4.3 Payment of Notes Called for Redemption by the Company.

(a) If notice of redemption has been given as provided in Section 4.2, the Notes or portion of Notes with respect to which such notice has been given shall become due and payable and if the Paying Agent holds funds sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of the Notes on the Redemption Date and at the place or places stated in such notice at the Redemption Price, and unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price, then on and after such date (1) such Notes will cease to be outstanding, (2) interest will cease to accrue on any Notes called for redemption at the Redemption Date, (3) on and after the Redemption Date (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Notes shall cease to be entitled to any benefit or security under the Indenture and (4) the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Notes except the right to receive the Redemption Price thereof. On presentation and surrender of such Notes at a place of payment in said notice specified, the said Notes or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with interest accrued thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date. Such will be the case whether or not book-entry transfer of the Notes in book-entry form is made and whether or not the Notes in certificated form, together with necessary endorsements, are delivered to the Paying Agent; provided, however, if the Redemption Date falls after a Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Company will pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, due on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of record at the close of business on the corresponding Record Date (instead of the Holder surrendering its Notes for redemption).

(b) Upon presentation of any Note redeemed in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Note or Notes, of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Notes so presented.

ARTICLE V.

GUARANTEE

Sections 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 hereof shall replace Sections 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes and the Note Guarantee. Section 5.5 shall supersede clause (a)(i)(A) of Section 12.4 of the Base Indenture; provided that the remaining provisions of Section 12.4 of the Base Indenture shall remain in full force and effect.

 

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Section 5.1 Note Guarantee.

(a) Subject to this Article V, for value received, each Guarantor hereby fully and unconditionally guarantees, on a joint and several basis (each a “Guarantee”), to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, that:

(1) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of, premium on, if any, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of the Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Company under the Indenture or the Notes, and interest, if any, on, the Notes, if lawful, and all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee under the Indenture or the Notes (including fees and expenses of counsel) will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms under the Indenture or the Notes; and

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

Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, each Guarantor will be obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.

(b) Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its obligations under the Indenture and the Notes are full and unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Indenture or the Notes, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any provisions of the Indenture or the Notes, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of such Guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that in the event of a default in payment of the principal of or interest on the Notes entitled to the Guarantee, whether at the Stated Maturity or upon acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of the Holders or, subject to Section 6.7 of the Base Indenture, by the Holders, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture, directly against such Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee without first proceeding against the Company. Each Guarantor hereby (1) waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever, (2) acknowledges that any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee may be transferred and that the benefit of its obligations hereunder shall extend to each holder of any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee without notice to it and (3) covenants that this Note Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Indenture and the Notes.

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

(d) Each Guarantor agrees that it will not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between such Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (1) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article VII for the purposes of this Note Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (2) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article VII, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) will forthwith become due and payable by such Guarantor for the purpose of this Note Guarantee.

 

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Section 5.2 Execution and Delivery of Note Guarantee.

To evidence its Note Guarantee set forth in Section 5.1, each Guarantor hereby agrees that this First Supplemental Indenture and a Notation of Guarantee will be executed on its behalf by one of its Officers and such Notation of Guarantee shall be affixed to the Notes. If an Officer whose signature is on this First Supplemental Indenture or Notation of Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note on which the Notation of Guarantee is endorsed, the Note Guarantee will be valid nevertheless. The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, will constitute due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth in this First Supplemental Indenture on behalf of such Guarantor.

Section 5.3 Limitation of Guarantor’s Liability.

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

Section 5.4 Application of Certain Terms and Provisions to the Guarantors.

(a) For purposes of any provision of the Indenture which provides for the delivery by any Guarantor of an Officers’ Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel, the definitions of such terms in Section 1.2 shall apply to such Guarantor as if references therein to the Company or Parent Guarantor, as applicable, were references to such Guarantor.

(b) Any notice or demand which by any provision of the Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the Holders of Notes to or on any Guarantor may be given or served as described in Section 10.2 of the Base Indenture as if references therein to the Company were references to such Guarantor.

(c) Upon any demand, request or application by any Guarantor to the Trustee to take any action under the Indenture, such Guarantor shall furnish to the Trustee such Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel as are required in Section 10.1 as if all references therein to the Company were references to such Guarantor.

 

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Section 5.5 Release of Guarantee of a Subsidiary Guarantor.

(a) A Subsidiary Guarantor will be automatically released and relieved from its obligations under its Guarantee and the Indenture, any supplemental indenture and Notation of Guarantee, in the following circumstances:

(1) such Subsidiary Guarantor no longer guaranteeing or otherwise being an obligor (or which guarantee or obligation is being simultaneously released or will be immediately released after the release of the Subsidiary Guarantor from its Guarantee of the Notes) in respect of Triggering Indebtedness, provided that any release of such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Guarantee pursuant to this Section 5.5(a)(1) will not limit the obligation of such Subsidiary Guarantor to Guarantee the Notes at any time after such release if such Subsidiary subsequently, directly or indirectly, guarantees, or otherwise becomes obligated in respect of, Triggering Indebtedness;

(2) such Subsidiary Guarantor consolidating with, merging into or transferring all of its properties or assets to another Guarantor, and as a result of, or in connection with, such transaction such Subsidiary Guarantor dissolves or otherwise ceases to exist;

(3) if the Company exercises its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option with respect to the Notes (as provided in Section 8.3 and Section 8.4, respectively, of the Base Indenture) or if the Company’s obligations under the Indenture with respect to the Notes are discharged in accordance with the terms of the Indenture (as provided in Section 8.1 of the Base Indenture);

(4) upon the sale or other disposition (including by way of consolidation or merger) of such Subsidiary Guarantor; or

(5) upon the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor;

provided, however, that in the case of Section 5.5(a)(4) and Section 5.5(a)(5) above, (1) such sale or other disposition is made to a person other than the Parent or any of its other Subsidiaries and (2) such sale or disposition is otherwise permitted by the Indenture.

ARTICLE VI.

ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

Section 6.3(a) hereof shall replace Article V of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes. The covenants set forth in Sections 4.1, 4.3 and 4.4 of the Base Indenture and the following additional covenants shall apply with respect to the Notes so long as any of the Notes remain outstanding.

Section 6.1 Limitations on Incurrence of Debt.

(a) Aggregate Debt Test. The Parent will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur any Debt if, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such additional Debt and the application of the proceeds of such additional Debt on a pro forma basis, the aggregate principal amount of all the Parent’s outstanding Debt and that of its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as determined in accordance with GAAP is greater than 60% of the sum of (without duplication):

(1) the Parent’s Total Assets as of the end of the latest fiscal quarter covered in the Parent’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently filed with the SEC (or, if such filing is not permitted under the Exchange Act, furnished to the Trustee) prior to the incurrence of such additional Debt; and

(2) the purchase price of any real estate assets or mortgages receivable acquired, and the amount of any debt or securities offering proceeds received (to the extent such proceeds were not used to acquire real estate assets or mortgages receivable or used to reduce Debt), by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries since the end of such fiscal quarter, including those proceeds obtained in connection with the incurrence of such additional Debt.

 

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(b) Debt Service Test. The Parent will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur any Debt if the ratio of Consolidated Income Available for Debt Service to the Annual Service Charge for the four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended prior to the date on which such additional Debt is to be incurred shall have been less than 1.5 to 1.0, on a pro forma basis after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, and calculated on the assumption that:

(1) such Debt and any other Debt incurred by the Parent or its Subsidiaries since the first day of such four-quarter period and the application of the proceeds therefrom, including to refinance other Debt since the first day of such period, had occurred at the beginning of such period;

(2) the repayment or retirement of any other Debt (other than Debt repaid or retired with the proceeds of any other Debt, which repayment or retirement shall be calculated pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(1) and not this Section 6.1(b)(2)) by the Parent or its Subsidiaries since the first day of such four-quarter period had been repaid or retired at the beginning of such period (except that, in making such computation, the amount of Debt under any revolving credit facility, line of credit or similar facility shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Debt during such period);

(3) in the case of Acquired Debt or Debt incurred by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any acquisition since the first day of such four-quarter period, the related acquisition had occurred as of the first day of such period with the appropriate adjustments with respect to such acquisition being included in such pro forma calculation; and

(4) in the case of any acquisition or disposition by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries of any asset or group of assets in one transaction or a series of related transactions in excess of $100 million since the first day of such four-quarter period, including, without limitation, by merger, stock purchase or sale, or asset purchase or sale, such acquisition or disposition and any related repayment of Debt had occurred as of the first day of such period with the appropriate adjustments with respect to such acquisition or disposition being included in such pro forma calculation.

If the Debt giving rise to the need to make the calculation described in this Section 6.1 or any other Debt incurred after the first day of the relevant four-quarter period bears interest at a floating rate (to the extent such Debt has been hedged to bear interest at a fixed rate, only the portion of such Debt, if any, that has not been so hedged), then, for purposes of calculating the Annual Service Charge, the interest rate on such Debt will be computed on a pro forma basis as if the average interest rate that would have been in effect during the entire such period had been the applicable rate for the entire such period.

(c) Maintenance of Total Unencumbered Assets. The Parent and its Subsidiaries may not at any time own Total Unencumbered Assets equal to less than 150% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Unsecured Debt of the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

(d) Secured Debt Test. The Parent will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur any Debt secured by any mortgage, lien, charge, pledge, encumbrance or security interest upon any of the Parent’s property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries, whether owned at the date hereof or hereafter acquired, if, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such additional Debt and the application of the proceeds thereof, the aggregate principal amount of all of the Parent’s outstanding Debt and the outstanding Debt of its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that is secured by any mortgage, lien, charge, pledge, encumbrance or security interest on the Parent’s property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries is greater than 40% of the sum of (without duplication):

(1) the Parent’s Total Assets as of the end of the latest fiscal quarter covered in the Parent’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently filed with the SEC (or, if such filing is not permitted under the Exchange Act, furnished to the Trustee) prior to the incurrence of such additional Debt; and

 

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(2) the purchase price of any real estate assets or mortgages receivable acquired, and the amount of any debt or securities offering proceeds received (to the extent such proceeds were not used to acquire real estate assets or mortgages receivable or used to reduce Debt), by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries since the end of such fiscal quarter, including those proceeds obtained in connection with the incurrence of such additional Debt.

For purposes of this Section 6.1, Debt shall be deemed to be “incurred” by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries whenever the Parent or such Subsidiary shall create, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect thereof. Furthermore, nothing in the covenants described under this Section 6.1 shall prevent the incurrence by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries of Debt between or among the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 6.2 Existence.

Except as permitted by Section 6.3, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, material rights (charter and statutory) and material franchises, the Parent Guarantor will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, material rights (charter and statutory) and material franchises and each Subsidiary Guarantor will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, material rights (charter and statutory) and material franchises; provided, however, that none of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any Subsidiary Guarantor will be required to preserve any right or franchise if the Parent determines that the preservation of the right or franchise is no longer desirable in the conduct of the Company’s, the Parent Guarantor’s or such Subsidiary Guarantor’s business, as the case may be.

Section 6.3 Merger, Consolidation or Sale.

(a) The Company and the Parent Guarantor may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its respective assets to, or merge with or into, any other entity, provided that the following conditions are met:

(1) the Company or the Parent Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity (if other than the Company or the Parent Guarantor, as the case may be) formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall be domiciled in the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and, in the case of the Company, shall expressly assume by supplemental indenture payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all of the Notes and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions in the Indenture or, in the case of the Parent Guarantor, shall expressly assume by supplemental indenture the payment of all amounts due under its Guarantee of the Notes and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of the Parent Guarantor in the Indenture and the Guarantee, as the case may be;

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

(3) an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel each stating that the conditions precedent relating to such supplemental indenture have been met, and such supplemental indenture is permitted under the Indenture shall be delivered to the Trustee.

Notwithstanding Section 6.3(a) above, any Subsidiary of the Parent Guarantor (other than the Company) may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to the Parent Guarantor and neither an Officers’ Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered.

 

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In the event of any transaction described in and complying with the conditions listed in the immediately preceding paragraphs of this Section 6.3(a), but not a lease, in which the Company and/or the Parent Guarantor is not the continuing entity, the successor person formed or remaining shall succeed, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of the Company and/or the Parent Guarantor, as the case may be, and the Company and/or the Parent Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be discharged from its or their obligations under the Indenture and the Notes or the Guarantee, as applicable.

(b) Each Subsidiary Guarantor may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of such Subsidiary Guarantor’s respective assets to, or merge with or into, any other entity, provided that the following conditions are met:

(1) such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity (if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor) formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall be domiciled in the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume by supplemental indenture the payment of all amounts due under its Guarantee of the Notes and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of such Subsidiary Guarantor in the Indenture and the Guarantee, as the case may be; provided, that the foregoing requirement will not apply in the case of a Subsidiary Guarantor (x) that has been disposed of in its entirety to another person (other than to a Parent Guarantor or an affiliate of the Parent Guarantor), whether through a merger, consolidation or sale of capital stock or has sold, leased or conveyed all or substantially all of its assets or (y) that, as a result of the disposition of all or a portion of its capital stock, ceases to be a Subsidiary;

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

(3) an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel each stating that the conditions precedent relating to such supplemental indenture have been met, and such supplemental indenture is permitted under the Indenture shall be delivered to the Trustee.

Notwithstanding Section 6.3(b) above, any Subsidiary of any Subsidiary Guarantor (including any such Subsidiary that is a Subsidiary Guarantor) may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to such Subsidiary Guarantor and neither an Officers’ Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered.

In the event of any transaction described in and complying with the conditions listed in the immediately preceding paragraphs of this Section 6.3(b), but not a lease, in which such Subsidiary Guarantor is not the continuing entity, the successor person formed or remaining shall succeed, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of such Subsidiary Guarantor, and such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be discharged from its obligations under its Guarantee and the Indenture.

(c) This Section 6.3 shall not apply to:

(1) a merger, consolidation, sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of assets between or among the Parent Guarantor, the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor; provided, however that the foregoing clause shall not apply to any merger, consolidation, sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of assets involving the Company where the Company is not the continuing entity or the successor entity; or

(2) a merger between the Parent Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, respectively, and an affiliate of the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary incorporated or formed solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing the Parent Guarantor or such Subsidiary in another state of the United States.

 

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Section 6.4 Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.

The Company and the Parent will each pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged before it becomes delinquent: (a) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed on it or any of its Subsidiaries or on its or any such Subsidiary’s income, profits or property; and (b) all material lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies that, if unpaid, might by law become a material lien upon its property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, neither the Company nor the Parent will be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any tax, assessment, charge or claim the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith. If a tenant or borrower of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries fails to meet a contractual obligation to pay taxes, assessments or governmental charges related to property leased from or financed by the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, it will not constitute a violation if the Parent pays or discharges or causes to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment or charge promptly following its actual awareness of such failure.

Section 6.5 Provision of Financial Information.

The Parent shall, so long as any Notes are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee within fifteen (15) days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Parent is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. For so long as the Notes are outstanding, if at any time the Parent is not subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act for any reason, the Parent will, at its option, either (1) post on a publicly available website, (2) post on IntraLinks or any comparable password protected online data system requiring user identification and a confidentiality acknowledgement (a “Confidential Datasite”) or (3) deliver to the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes, in each case, within fifteen (15) days of the filing date that would be applicable to a non-accelerated filer at that time pursuant to applicable SEC rules and regulations, the quarterly and audited annual financial statements and accompanying “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” that would have been required to be contained in annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, respectively, had the Parent been subject to such Exchange Act reporting requirements. The Trustee shall have no obligation to determine whether or not such reports, information, statements or documents have been filed, posted or delivered. If the Parent elects to furnish such reports via a Confidential Datasite, access to the Confidential Datasite will be provided upon request to Holders, beneficial owners of and bona fide potential investors in the Notes.

Reports, information and documents filed with the SEC via the EDGAR system will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 6.5; provided, however, that the Trustee shall have no obligation whatsoever to determine whether or not such information, documents or reports have been filed via EDGAR (or its successor) or postings to any website have occurred, and the trustee shall have no duty to participate in or monitor any conference calls. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants relating to the Notes (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates). The Trustee is under no duty to examine such reports, information or documents to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Indenture or to ascertain the correctness or otherwise of the information or statements contained therein. The Trustee is entitled to assume such compliance and correctness unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee is informed in writing otherwise. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for the filing, timeliness or content of any reports, information or documents.

 

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Section 6.6 Maintenance of Properties.

The Parent will cause all of its material properties used or useful in the conduct of the Parent’s business or the business of any of its Subsidiaries to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order, normal wear and tear, casualty and condemnation excepted, and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements of the Parent’s and its Subsidiaries’ material properties, all as in the Parent’s judgment may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided, however, that the Parent and its Subsidiaries will not be prevented from (1) removing permanently any property that has been condemned or suffered a casualty loss, if it is in the Parent’s or such Subsidiary’s best interests, (2) discontinuing maintenance or operation of any property if, in the Parent’s or such Subsidiary’s reasonable judgment, doing so is in the Parent’s or such Subsidiary’s best interest and is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes or (3) selling or otherwise disposing for value the Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ properties in the ordinary course of business.

Section 6.7 Insurance.

The Parent will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain (either directly or indirectly by causing its tenants to maintain), with responsible companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations in accordance with prevailing market conditions and availability.

Section 6.8 Subsidiary Guarantors.

Following the date of this First Supplemental Indenture, the Parent shall cause each of its Subsidiaries (other than the Company) if, and for so long as, such Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, guarantees or otherwise becomes obligated in respect of Triggering Indebtedness, to, jointly and severally with the Parent Guarantor and any other Subsidiary of the Parent that guarantees the Notes, fully and unconditionally guarantee the Company’s obligations under the Notes, including the due and punctual payment of principal of and interest on the Notes, whether at Stated Maturity, upon acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, by executing and delivering a supplemental indenture to the Indenture, substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit B hereto, and a Notation of Guarantee, attached as Exhibit A to the Base Indenture, that provides for the Guarantee within thirty calendar days and to affix such Notation of Guarantee to the Notes and, pursuant to such supplemental indenture and Notation of Guarantee, such Subsidiary shall fully and unconditionally guarantee all of the Company’s obligations under the Notes on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Indenture, including without limitation in Article V of this First Supplemental Indenture (each such Subsidiary, unless and until such time such Subsidiary is released from its obligations under the Indenture and its Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, a “Subsidiary Guarantor”).

ARTICLE VII.

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Sections 7.1 and 7.2 hereof shall replace Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

 

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Section 7.1 Events of Default.

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

 

(a)

default for 30 days in the payment of any installment of interest under the Notes;

 

(b)

default in the payment of the principal amount or any other portion of the Redemption Price due with respect to the Notes, when the same becomes due and payable;

 

(c)

failure by the Company or any Guarantor to comply with any of the Company’s or any Guarantor’s respective other agreements in the Notes, the Note Guarantee or the Indenture with respect to the Notes upon receipt by the Company of notice of such default by the Trustee or by Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding and the Company’s failure to cure (or obtain a waiver of) such default within sixty (60) days after it receives such notice;

 

(d)

failure to pay any Debt (other than Non-Recourse Debt) for monies borrowed by the Company, the Parent or any of their respective Significant Subsidiaries in an outstanding principal amount in excess of $50,000,000 at final maturity or upon acceleration after the expiration of any applicable grace period, which Debt (other than Non-Recourse Debt) is, or has become, the primary obligation of the Company or the Parent and is not discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration is not cured or rescinded, within sixty (60) days after written notice to the Company from the Trustee (or to the Company and the Trustee from Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes);

 

(e)

the Note Guarantee of any Guarantor ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of the Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or a Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Indenture or the Note Guarantee, except by reason of the release of such Note Guarantee in accordance with provisions of the Indenture; or

 

(f)

the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any of their respective Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to or under or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

  (i)

commences a voluntary case or proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary or its debts or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary or all or substantially all of the property of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary; or

 

  (ii)

consents to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against the Company, such Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary; or

 

  (iii)

consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially of its property; or

 

  (iv)

makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

 

(g)

an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any of their respective Significant Subsidiaries seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary or all or substantially all of the property of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of thirty (30) calendar days; or

 

(h)

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

 

  (i)

is for relief against the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any of their respective Significant Subsidiaries in an involuntary case or proceeding;

 

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  (ii)

appoints a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary or all or substantially all of the property of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary; or

 

  (iii)

orders the liquidation of the Company, the Parent Guarantor or any such Significant Subsidiary, in each case in this clause (h), the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for thirty (30) calendar days.

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors.

Section 7.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) or 7.1(h) with respect to the Company or the Parent Guarantor, which shall result in an automatic acceleration), then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may declare the principal amount of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) or 7.1(h) shall occur with respect to the Company or the Parent Guarantor, the principal amount of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Notes shall automatically become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

At any time after the principal amount of and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the monies due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all Defaults or Events of Default and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, subject in all respects to Section 6.13 of the Base Indenture, if: (a) the Company or the Parent has deposited with the Trustee all required payments of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes, plus the reasonable compensation and reimbursement for the Trustee’s expenses, disbursements and advances pursuant to Section 7.7 of the Base Indenture; and (b) all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal of, or premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes that have become due solely because of such acceleration, have been cured or waived. No such rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or Event of Default, or shall impair any right consequent thereon. The Company shall notify in writing a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, promptly upon becoming aware thereof, of any Event of Default, as provided in Section 4.3 of the Base Indenture and the steps to be taken to cure such Event of Default.

ARTICLE VIII.

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

Sections 8.1 and 8.2 hereof shall replace Sections 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

 

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Section 8.1 Without Consent of Holders.

The Company, when authorized by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Parent, and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental without the consent of the Holders of the Notes hereto for one or more of the following purposes:

(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the Indenture; provided that this action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Notes in any material respect;

(b) to evidence a successor to the Company as obligor or to any Guarantor as guarantor under the Indenture with respect to the Notes;

(c) to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Notes then outstanding;

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

(e) to provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor Trustee or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the Indenture by more than one Trustee;

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

(g) to reflect the release of any Guarantor, as guarantor, in accordance with the Indenture;

(h) to secure the Notes;

(i) to add guarantors with respect to the Notes; and

(j) to conform the text of the Indenture, any Guarantee or the Notes to any provision of the description thereof set forth under the captions “Description of Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities” in the prospectus supplement relating to the Notes.

Upon the written request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Parent certified by the corresponding Secretary or Assistant Secretary, authorizing the execution of any supplemental indenture, the Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company and the Guarantors in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer and assignment of any property thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to, but may in its discretion, enter into any supplemental indenture that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Indenture or otherwise.

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 8.1 may be executed by the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee without the consent of the Holders of any of the Notes at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 8.2.

Section 8.2 With Consent of Holders.

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, the Company, each Guarantor and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding

 

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any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Notes; provided that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Note so affected:

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

(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including Defaulted Interest) on the Notes;

(c) reduce the principal of, or premium, if any, on, or change the Stated Maturity of, the Notes;

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

(e) make the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes payable in any currency other than that stated in the Notes;

(f) make any change in Section 6.8 of the Base Indenture, 6.13 of the Base Indenture or Section 8.2(f) of this First Supplemental Indenture (this sentence);

(g) waive a redemption payment with respect to the Notes; or

(h) release any Guarantor as a guarantor of the Notes other than as provided in the Indenture or modify the Note Guarantee in any manner adverse to the Holders.

Upon the written request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Parent certified by the corresponding Secretary or Assistant Secretary, authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate certifying receipt of the requisite consent of Holders as aforesaid, upon which the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely, the Trustee shall join with the Company and the Guarantors in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. In executing or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by the Indenture, the Trustee shall receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel or an Officers’ Certificate or both stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by the Indenture, that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been complied with, and that the supplemental indenture is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and the Guarantors as applicable, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section 8.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

 

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ARTICLE IX.

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF NOTES

Section 9.1 Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called.

A meeting of Holders may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article IX to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other act provided by the Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders.

Section 9.2 Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.

(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders for any purpose specified in Section 9.1, to be held at such time and at such place in The City of New York, New York as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 10.2 of the Base Indenture, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company, the Parent or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders for any purpose specified in Section 9.1, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company, the Parent, if applicable, or the Holders in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the City of New York, New York, for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section 9.2.

Section 9.3 Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.

To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders, a person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more outstanding Notes, or (b) a person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more outstanding Notes by such Holder or Holders; provided, that none of the Company, any Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Notes or any Affiliate of the Company, any Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Notes shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders or be counted for purposes of determining a quorum at any such meeting in respect of any Notes owned by such persons. The only persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders shall be the persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel, any representatives of any Guarantor and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 9.4 Quorum; Action.

The persons entitled to vote at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at the meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which may be given by the Holders of not less than a specified percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, the persons holding or representing the specified percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes will constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting,

 

31


such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 9.2, except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the outstanding Notes which shall constitute a quorum.

Except as limited by the proviso to Section 8.2, any resolution presented at a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes; provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 8.2, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which the Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. Any such resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders duly held in accordance with this Section 9.4 shall be binding on all the Holders, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 9.5 Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders in regard to proof of the holding of Notes and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders as provided in Section 9.2(b), in which case the Company, any Guarantor or the Holders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes of such series represented at the meeting.

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

(d) Any meeting of Holders duly called pursuant to Section 9.2 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 9.6 Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.

The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the outstanding Notes held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall

 

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make and file with the secretary of the meeting their Verified written reports in triplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record, at least in triplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 9.2 and, if applicable, Section 9.4. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company and the Guarantors, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 10.1 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent, Certificates to Trustee.

This Section 10.1 shall replace Sections 10.4 and 10.5 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of the Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trustee stating that all covenants and conditions precedent, if any, provided for in the Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with, and an Opinion of Counsel in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such covenants and conditions precedent have been complied with. The Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel provided for in the Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in the Indenture shall include: (1) a statement that the person making such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel has read such covenant or condition; (2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statement or opinion contained in such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel is based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, such person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with; provided, however, that with respect to matters of fact an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officers’ Certificate or certificates of public officials.

Section 10.2 No Recourse Against Others.

This Section 10.2 shall replace Section 10.8 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in Article V of this First Supplemental Indenture, no recourse for the payment of the principal of (including the Redemption Price upon redemption pursuant to Article IV) or premium, if any, or interest on any Note or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in this First Supplemental Indenture or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any director, officer, employee, stockholder or limited partner (past or present), as such, of the Company or any Guarantor and such parties shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes, the Guarantee or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

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Section 10.3 Trust Indenture Act Controls.

If any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this First Supplemental Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.

Section 10.4 Governing Law.

THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE NOTE GUARANTEE, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE BASE INDENTURE, FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE NOTE GUARANTEE, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Section 10.5 Counterparts.

This First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original First Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this First Supplemental Indenture shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile, email or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or electronic format (e.g., “.pdf” or “.tif”) shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code. Without limitation to the foregoing, and anything in this First Supplemental Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) any Officers’ Certificate, Company Order, Opinion of Counsel, Note, Note Guarantee, opinion of counsel, instrument, agreement or other document delivered pursuant to this First Supplemental Indenture may be executed, attested and transmitted by any of the foregoing electronic means and formats, (b) all references in Section 2.3 of the Base Indenture, Section 5.2 of this First Supplemental Indenture or elsewhere in the Indenture to the execution, attestation or authentication of any Note, any Guarantee endorsed on any Note, or any certificate of authentication appearing on or attached to any Note by means of a manual or facsimile signature shall be deemed to include signatures that are made or transmitted by any of the foregoing electronic means or formats, and (c) any requirement in this Indenture that any signature be made under a corporate seal (or facsimile thereof) shall not be applicable to the Notes or any Note Guarantees. The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of using digital signatures, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception or misuse by third parties. The Trustee shall not have any duty to confirm that the person sending any notice, instruction or other communication (a “Notice”) by electronic transmission (including by e-mail, facsimile transmission, web portal or other electronic methods) is, in fact, a person authorized to do so. Electronic signatures believed by the Trustee to comply with the ESIGN Act of 2000 or other applicable law (including electronic images of handwritten signatures and digital signatures provided by

 

34


DocuSign, Orbit, Adobe Sign or any other digital signature provider acceptable to the Trustee) shall be deemed original signatures for all purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee may in any instance and in its sole discretion reasonably require that an original document bearing a manual signature be delivered to the Trustee in lieu of, or in addition to, any such electronic Notice.

Section 10.6 Successors.

All agreements of the Company and each Guarantor in this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors.

All agreements of the Trustee in this First Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successor.

Section 10.7 Severability.

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

Section 10.8 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

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

Section 10.9 Ratifications.

The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. The Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument. All provisions included in this First Supplemental Indenture with respect to the Notes supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Indenture.

Section 10.10 Effectiveness.

The provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

Section 10.11 The Trustee.

The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Indenture. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture or the due execution thereof by the Company. The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements solely of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof. If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Notes), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the TIA regarding the collection of the claims against the Company (or any such other obligor). If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the TIA, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the TIA and the Indenture. The rights and duties of the Trustee shall be determined by the express provisions of the Base Indenture and, except as expressly set forth in this First Supplemental Indenture, nothing in this First Supplemental Indenture shall in any way modify or otherwise affect the Trustee’s rights and duties thereunder.

 

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[Signature Page Follows]

 

36


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers hereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first written above.

 

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, as the Company
By: Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., its managing member
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Czarnecki                                    

  Name:   Christopher J. Czarnecki
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President
Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Czarnecki

  Name:   Christopher J. Czarnecki
  Title:   Chief Executive Officer and President
U.S. Bank National Association, as the Trustee
By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Grell

  Name:   Christopher J. Grell
  Title:   Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC

THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2 OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2(a) OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.12 OF THE BASE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC (THE “COMPANY”) AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”) TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC

2.600% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2031

Certificate No. [                    ]

CUSIP No.: [                    ]

ISIN: [                    ]

$[        ]

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, a New York limited liability company (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or its registered assigns, the principal sum of [        ] MILLION DOLLARS ($[        ])[, or such lesser amount as is set forth in the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note on the other side of this Note,] on September 15, 2031 at the office or agency

 

Exhibit A-1


of the Company maintained for that purpose in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, 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 semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing on March 15, 2022, to the Holder in whose name the Note is registered in the security register on the preceding March 1 or September 1, whether or not a Business Day, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The Company shall pay interest on any Notes in certificated form by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears in the security register; provided, however, that a Holder of any Notes in certificated form in the aggregate principal amount of more than $2,000,000 may specify by written notice to the Company (with a copy to the Trustee) that it pay interest by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account specified by the Holder in such notice, or on any Global Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee. This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed manually or by facsimile by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent under the Indenture.

 

Exhibit A-2


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

Dated: [            ], 20[    ]

 

BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC

By: Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.,

its Managing Member

By:  

                                                                                       

Name:  
Title:  

 

Exhibit A-3


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Notes described in the within-named Indenture.

Dated: [            ], 20[    ]

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

Exhibit A-4


[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

BROADSTONE NET LEASE, LLC

2.600% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2031

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, designated as its 2.600% Senior Notes due 2031 (herein called the “Notes”), issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of September 15, 2021 (herein called the “Base Indenture”), among the Company, the Parent Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021 (herein called the “First Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company, the Parent Guarantor and the Holders of the Notes. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Note shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default referred to in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) or 7.1(h) of the First Supplemental Indenture with respect to the Company or the Parent Guarantor, which shall result in an automatic acceleration) occurs and is continuing, the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes may be declared to be due and payable by either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, and, upon said declaration the same shall be immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) or 7.1(h) of the First Supplemental Indenture occurs with respect to the Company or the Parent Guarantor, the principal of and premium, if any, and interest accrued and unpaid on all the Notes shall be immediately and automatically due and payable without necessity of further action.

The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, 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 Notes, subject to exceptions set forth in Section 8.2 of the First Supplemental Indenture. Subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, waive any past Default or Event of Default, subject to exceptions set forth in the Indenture.

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

Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

The Notes are issuable in fully registered form, without coupons, in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal amount and any multiple of $1,000. 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, without payment of any service charge but with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration or exchange of Notes, Notes may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of any other authorized denominations.

 

Exhibit A-5


The Company shall have the right to redeem the Notes under certain circumstances as set forth in Article IV of the First Supplemental Indenture.

The Notes are not subject to redemption through the operation of any sinking fund.

The obligations of the Guarantors to the Holders of the Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to the Note Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article XII of the Base Indenture as amended by Article V of the First Supplemental Indenture and reference is hereby made to such Indenture for the precise terms of the Note Guarantee.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in Article V of the First Supplemental Indenture, no recourse for the payment of the principal of (including the Redemption Price (as defined in Section 4.1 of the First Supplemental Indenture) upon redemption pursuant to Article IV of the First Supplemental Indenture) or premium, if any, or interest on this Note, or for any claim based hereon or otherwise in respect hereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in the Indenture or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any director, officer, employee, stockholder or limited partner (past or present), as such, of the Company or any Guarantor and such parties shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under this Note, the Guarantee or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of this Note.

 

Exhibit A-6


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

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

(Insert assignee’s legal name)

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

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint

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

 

Date:

     
    Your  
    Signature:  

 

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

Signature Guarantee*:

 

*

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

 

Exhibit A-7


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE *

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

 

Date of

Exchange

 

Amount of

decrease in

principal amount

at maturity of

this Global Note

 

Amount of

increase in

principal

amount at

maturity of this

Global Note

 

Principal amount

at maturity of this

Global Note

following such

decrease (or

increase)

 

Signature of

authorized

officer of

Trustee or

Custodian

       
       
       

 

*

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

 

Exhibit A-8


EXHIBIT B

[FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE TO BE ENTERED INTO BY SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS]

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of             , 20    , among (the “Guaranteeing Subsidiary”) and a Subsidiary of the Parent (as defined below), Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Parent” and, in its capacity as guarantor, the “Parent Guarantor”), Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, a New York limited liability company (the “Company”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee under the Indenture referred to below (the “Trustee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company, the Parent Guarantor and the Trustee have heretofore entered into an Indenture dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”) providing for the issuance from time to time of Securities in one or more Series;

WHEREAS, the Company, the Parent Guarantor and the Trustee have heretofore entered into a First Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), amending and supplementing the Base Indenture and establishing a Series of Securities designated as the Company’s “2.600% Senior Notes due 2031” (the “Notes”);”

WHEREAS, the Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, provides that under certain circumstances the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture and Notation of Guarantee pursuant to which the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall fully and unconditionally guarantee all of the Company’s obligations under the Notes on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Indenture, including without limitation in Article V of the First Supplemental Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Base Indenture as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, and as further supplemented from time to time, including without limitation pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture, is referred to herein as the “Indenture;” and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 8.1 of the First Supplemental Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture;

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

ARTICLE I.

RELATION TO INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Relation to Indenture.

With respect to the Notes, this Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Indenture.

 

Exhibit B-1


Section 1.2 Definitions.

For all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Indenture.

Section 1.3 General References.

Unless otherwise specified or unless the context otherwise requires, (1) all references in this Supplemental Indenture to Articles and Sections refer to the corresponding Articles and Sections of this Supplemental Indenture and (2) the terms “herein,” “hereof,” “hereunder” and any other word of similar import refer to this Supplemental Indenture.

ARTICLE II.

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE

Section 2.1 Agreement to Guarantee.

The Guaranteeing Subsidiary hereby fully and unconditionally guarantees all of the Company’s obligations under the Notes on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Indenture, including without limitation in Article V of the First Supplemental Indenture, and the Notation of Guarantee.

ARTICLE III.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 3.1 Certain Trustee Matters.

The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company, the Parent Guarantor and the Guaranteeing Subsidiary, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness.

The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes or any Guarantee or the proper authorization or the due execution hereof or thereof by the Company or the Parent Guarantor.

Except as expressly set forth herein, nothing in this Supplemental Indenture shall alter the duties, rights or obligations of the Trustee set forth in the Indenture.

Section 3.2 Continued Effect.

Except as expressly supplemented and amended by this Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with the provisions thereof, and the Indenture, as heretofore amended and supplemented, is in all respects hereby ratified and confirmed. This Supplemental Indenture and all its provisions shall be deemed a part of the Indenture, in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided.

Section 3.3 Governing Law.

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE BASE INDENTURE, FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE OR THE NOTES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

Exhibit B-2


Section 3.4 Counterparts.

This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Supplemental Indenture shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile, email or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.

Section 3.5 Effect of Headings.

The Article and Section headings in this Supplemental Indenture are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

Exhibit B-3


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

 

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, as the Company
By: Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., its managing member
By:  

 

  Name:  
  Title:  
Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., as Guarantor
By:  

 

  Name:  
  Title:  
    U.S. Bank National Association, as the Trustee
    By:  

 

      Name:
      Title:

 

Exhibit B-4

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

– – – – – – – – – – – – –  – – – – – – – – –

300 East Lombard Street, 18th Floor

  

Baltimore, MD 21202-3268

  

TEL 410.528.5600

  

FAX 410.528.5650

  

www.ballardspahr.com

  

September 15, 2021

 

Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.

800 Clinton Square

Rochester, New York 14604

 

  Re:

Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) – Issuance and sale of $375,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.600% Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”) by Broadstone Net Lease, LLC, a New York limited liability company of which the Company acts as the sole managing member (the “Operating Partnership”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-257317 and 333-257317-01) filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on June 23, 2021 (the “Registration Statement”)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as Maryland corporate counsel to the Company in connection with the registration of the Notes by the Operating Partnership and the guarantee of the Notes by the Company, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), pursuant to the Registration Statement. You have requested our opinion with respect to the matters set forth below.

In our capacity as Maryland corporate counsel to the Company and for the purposes of this opinion, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (collectively, the “Documents”):

(i)    the corporate charter of the Company (the “Charter”) represented by Articles of Incorporation filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “Department”) on October 18, 2007, Articles of Amendment filed with the Department on September 14, 2020, Articles Supplementary filed with the Department on September 14, 2020, and Articles of Amendment filed with the Department on September 18, 2020;

(ii)    the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, effective as of March 23, 2020 (the “Bylaws”);

(iii)    resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company, or a duly authorized committee thereof, on or as of June 22, 2021, September 3, 2021 and September 10, 2021 (collectively, the “Directors’ Resolutions”);

(iv)    the Second Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of the Operating Partnership, dated September 20, 2020 (the “Operating Agreement”);


BALLARD SPAHR LLP

Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.

September 15, 2021

Page 2

 

(v)    a status certificate of the Department, dated as of a recent date, to the effect that the Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the State of Maryland;

(vi)    the Registration Statement and the related form of base prospectus and prospectus supplement, filed pursuant to the Act;

(vii)    a copy of the fully executed Indenture, dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”), by and among the Company, the Operating Partnership and U.S. Bank National Association (the “Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”);

(viii)    a copy of the fully executed global note, dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Global Note”), registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company’s nominee Cede & Co., representing the Notes;

(ix)    a copy of the fully executed guarantee, dated as of September 15, 2021 (the “Guarantee”), made by the Company for the benefit of the holders of the Notes and annexed to the Global Note (the “Guarantee”);

(x)    a certificate executed by two officers of the Company, dated as of a recent date (the “Officers’ Certificate”), to the effect that, among other things, the Charter, the Bylaws, the Directors’ Resolutions and the Operating Agreement are true, correct and complete, have not been rescinded or modified and are in full force and effect on the date of the Officers’ Certificate, and certifying as to the form, approval, execution and delivery of the Indenture, the Global Note and the Guarantee; and

(xi)    such other laws, records, documents, certificates, opinions and instruments as we have deemed necessary to render this opinion, subject to the limitations, assumptions and qualifications noted below.

In reaching the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the following:

(a)    each person executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so;

(b)    each natural person executing any of the Documents is legally competent to do so;

(c)    any of the Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic; any of the Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents; all signatures on all of the Documents are genuine; all public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete; all statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete; there has been no modification of, or amendment to, any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents by action or omission of the parties or otherwise;


BALLARD SPAHR LLP

Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.

September 15, 2021

Page 3

 

(d)    the Officers’ Certificate and all other certificates submitted to us are true and correct both when made and as of the date hereof;

(e)    the Company has not, and is not required to be, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940;

(f)    the Notes will be issued under, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture; and

(g)    the Notes will be issued in book-entry form, represented by the Global Note, and will be authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with and subject to the terms of the Indenture.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date of this letter:

1.    The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland.

2.    The Company has the corporate power to create the obligation evidenced by the Guarantee.

3.    The issuance of the Notes, the guarantee of the Notes by the Company, and the execution and delivery of the Global Note, the Guarantee and the Indenture, in each case by the Company in its own capacity and, in its capacity as sole managing member of the Operating Partnership, on behalf of the Operating Partnership, as the case may be, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. The Global Note, the Guarantee and the Indenture have been duly executed and delivered by the Company in its own capacity and, in its capacity as sole managing member of the Operating Partnership, on behalf of the Operating Partnership, as the case may be.

The foregoing opinions are limited to the substantive laws of the State of Maryland, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers or the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and we express no opinion with respect to the limited liability company actions required for the Operating Partnership to authorize, execute or deliver any document. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinions are expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter.


BALLARD SPAHR LLP

Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.

September 15, 2021

Page 4

 

This opinion letter is issued as of the date hereof and is necessarily limited to laws now in effect and facts and circumstances presently existing and brought to our attention. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion letter if any applicable laws change after the date hereof, or if we become aware of any facts or circumstances that now exist or that occur or arise in the future and may change the opinions expressed herein after the date hereof.

We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K relating to the Notes and the Guarantee, which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and further consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the applications to securities commissioners for the various states of the United States for registration of the Notes and the Guarantee. We also consent to the identification of our firm as Maryland corporate counsel to the Company in the section of the Registration Statement entitled “Legal Matters”. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ BALLARD SPAHR LLP

Exhibit 5.2

 

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

 

801 17th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20006

Tel:  +1.202.639.7000

Fax: +1.202.639.7003

www.friedfrank.com

  

 

LOGO

September 15, 2021

Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.

Broadstone Net Lease, LLC

800 Clinton Square

Rochester, NY 14604

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are acting as counsel to Broadstone Net Lease Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and Broadstone Net Lease, LLC (the “Operating Partnership”), a Delaware limited liability company of which the Company is the managing member, in connection with the (i) issuance of $375,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.600% senior unsecured notes of the Operating Partnership (the “Notes”) and (ii) guarantees of the Notes by the Company (the “Guarantees” and together with the Notes, the “Securities”) pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-257317 and 333-257317-01), as may be amended from time to time (the “Registration Statement”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), a base prospectus dated June 23, 2021 and a final prospectus supplement dated September 10, 2021 (the “Prospectus Supplement”). The Securities are being offered to the public pursuant to an underwriting agreement, dated September 10, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Company, the Operating Partnership and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Truist Securities, Inc., and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., as representatives (collectively, the “Representatives”) of the several underwriters (the “Underwriters”) named in Schedule 1 thereto. The Securities have been issued pursuant to a base indenture dated September 15, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”) among the Company, the Operating Partnership and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended by a the first supplemental indenture dated September 15, 2021 (the “First Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). With your permission, all assumptions and statements of reliance herein have been made without any independent investigation or verification on our part, and we express no opinion with respect to the subject matter or accuracy of such assumptions or items relied upon. The Underwriting Agreement, the Base Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture, the Notes, the notations of guarantee evidencing the Guarantees and any other documents contemplated thereby or hereby are collectively referred to herein as the “Documents.”

In connection with this opinion, we have (i) investigated such questions of law, (ii) examined originals or certified, conformed, electronic or reproduction copies of such agreements, instruments, documents and records of the Company and the Operating Partnership,

 

New York • Washington • London • Frankfurt

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a Delaware Limited Liability Partnership


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Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.    - 2 -    September 15, 2021

 

such certificates of public officials and such other documents, and (iii) received such information from officers and representatives of the Company and the Operating Partnership, in each case, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion.

In all such examinations, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of original and certified documents and the conformity to original or certified documents of all copies submitted to us as certified, conformed, electronic or reproduction copies. As to various questions of fact relevant to the opinions expressed herein, we have relied upon, and assume the accuracy of, certificates and oral or written statements and other information of or from public officials and officers and representatives of the Company, the Operating Partnership and others.

To the extent it may be relevant to the opinions expressed below, we have assumed that (i) all of the parties to the Documents (other than the Operating Partnership) are or will be validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization; (ii) all of the parties to the Documents (other than the Operating Partnership) have the power and authority to (a) execute and deliver the Documents, (b) perform their obligations thereunder and (c) consummate the transactions contemplated thereby; (iii) each of the Documents have been or will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by, each of the parties thereto (other than the Operating Partnership); (iv) each of the Documents will constitute a valid and binding obligation of each of the parties thereto (other than as expressly addressed in the opinions below as to the Company and the Operating Partnership), enforceable against such parties in accordance with their terms; (v) all of the parties to the Documents will comply with all of their obligations under the Documents and all laws applicable thereto; (vi) the Notes have been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee against payment therefor in accordance with the Documents; and (vii) the Notes and the notations of guarantee evidencing the Guarantees conform to the specimens thereof examined by us.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that (i) the Notes constitute valid and binding obligations of the Operating Partnership enforceable against the Operating Partnership in accordance with their terms and (ii) the Guarantees constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

We express no opinion as to the validity or binding effect of any provision of the Documents:

(A)     relating to indemnification, contribution or exculpation;

(B)     containing any purported waiver, release, variation, disclaimer, consent or other agreement of similar effect (all of the foregoing, collectively, a “Waiver”) by any party under any provision of such Documents to the extent limited by provisions of applicable law (including judicial decisions), or to the extent that such a Waiver applies to a right, claim, duty, defense or ground for discharge otherwise existing or occurring as a matter of law (including judicial decisions), except to the extent that such a Waiver is effective under, and is not prohibited by or void or invalid under, provisions of applicable law (including judicial decisions);


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Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.    - 3 -    September 15, 2021

 

(C)    related to (a) forum selection or submission to jurisdiction (including, without limitation, any waiver of any objection to venue in any court or of any objection that a court is an inconvenient forum) to the extent that the validity or binding effect of any such provision is to be determined by any court other than a court of the State of New York, (b) choice of governing law to the extent that the validity or binding effect of any such provision is to be determined by any court other than a court of the State of New York or a federal district court sitting in the State of New York, in each case, applying the choice of law principles of the State of New York or (c) any waiver of right to trial by jury;

(D)    specifying that provisions thereof may be waived only in writing;

(E)    purporting to give any person or entity the power to accelerate obligations without any notice to the obligor;

(F)    specifying that any person may exercise set-off or similar rights other than in accordance with applicable law;

(G)    relating to payment of late charges, interest (or discount or equivalent amounts), premium, “make-whole” payments, collection costs or fees at a rate or in an amount, after or upon the maturity or acceleration of the liabilities evidenced or secured thereby or after or during the continuance of any default or other circumstance, or upon prepayment, that a court would determine in the circumstances to be unreasonable, a penalty or a forfeiture;

(H)    requiring that any unearned portion of the Notes issued at a discount be paid upon acceleration or otherwise earlier than the stated final maturity; or

(I)    which may be construed to be in the nature of a penalty.

We express no opinion as to the validity or binding effect of any provision of the Documents (i) providing for payments thereunder in a currency other than currency of the United States of America to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction, under applicable law, will convert any judgment rendered in such other currency into currency of the United States of America or to the extent that payment in a currency other than currency of the United States of America is contrary to applicable law, (ii) providing for governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States or in foreign currency or composite currency or (iii) concerning the enforceability of the waiver of rights or defenses contained in the Documents relating to waiver of stay, extension or usury laws.

We express no opinion as to the effect of any law of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York wherein any party to the Documents may be located or wherein enforcement of any Documents may be sought that limits the rates of interest legally chargeable or collectible. We express no opinion as to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any agreement, instrument or other document referred to, or incorporated by reference in, the Documents) other than the Documents.


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Broadstone Net Lease, Inc.    - 4 -    September 15, 2021

 

The opinions set forth above are subject to the following qualifications:

(i)    applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws (or related judicial doctrines) now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally,

(ii)    general principles of equity including, without limitation, standards of materiality, good faith, fair dealing and reasonableness, equitable defenses and limits as to the availability of equitable remedies, whether such principles are considered in a proceeding at law or in equity, and

(iii)    the application of any applicable fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent obligation, or preferential transfer law or any law governing the distribution of assets of any person now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally.

The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of New York, as currently in effect, and no opinion is expressed with respect to any other laws or any effect that such other laws may have on the opinions expressed herein. The opinions expressed herein are limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein. This letter is given only as of the time of its delivery, and we undertake no responsibility to update or supplement this letter after its delivery.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on the date hereof, which will be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and to the references to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER & JACOBSON LLP
FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER & JACOBSON LLP