false 0000064040 0000064040 2022-03-02 2022-03-02

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): March 2, 2022

 

 

S&P Global Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

New York   1-1023   13-1026995

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Commission

File No.)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

55 Water Street, New York, New York 10041

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(212) 438-1000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

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

 

Name of Exchange

on which registered

Common stock (par value $1.00 per share)   SPGI   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.

Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations

On March 2, 2022 (the “Settlement Date”), S&P Global Inc. (the “Company”) announced the completion of the previously announced (i) offers to exchange (collectively, the “Exchange Offers”) any and all outstanding notes of certain series (the “IHS Markit Notes”) issued by IHS Markit Ltd. (“IHS Markit”) for up to $4,642,848,000 aggregate principal amount of new notes (the “S&P Global Notes”) to be issued by the Company and cash and (ii) solicitations of consents (collectively, the “Consent Solicitations”) to adopt the Amendments (as defined below) in each of the indentures (collectively, the “IHS Markit Indentures”) governing the IHS Markit Notes, commenced by S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc. (“Market Intelligence”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, on November 16, 2021.

Pursuant to the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations, the aggregate principal amounts of the IHS Markit Notes set forth below were tendered and subsequently accepted or not tendered and accepted in connection with the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations as designated by the applicable column heading. Such accepted IHS Markit Notes will not be cancelled in connection with the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations, and such IHS Markit Notes are expected to be held by Market Intelligence or another subsidiary of the Company on an intercompany basis.

 

Title of Series of IHS Markit

Notes

   Aggregate Principal Amount Tendered
and Accepted
     Aggregate Principal Amount
Not Tendered and Accepted
 

5.000% Senior Notes due 2022

   $ 734,098,000      $ 8,750,000  

4.125% Senior Notes due 2023

   $ 462,292,000      $ 37,708,000  

3.625% Senior Notes due 2024

   $ 353,197,000      $ 46,803,000  

4.750% Senior Notes due 2025

   $ 795,818,000      $ 4,182,000  

4.000% Senior Notes due 2026

   $ 497,157,000      $ 2,843,000  

4.750% Senior Notes due 2028

   $ 700,697,000      $ 49,303,000  

4.250% Senior Notes due 2029

   $ 930,164,000      $ 19,836,000  

Prior to settlement of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations and upon receipt of the requisite consents to adopt the Amendments with respect to each series of IHS Markit Notes, IHS Markit entered into (i) a first supplemental indenture, dated as of November 30, 2021, between IHS Markit and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as successor to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”), with respect to the IHS Markit Notes issued under the senior notes indenture, dated as of July 28, 2016, among IHS Markit, the guarantors party thereto and the Trustee; (ii) a supplemental indenture no. 2, dated as of November 30, 2021, between IHS Markit and the Trustee, with respect to the IHS Markit Notes issued under the senior notes indenture, dated as of February 9, 2017, among IHS Markit, the guarantors party thereto and the Trustee; (iii) a first supplemental indenture, dated as of November 30, 2021, between IHS Markit and the Trustee, with respect to the IHS Markit Notes issued under the senior notes indenture, dated as of December 1, 2017, among IHS Markit, the guarantors party thereto and the Trustee; and (iv) a fifth supplemental indenture, dated as of November 30, 2021, between IHS Markit and the Trustee, with respect to the IHS Markit Notes issued under the senior indenture, dated as of July 23, 2018, between IHS Markit and the Trustee (collectively, the “IHS Markit Supplemental Indentures”).


The IHS Markit Supplemental Indentures became operative upon the Settlement Date and amended each of the IHS Markit Indentures to, among other things, eliminate from each IHS Markit Indenture (i) substantially all of the restrictive covenants, (ii) certain of the events which may lead to an “Event of Default”, (iii) the SEC reporting covenant, (iv) the restrictions on IHS Markit consolidating with or merging into another person or conveying, transferring or leasing all or any of its properties and assets to any person and (v) the obligation to offer to repurchase the IHS Markit Notes upon certain change of control transactions (collectively, the “Amendments”).

In connection with the settlement of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations, on March 2, 2022, the Company and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“SPFS”) entered into a seventh supplemental indenture (the “S&P Global Supplemental Indenture”) with U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee, to the indenture dated as of May 26, 2015 (the “Base Indenture” and, as amended and supplemented from time to time, the “S&P Global Indenture”), among the Company, SPFS and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as successor to U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, with respect to the issuance of the following S&P Global Notes, each series with the interest rate and maturity date as set forth below:

 

  (i)

$734,098,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due November 1, 2022 (the “S&P Global 5.000% 2022 Notes”), which notes will bear interest at a rate of 5.000% per annum and will mature on November 1, 2022;

 

  (ii)

$462,292,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.125% Senior Notes due August 1, 2023 (the “S&P Global 4.125% 2023 Notes”), which notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.125% per annum and will mature on August 1, 2023;

 

  (iii)

$353,197,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.625% Senior Notes due May 1, 2024 (the “S&P Global 3.625% 2024 Notes”), which notes will bear interest at a rate of 3.625% per annum and will mature on May 1, 2024;

 

  (iv)

$795,818,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.750% Senior Notes due February 15, 2025 (the “S&P Global 4.750% 2025 Notes”), which notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.750% per annum and will mature on February 15, 2025;

 

  (v)

$497,157,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.000% Senior Notes due March 1, 2026 (the “S&P Global 4.000% 2026 Notes”), which notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.000% per annum and will mature on March 1, 2026;

 

  (vi)

$700,697,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.750% Senior Notes due August 1, 2028 (the “S&P Global 4.750% 2028 Notes”), which notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.750% per annum and will mature on August 1, 2028; and

 

  (vii)

$930,164,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.250% Senior Notes due May 1, 2029 (the “S&P Global 4.250% 2029 Notes”), which notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.250% per annum and will mature on May 1, 2029.

The S&P Global Indenture contains covenants that, among other things, limit the Company’s ability to (i) create, assume, incur or guarantee any indebtedness for money borrowed secured by a lien on any of its properties or assets, without securing the S&P Global Notes equally and ratably with (or prior to) such secured indebtedness and (ii) consolidate with or merge into any other person or convey or transfer its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person. The Company has the right to redeem the S&P Global Notes at any time on the terms provided in the S&P Global Indenture. Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined in the S&P Global Indenture), unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem all of the S&P Global Notes, each holder will have the right to require the Company to repurchase its S&P Global Notes at a purchase price equal to


101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest. The S&P Global Indenture also contains customary events of default. Indebtedness under the S&P Global Notes may be accelerated in certain circumstances upon an event of default as set forth in the S&P Global Indenture. The S&P Global Notes were issued in exchange for the IHS Markit Notes pursuant to a private exchange offer exempt from, or not subject to, registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”).

At any time prior to the applicable Par Call Date (as defined in the S&P Global Supplemental Indenture) with respect to the S&P Global Notes, the Company will be entitled, at its option, to redeem all or a portion of the S&P Global Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the S&P Global Notes plus the Applicable Premium (as defined in the S&P Global Supplemental Indenture) as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. In addition, on or after such Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the S&P Global Notes in whole or in part at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

The above descriptions of the S&P Global Indenture and the S&P Global Notes are qualified in their entirety by reference to the text of the Base Indenture, a copy of which is included as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein in its entirety, and the S&P Global Supplemental Indenture (including the forms of the S&P Global Notes included therein), a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein in its entirety.

Registration Rights Agreement

On the Settlement Date, in connection with the issuance of the S&P Global Notes, the Company and SPFS entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as the dealer managers. The Company agreed under the Registration Rights Agreement to use its commercially reasonable efforts to (i) file a registration statement on an appropriate registration form with respect to a registered offer to exchange the S&P Global Notes for new notes, with terms substantially identical in all material respects to the S&P Global Notes, and (ii) cause the registration statement to become effective under the Securities Act. The Company shall be obligated to pay additional interest on the S&P Global Notes if it does not complete the exchange offer on or prior to the 365th day after the issuance of the S&P Global Notes, or, if the shelf registration statement with respect to the S&P Global Notes (if required to be filed) is not declared effective on or prior to the 180th day after the later of (i) the 365th day after the issuance of the S&P Global Notes and (ii) the date on which the Company receives the relevant request for filing of a shelf registration statement from any of the dealer managers pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement.

The above description of the Registration Rights Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Registration Rights Agreement, a copy of which is included as Exhibit 4.10 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein in its entirety.

 

Item 2.03.

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

The information set forth in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K under the caption “Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations” is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.


Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed with this report:

 

(4.1)   Indenture, dated as of May 26, 2015, among S&P Global Inc. (f/k/a McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.), Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as successor to U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on May 26, 2015).
(4.2)   Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 2, 2022, among S&P Global Inc., Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee.
(4.3)   Form of 5.000% Senior Note due 2022 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
(4.4)   Form of 4.125% Senior Note due 2023 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
(4.5)   Form of 3.625% Senior Note due 2024 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
(4.6)   Form of 4.750% Senior Note due 2025 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
(4.7)   Form of 4.000% Senior Note due 2026 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
(4.8)   Form of 4.750% Senior Note due 2028 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
(4.9)   Form of 4.250% Senior Note due 2029 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
  (4.10)   Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 2, 2022, among S&P Global Inc., Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
(104)   Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL).


SIGNATURES

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

 

S&P Global Inc.

/s/ Alma Rosa Montanez

By: Alma Rosa Montanez
        Assistant Corporate Secretary & Chief Corporate       Counsel

Dated: March 2, 2022

Exhibit 4.2

EXECUTION VERSION

S&P GLOBAL INC.

STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC,

as Guarantor

5.000% Senior Notes due 2022

4.125% Senior Notes due 2023

3.625% Senior Notes due 2024

4.750% Senior Notes due 2025

4.000% Senior Notes due 2026

4.750% Senior Notes due 2028

4.250% Senior Notes due 2029

SEVENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of March 2, 2022

to the Indenture Dated as of May 26, 2015

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS

     2  

Section 1.01.

  Certain Terms Defined in the Indenture; Additional Terms      2  

ARTICLE 2 FORM AND TERMS OF THE NOTES

     6  

Section 2.01.

  Form and Dating      6  

Section 2.02.

  Paying Agent; Depository      7  

Section 2.03.

  Registration      7  

Section 2.04.

  Transfer and Exchange      8  

Section 2.05.

  Terms of the Notes      8  

Section 2.06.

  Optional Redemption      10  

Section 2.07.

  Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control Triggering Event      11  

Section 2.08.

  Registration Default      13  

ARTICLE 3 COVENANTS

     13  

Section 3.01.

  Rule 144A Information      13  

ARTICLE 4 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

     13  

Section 4.01.

  Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders      13  

ARTICLE 5 GUARANTEE

     14  

Section 5.01.

  Release of Guarantor from Guarantee      14  

ARTICLE 6 MISCELLANEOUS

     14  

Section 6.01.

  Trust Indenture Act Controls      14  

Section 6.02.

  Governing Law      14  

Section 6.03.

  Payment of Notes      15  

Section 6.04.

  Multiple Counterparts      15  

Section 6.05.

  Severability      15  

Section 6.06.

  Relation to Indenture      15  

Section 6.07.

  Ratification      16  

Section 6.08.

  Effectiveness      16  

Section 6.09.

  Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities      16  

Section 6.10.

  Calculations      16  

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(Continued)

 

         Page  
APPENDIX   
APPENDIX A Provisions relating to the Notes   
EXHIBITS   
EXHIBIT A Forms of Notes   

 

ii


SEVENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

SEVENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Seventh Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of March 2, 2022, among S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (the “Company”), having its principal executive offices at 55 Water Street, New York, New York 10041, STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as guarantor hereunder (the “Guarantor”), AND U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of May 26, 2015 (the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of Securities to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Indenture;

WHEREAS, the establishment of (i) a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 5.000% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “2022 Notes”); (ii) a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 4.125% Senior Notes due 2023 (the “2023 Notes”); (iii) a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 3.625% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “2024 Notes”); (iv) a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 4.750% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “2025 Notes”); (v) a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 4.000% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”); (vi) a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 4.750% Senior Notes due 2028 (the “2028 Notes”); and (vii) a new series of the Securities of the Company designated as its 4.250% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes” and, together with the 2022 Notes, the 2023 Notes, the 2024 Notes, the 2025 Notes, the 2026 Notes and the 2028 Notes, the “Notes”), all such Notes to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor, have been authorized by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and the Board of Managers of the Guarantor;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to issue and deliver to its wholly owned subsidiary S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Initial Holder”), on the date hereof the following Notes: (i) $734,098,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Notes; (ii) $462,292,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes; (iii) $353,197,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2024 Notes; (iv) $795,818,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes; (v) $497,157,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes; (vi) $700,697,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2028 Notes; and (vii) $930,164,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2029 Notes, all such Notes to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor in accordance with Article 12 of the Indenture;

WHEREAS, Sections 2.01 and 10.01 of the Indenture provide that the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture to provide for the issuance of and to establish the form or terms and conditions of Securities of any series as permitted by the Indenture;


WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish the form, terms and conditions of the Notes; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Seventh Supplemental Indenture a legal, valid and binding supplement to the Indenture according to its terms and the terms of the Indenture have been done;

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Certain Terms Defined in the Indenture; Additional Terms.

(a) For purposes of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture, all capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Indenture, as amended hereby.

(b) The following capitalized terms used herein shall be defined accordingly:

Additional Interest” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08 hereof.

Additional Notes” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(b) hereof.

Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to a Note at any redemption date, as provided by the Company, (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(519)” 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 United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the Par Call Date, 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 year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date, in each case calculated on the third Business Day immediately preceding the date that the applicable redemption notice is first mailed or sent, in each case, plus: (i) 50 basis points in the case of the 2022 Notes; (ii) 25 basis points in the case of the 2023 Notes; (iii) 25 basis points in the case of the 2024 Notes; (iv) 50 basis points in the case of the 2025 Notes; (v) 50 basis points in the case of the 2026 Notes; (vi) 30 basis points in the case of the 2028 Notes; and (vii) 30 basis points in the case of the 2029 Notes.

Agent Member” means a member of, or a participant in, the Depository.

 

2


Applicable Premium” means with respect to a Note at any redemption date, as provided by the Company, the excess of (1) the present value at such redemption date of the Remaining Scheduled Payments on such Note (but excluding accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Adjusted Treasury Rate, over (2) the principal amount of such Note on such redemption date.

Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the applicable series of Notes is rated below an Investment Grade Rating by each of the Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the applicable series of Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies); provided that a Below Investment Grade Rating Event otherwise arising by virtue of a particular reduction in rating shall not be deemed to have occurred in respect to a particular Change of Control (and thus shall not be deemed a Below Investment Grade Rating Event for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Triggering Event hereunder) if the Rating Agencies making the reduction in rating to which this definition would otherwise apply do not announce or publicly confirm or inform the Trustee or the Company in writing at the Trustee’s or the Company’s request that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the applicable Change of Control (whether or not the applicable Change of Control shall have occurred at the time of the Below Investment Grade Rating Event). The Trustee has no obligation to monitor or determine if any such event has occurred.

Business Day” means each day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which the Trustee or commercial banking institutions are authorized or required by law to close in New York City or London, England.

Certificated Note” means a Note in registered individual certificated form without interest coupons.

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any person (as defined in the Indenture, and in addition as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) and Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) or group of related persons for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries; (2) the approval by the holders of the Company’s common stock of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company (whether or not otherwise in compliance with the provisions hereof); or (3) the consummation of any transaction or series of related transactions (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any person becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Company’s Voting Stock.

Change of Control Offer” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(a) hereof.

 

3


Change of Control Payment” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(a) hereof.

Change of Control Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(b)(iii) hereof.

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

Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (the “Remaining Life”) of the Notes from the redemption date to the Par Call Date, 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 a maturity most nearly equal to the Par Call Date.

Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to a Note at any Optional Redemption Date, if clause (2) of the Adjusted Treasury Rate definition is applicable, the average of two, or such lesser number as is obtained by the Company, Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date.

Credit Facility” means one or more (1) credit facilities with banks, investors, purchasers or other debtholders or other lenders providing for revolving credit loans or term loans or the issuance of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances or the like, (2) note purchase agreements and indentures providing for the sale of Debt securities or (3) agreements that refinance any Debt incurred under any arrangement or agreement described in clause (1) or (2) or this clause (3), including in each case any successor or replacement arrangement, arrangements, agreement or agreements.

DTC” means The Depository Trust Company.

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Ltd, and its successors.

Global Note” means a Note in registered global form without interest coupons.

Initial Certificated Notes” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a) hereof.

interest,” in respect of the Notes, unless the context otherwise requires, refers to interest.

Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by Fitch (or, in each case, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any Rating Agency).

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and its successors.

Optional Redemption Date” means any such date fixed for redemption pursuant to Section 2.06(a) or Section 2.06(b).

 

4


Par Call Date” means (i) August 1, 2022 with respect to the 2022 Notes, (ii) July 1, 2023 with respect to the 2023 Notes, (iii) April 1, 2024 with respect to the 2024 Notes, (iv) November 15, 2024 with respect to the 2025 Notes, (v) December 1, 2025 with respect to the 2026 Notes, (vi) May 1, 2028 with respect to the 2028 Notes and (vii) February 1, 2029 with respect to the 2029 Notes.

Paying Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02 hereof.

Quotation Agent” means the Reference Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.

Rating Agencies” means (1) Moody’s and Fitch; (2) if Moody’s or Fitch ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Company’s board of directors) as a replacement agency for Moody’s or Fitch; and (3) at the Company’s option, any other “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Company’s board of directors) to rate the Notes.

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

Reference Treasury Dealer” means (1) either Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and its successors and assigns or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and its successors and assigns, with respect to the 2022 Notes; (2) either Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and its successors and assigns or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and its successors and assigns, with respect to the 2025 Notes; (3) each of RBC Capital Markets, LLC and its successors and assigns and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and its successors and assigns, with respect to the 2026 Notes; (4) each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and its successors and assigns, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and its successors and assigns and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and its successors and assigns; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government Securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer, with respect to the 2023 Notes and the 2028 Notes; and (5) each of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and its successors and assigns, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and its successors and assigns and RBC Capital Markets, LLC and its successors and assigns; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute therefore another Primary Treasury Dealer, with respect to the 2024 Notes and the 2029 Notes.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Optional 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 second Business Day immediately preceding the date that the applicable redemption notice is first mailed or sent.

 

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Registration Default” has the meaning ascribed thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Registration Rights Agreement” means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Remaining Scheduled Payments” means the remaining payments of principal of and interest on the Notes that would be due after the redemption date but for such redemption if the Notes matured on the Par Call Date. If the redemption date is not an interest payment date, the amount of the next succeeding scheduled interest payment on the Notes will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued thereon to the redemption date.

ARTICLE 2

FORM AND TERMS OF THE NOTES

Section 2.01. Form and Dating. (a) The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the forms set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto. The Notes shall be issued initially as Certificated Notes to the Initial Holder (the “Initial Certificated Notes”). The Notes shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any Officer and attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these Officers on the Notes may be manual, facsimile or by way of a digital signature provided by DocuSign (or such other digital signature provider as specified in writing to the Trustee by the Company), in English. The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of using digital signatures and electronic methods to submit communications to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rules or usage. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000, in excess thereof.

The terms and notations contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Indenture as supplemented by this Seventh Supplemental Indenture and the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

(b) Section 2.03(a) of the Indenture shall be modified with respect to the Notes as follows:

(a) The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any Officer and attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these Officers on the Securities may be manual, facsimile or by way of a digital signature provided by DocuSign (or such other digital signature provider as specified in writing to the Trustee by the Company), in English. It shall not be necessary for the Securities of any series to be endorsed or executed by the Guarantor and such Securities shall nevertheless be entitled to the benefits of Article 12 hereof unless otherwise expressly determined pursuant to Section 2.01(b)(xvii).

 

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(c) Section 2.03(b) of the Indenture shall be modified with respect to the Notes as follows:

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

Section 2.02. Paying Agent; Depository. (a) The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as the initial agent of the Company for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes (the “Paying Agent”), and the office of the Trustee located in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, be and hereby is, designated as the office or agency where the Notes may be presented for payment and where notices to or demands upon the Company in respect of the Notes and the Indenture pursuant to which the Notes are to be issued may be served. The Company may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which the paying agent acts.

(b) The Depository for the Global Notes shall initially be DTC and any and all successors thereto appointed as Depository by the Company. Upon delivery of the Initial Certificated Notes to the Company, together with a request from the Initial Holder, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Depository, Global Notes to the Depository for transfer to Agent Members as directed by the Initial Holder in accordance with Section 2.05 of the Indenture. Upon delivery of the Global Notes to the Depository, the Trustee shall cancel the Initial Certificated Notes.

Section 2.03. Registration. (a) The Initial Certificated Notes will be registered in the name of the Initial Holder. Each Global Note will be registered in the name of the Depository or its nominee and, so long as DTC is serving as the Depository thereof, will bear a legend as set forth in Appendix A hereto.

(i) Each Global Note will be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for the Depository. Transfers of a Global Note (but not a beneficial interest therein) will be limited to transfers thereof in whole, but not in part, to the Depository, its successors or their respective nominees, except (y) as set forth in (iii) of this Section 2.03(a) and (z) transfers of portions thereof in the form of Certificated Notes may be made upon request of an Agent Member (for itself or on behalf of a beneficial owner) by written notice given to the Trustee by or on behalf of the Depository in accordance with customary procedures of the Depository and in compliance with this Section 2.03 and Section 2.04.

(ii) Agent Members will have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depository, and the Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner and Holder of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Depository or its nominee may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person (including any Agent Member and any Person that holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through an Agent Member) to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes, and nothing herein will impair, as between the Depository and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of any security.

 

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(iii) If (x) the Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for a Global Note and a successor depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice or (y) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee has received a written request from the Depository, the Trustee will promptly exchange each beneficial interest in the Global Note for one or more Certificated Notes in authorized denominations having an equal aggregate principal amount registered in the name of the owner of such beneficial interest, as identified to the Trustee by the Depository, and thereupon the Global Note will be deemed canceled.

(b) Each Certificated Note will be registered in the name of the Holder thereof or its nominee.

Section 2.04. Transfer and Exchange. (a) Following the initial delivery of the Global Notes to the Depository, the transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) may only be made in accordance with this Section 2.04 and, in the case of a Global Note (or a beneficial interest therein), the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository. The Security Registrar shall refuse to register any requested transfer or exchange that does not comply with the preceding sentence.

(b) The Trustee will retain copies of all certificates, opinions and other documents received in connection with the transfer or exchange of a Note (or a beneficial interest therein), and the Company will have the right to inspect and make copies thereof at any reasonable time upon prior written notice to the Trustee.

Section 2.05. Terms of the Notes. The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:

(a) Title. The 2022 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “5.000% Senior Notes due 2022”, the 2023 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “4.125% Senior Notes due 2023”, the 2024 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “3.625% Senior Notes due 2024,” the 2025 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “4.750% Senior Notes due 2025”, the 2026 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “4.000% Senior Notes due 2026”, the 2028 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “4.750% Senior Notes due 2028” and the 2029 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “4.250% Senior Notes due 2029”.

(b) Principal Amount. The aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $734,098,000. The aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $462,292,000. The aggregate principal amount of the 2024 Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $353,197,000. The aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $795,818,000. The aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes that may be

 

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initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $497,157,000. The aggregate principal amount of the 2028 Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $700,697,000. The aggregate principal amount of the 2029 Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $930,164,000. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Notes, issue additional Notes of a series (in any such case “Additional Notes”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes of such series, except for the issue date, the public offering price and, in some cases, the first Interest Payment Date and interest accrual date; provided that no Event of Default with respect to such series of Notes shall have occurred and be continuing; provided further that if any such Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes of such series initially issued hereunder for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Notes shall have a separate CUSIP number. Any Additional Notes of a series and the existing Notes of such series will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Notes of that series shall include the Additional Notes of such series unless the context otherwise requires.

(c) Maturity Date. The entire outstanding principal of the 2022 Notes shall be payable on November 1, 2022, the entire outstanding principal of the 2023 Notes shall be payable on August 1, 2023, the entire outstanding principal of the 2024 Notes shall be payable on May 1, 2024, the entire outstanding principal of the 2025 Notes shall be payable on February 15, 2025, the entire outstanding principal of the 2026 Notes shall be payable on March 1, 2026, the entire outstanding principal of the 2028 Notes shall be payable on August 1, 2028 and the entire outstanding principal of the 2029 Notes shall be payable on May 1, 2029.

(d) Interest Rate. The rate at which the 2022 Notes shall bear interest shall be 5.000% per annum; the rate at which the 2023 Notes shall bear interest shall be 4.125% per annum; the rate at which the 2024 Notes shall bear interest shall be 3.625% per annum; the rate at which the 2025 Notes shall bear interest shall be 4.750% per annum; the rate at which the 2026 Notes shall bear interest shall be 4.000% per annum; the rate at which the 2028 Notes shall bear interest shall be 4.750% per annum; and the rate at which the 2029 Notes shall bear interest shall be 4.250% per annum; the date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be March 2, 2022, or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the 2022 Notes shall be May 1 and November 1 of each year, beginning May 1, 2022; the Interest Payment Dates for the 2023 Notes shall be February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning August 1, 2022; the Interest Payment Dates for the 2024 Notes shall be May 1 and November 1 of each year, beginning May 1, 2022; the Interest Payment Dates for the 2025 Notes shall be February 15 and August 15 of each year, beginning August 15, 2022; the Interest Payment Dates for the 2026 Notes shall be March 1 and September 1 of each year, beginning September 1, 2022; the Interest Payment Dates for the 2028 Notes shall be February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning August 1, 2022; and the Interest Payment Dates for the 2029 Notes shall be May 1 and November 1 of each year, beginning May 1, 2022; the interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, will be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Persons in whose names the series of Notes (or one or more predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be, for the 2022 Notes, April 15 and October 15, for the 2023 Notes, January 15 and July 15, for the 2024 Notes, April 15 and October 15, for the 2025 Notes, February 1 and August 1, for the 2026 Notes, February 15 and

 

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August 15, for the 2028 Notes, January 15 and July 15, and for the 2029 Notes, April 15 and October 15, as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day); provided that interest payable at the Stated Maturity or upon redemption will be paid to the person to whom principal is payable. Payment of principal and interest on the Notes will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest and principal on the Notes may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

(e) Currency. The currency of denomination of the Notes is United States Dollars. Payment of principal of and interest and premium, if any, on the Notes will be made in United States Dollars.

Section 2.06. Optional Redemption. (a) On or after the applicable Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes, at its option, at any time in whole, or from time to time in part at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the Optional Redemption Date.

(b) At any time, prior to the applicable Par Call Date, the Company may redeem all or a portion of the Notes, at its option, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the Optional Redemption Date.

(c) The Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third Business Day preceding the Optional Redemption Date. The Company shall calculate the Redemption Price with respect to the Notes in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Indenture.

(d) On or before any Optional Redemption Date for the Notes, the Company will deposit with a Paying Agent, or the Trustee, funds sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of and accrued and unpaid interest on such Notes to be redeemed on such date. If less than all of the Notes of a series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select in accordance with the procedures of DTC (or in accordance with such other method that the Trustee deems appropriate if such Notes are then in certificated form), not more than 60 days prior to the Optional Redemption Date the Notes of such series or portions Notes of such series to be redeemed. The Trustee may select for redemption Notes and portions of Notes in amounts of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, provided that the unredeemed portion of any Note to be redeemed in part will not be less than $2,000, and shall thereafter promptly notify the Company in writing of the numbers of Notes to be redeemed, in whole or in part.

(e) Notice of redemption shall be delivered by first-class mail (or delivered by electronic transmission in accordance with the applicable procedures of DTC) to each Holder’s registered address (i) not less than 15 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Optional Redemption Date in the case of the 2023 Notes, the 2024 Notes, the 2028 Notes and the 2029 Notes, (ii) not less than 20 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Optional Redemption Date in

 

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the case of the 2026 Notes, and (iii) not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Optional Redemption Date in the case of the 2022 Notes and the 2025 Notes. Notice of any redemption in connection with a corporate transaction that is pending (including an equity offering, an incurrence of indebtedness or a Change of Control) may, at the Company’s discretion, be given subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of such corporate transaction. If such redemption is so subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall describe each such condition, and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied or otherwise waived by the Optional Redemption Date. The Company shall notify Holders of any such rescission as soon as practicable after determining that it will not be able satisfy or otherwise waive such conditions precedent. Once notice of redemption is mailed or sent, subject to the satisfaction of any conditions precedent provided in the notice of redemption, the Notes called for redemption will become due and payable on the Optional Redemption Date and at the applicable Redemption Price, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Optional Redemption Date.

Section 2.07. Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control Triggering Event. (a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem all of a series of Notes pursuant to Section 2.06 hereof, each Holder of such series of Notes shall have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of that Holder’s Notes of such series pursuant to the offer described below (the “Change of Control Offer”) on the terms set forth in the Notes of such series at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of such series of Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (the “Change of Control Payment”), pursuant to and in accordance with the offer described in this Section 2.07.

(b) Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company shall deliver a notice to each Holder of Notes, with a written copy to the Trustee, which notice shall govern the terms of the Change of Control Offer. Such notice shall state:

(i) a description of the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event;

(ii) that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 2.07 and that all Notes validly tendered will be accepted for payment;

(iii) that the Change of Control Payment and the “Change of Control Payment Date,” which shall be a Business Day that is no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed, other than as may be required by law;

(iv) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;

(v) that any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer shall cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Change of Control Payment of the Notes and the only remaining right of the Holder is to receive payment of the Change of Control Payment upon surrender of the Notes to the Paying Agent;

 

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(vi) that Holders electing to have a portion of a Note purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer may only elect to have such Note purchased in a principal amount of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;

(vii) that if a Holder elects to have a Note purchased pursuant to the Change of Control Offer it will be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, or transfer by book- entry transfer, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Payment Date;

(viii) that a Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election if the Company receives, not later than the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Payment Date, a telegram, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Notes such Holder delivered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have such Note purchased; and

(ix) that if Notes are purchased only in part, a new Note of such series of the same type will be issued in a principal amount equal to the unpurchased portion of such series of Notes surrendered.

(c) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

(i) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(ii) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered; and

(iii) deliver or cause to be delivered for cancellation to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted, together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions thereof being purchased by the Company.

(d) The Paying Agent shall promptly mail to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for the Notes, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Request, shall promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Note of such series equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes of such series surrendered by such Holder, if any; provided that each new Note of such series will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

(e) The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 2.07, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 2.07 by virtue of such conflicts.

 

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(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Triggering Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company herein and such third party purchases all the Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

Section 2.08. Registration Default. If a Registration Default occurs with respect to the Notes of a particular series that are registrable securities (as that term is defined in the Registration Rights Agreement), then additional interest shall accrue on the principal amount of the Notes of such series that are registrable securities at a rate of 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period beginning on the day immediately following such Registration Default (which rate will be increased by an additional 0.25% per annum for each subsequent 90-day period that such additional interest continues to accrue, provided that the rate at which such additional interest accrues may in no event exceed 0.50% per annum) (the “Additional Interest”). The Additional Interest will cease to accrue when the Registration Default is cured. The foregoing amounts shall not increase, even if more than one Registration Default has occurred and is continuing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Holder of Notes who is not entitled to the benefits of the shelf registration statement shall not be entitled to any increase in the interest rate borne by the Notes as a result of a registration default that pertains to the shelf registration statement. Any amounts of Additional Interest due will be payable in cash on the same original interest payment dates as interest on the Notes is payable.

ARTICLE 3

COVENANTS

The covenants listed in Section 4 of the Indenture shall apply to the Notes as modified by the amendment listed below.

Section 3.01. Rule 144A Information. With respect to the Notes, the following paragraph shall be added as Section 9.04(f) of the Indenture:

“(f) In addition, unless it is then subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13(d) or 15 of the Exchange Act, the Company will, upon request, furnish to any prospective purchaser of the Notes or beneficial owner of the Notes in connection with any sale thereof the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act, so long as any Notes remain outstanding and constitute “restricted securities” within the meaning of Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act.”

ARTICLE 4

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Section 4.01. Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, the Guarantor and the Trustee (at the direction of the Company) at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto for any of the purposes set forth in Section

 

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10.01 of the Indenture, and, in addition for the following purpose: to conform any provision of the Indenture, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture or the 2022 Notes, 2023 Notes, 2024 Notes, 2025 Notes, 2026 Notes, 2028 Notes and 2029 Notes, as applicable, to the “Description of the S&P Global Notes” appearing in the Company’s confidential offering memorandum and consent solicitation statement dated November 16, 2021, pursuant to which the Global Notes were originally offered.

ARTICLE 5

GUARANTEE

Section 5.01. Release of Guarantor from Guarantee. Section 12.07(a) of the Indenture shall be amended by replacing that section of the Indenture with the following, but only with respect to the Notes:

(a) The Guarantee by the Guarantor shall terminate and be of no further force or effect and the Guarantor shall be deemed to be released from all obligations upon:

(i) the sale or other disposition (including by way of consolidation or merger) of the Guarantor, other than to the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company and as permitted by this Indenture;

(ii) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Guarantor, other than to the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company and as permitted by this Indenture;

(iii) the Company’s exercise of its option under Section 11.03 or Section 11.04 or if the Company’s obligations under this Indenture are discharged in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; or

(iv) at such time as the Guarantor ceases to guarantee Debt, other than a discharge through payment thereon, under any Credit Facility of the Company, other than any such Credit Facility of the Company the guarantee of which by the Guarantor will be released concurrently with the release of the Guarantor’s guarantee of the Notes.

ARTICLE 6

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 6.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls. If any provision of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision which is required to be included in this Seventh Supplemental Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act, the required provision shall control. If any provision of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Seventh Supplemental Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.

Section 6.02. Governing Law. This Seventh Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule that would cause the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction. EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE

 

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GUARANTOR, THE HOLDERS AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 6.03. Payment of Notes. Payments in respect of the Notes represented by the Global Notes are to be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders of the Global Notes. With respect to Certificated Notes, the Company will make all payments through the Paying Agent by mailing a check to each Holder’s registered address; provided, however, that payments may also be made, in the case of a Holder of at least $1.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes, by wire transfer to the account specified by the Holder thereof.

Section 6.04. Multiple Counterparts. The parties may sign multiple counterparts of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture. Each signed counterpart shall be deemed an original, but all of them together represent one and the same Seventh Supplemental Indenture. One signed copy is enough to prove this Seventh Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic format (e.g., “.pdf” or “.tif”) transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Seventh Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Seventh Supplemental Indenture or any agreement entered into in connection herewith shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or 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 or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the 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, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (e.g. DocuSign). The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of using digital signatures and electronic methods to submit communications to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties.

Section 6.05. Severability. Each provision of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture shall be considered separable and if for any reason any provision which is not essential to the effectuation of the basic purpose of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture or 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 and a Holder shall have no claim therefor against any party hereto.

Section 6.06. Relation to Indenture. This Seventh Supplemental Indenture constitutes a part of the Indenture, the provisions of which (as modified by this Seventh Supplemental Indenture) shall apply to the series of Securities established by this Seventh Supplemental Indenture but shall not modify, amend or otherwise affect the Indenture insofar as it relates to any other series of Securities or modify, amend or otherwise affect in any manner the terms and conditions of the Securities of any other series.

 

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Section 6.07. Ratification. The Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Seventh Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. The Indenture and this Seventh Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument. All provisions included in this Seventh Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Indenture unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Indenture, as supplemented by this Seventh Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Indenture, as supplemented by this Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Section 6.08. Effectiveness. The provisions of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

Section 6.09. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes. The Trustee or any Authenticating Agent shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Notes or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.10. Calculations. The Company will be responsible for making all calculations called for under this Seventh Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, including but not limited to determination of redemption price, premium, if any, and any additional amounts or other amounts payable on the Notes. The Company will make all such calculations in good faith and, absent manifest error, its calculations will be final and binding on Holders. The Company will provide a schedule of its calculations to the Trustee and the Trustee is entitled to rely conclusively upon the accuracy of such calculations without independent verification. The Company will deliver a copy of such schedule to any Holder upon the written request of such Holder.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature pages follow]

 

16


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

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

/s/ Alma Rose Montanez

  Name:   Alma Rose Montanez
  Title:   Assistant Corporate Secretary & Chief Corporate Counsel
STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL
        SERVICES LLC, as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ John L. Berisford

  Name:   John L. Berisford
  Title:   President
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
        as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Orlando Jones

  Name:   Orlando Jones
  Title:   Assistant Vice President


APPENDIX A

PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE NOTES

1.1 Definitions.

For the purposes of this Appendix A the following terms shall have the meanings indicated below:

Business Day” means each day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which the Trustee or commercial banking institutions are authorized or required by law to close in New York City or London, England.

Definitive Notes” means certificated Notes (bearing the Restricted Securities Legend if the transfer of such Note is restricted by applicable law) that do not include the Global Notes Legend.

Depository” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors.

Exchange Offer” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Exchange Securities” has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.

Existing Noteholders” means the holders of INFO Notes who tendered their INFO Notes pursuant to the Offering Memorandum to obtain the Notes.

Global Notes Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.2(f)(i)(z).

INFO Notes” means the outstanding notes of certain series issued by IHS Markit Ltd.

Initial Certificated Notes” means certificated Notes issued by S&P Global Inc. to the Initial Holder.

Initial Holder” means S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.

Non-U.S. Person” means a person who is not a U.S. person, as defined in Regulation S.

Offering Memorandum” means the confidential offering memorandum and consent solicitation statement (including the exhibits attached thereto and the documents incorporated by reference therein), dated November 16, 2021.

QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

Regulation S” means Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Regulation S Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.2(f)(i)(y).

Regulation S Notes” means all Notes delivered to Existing Noteholders outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S.

Restricted Period” with respect to any Notes, means the period of 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (a) the day on which such Notes are first offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) in reliance on Regulation S, notice of which day shall be promptly given by the Company to the Trustee, and (b) the date hereof.

Restricted Notes Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 2.2(f)(i)(x).

 

 

Appendix A-1


Rule 144” means Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

Rule 144A” means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

Rule 144A Notes” means all Notes delivered to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

Shelf Registration Statement” means the shelf registration statement filed by the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.

Transfer Restricted Notes” means Definitive Notes and any other Notes that bear or are required to bear or are subject to the Restricted Notes Legend or the Regulation S Legend.

Unrestricted Definitive Note” means Definitive Notes and any other Notes that are not required to bear, or are not subject to, the Restricted Notes Legend.

Unrestricted Global Notes” means Global Notes and any other Notes that are not required to bear, or are not subject to, the Restricted Notes Legend.

U.S. Person” means a U.S. Person as defined in Regulation S.

Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Appendix A to a section refers to a section of this Appendix A.

1.2 Other Definitions.

 

Term

   Defined in Section:  

Agent Members

     2.1 (b) 

Clearstream

     2.1 (b) 

Euroclear

     2.1 (b) 

Global Notes

     2.1 (b) 

Regulation S Global Notes

     2.1 (b) 

Rule 144A Global Notes

     2.1 (b) 

2. The Notes.

2.1 Form and Dating; Global Notes.

(a) Following execution by the Company, and authentication by the Trustee, of the Global Notes and simultaneous with the cancellation of the Initial Certificated Notes, the Global Notes will be delivered by the Trustee to the Depository upon the instruction of the Initial Holder in exchange for INFO Notes in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offering Memorandum only to Existing Noteholders who are (1) QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A and/or (2) Non- U.S. Persons and are outside of the United States in reliance on Regulation S. Such Notes may thereafter be transferred in accordance herewith.

(b) Global Notes.

(i) Following execution by the Company, and authentication by the Trustee, of the Global Notes and simultaneous with the cancellation of the Initial Certificated Notes, Rule 144A Notes initially shall be represented by one or more Notes in definitive, fully registered, global form without interest coupons (collectively, the “Rule 144A Global Notes”).

 

Appendix A-2


Following execution by the Company, and authentication by the Trustee, of the Global Notes and simultaneous with the cancellation of the Initial Certificated Notes, Regulation S Notes initially shall be represented by one or more Notes in fully registered, global form without interest coupons (the “Regulation S Global Notes”), which shall be registered in the name of the Depository or the nominee of the Depository for the accounts of designated agents holding on behalf of Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system (“Euroclear”) or Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme (“Clearstream”) and such Regulation S Global Notes shall be deemed to be a “temporary global security” for purposes of Rule 903 under Regulation S until the expiration of the Restricted Period.

The aggregate principal amount of each Global Note (as defined below) may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee and the Depository or its nominee, as the case may be, in connection with transfers and exchanges of interests therein as herein provided.

The provisions of the “Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System” and “Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear” and the “General Terms and Conditions of Clearstream Banking Luxembourg” and “CBL Customer Handbook” of Clearstream shall be applicable to transfers of beneficial interests in the Regulation S Global Note that are held by participants through Euroclear or Clearstream.

The term “Global Notes” means the Rule 144A Global Notes and the Regulation S Global Notes and any Unrestricted Global Note. The Global Notes shall bear the Global Note Legend. The Global Notes initially shall (i) be registered in the name of the Depository or the nominee of such Depository, in each case for credit to an account of an Agent Member, (ii) be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for such Depository and (iii) bear the Restricted Notes Legend or Regulation S Legend, as appropriate.

Members of, or direct or indirect participants in, the Depository (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under the Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depository, or the Trustee as its custodian, or under the Global Notes. The Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the Global Notes for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depository, or impair, as between the Depository and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Note.

(ii) Transfers of Global Notes shall be limited to transfer in whole, but not in part, to the Depository, its successors or their respective nominees. Interests of beneficial owners in the Global Notes may be transferred or exchanged for Definitive Notes only in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository and the provisions of Section 2.2. In addition, a Global Note shall be exchangeable for Definitive Notes only if (1) the Depository (a) notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for such Global Note and the Company thereupon fails to appoint a successor depository within 90 days or (b) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, (2) the Company, at its option, notifies the Trustee that it elects to cause the issuance of Definitive Notes or (3) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to such Global Note and the Depository shall have requested such exchange; provided that in no event shall the Regulation S Global Note be exchanged by the Company for Definitive Notes prior to (x) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (y) the receipt by the Registrar of any certificates required pursuant to Rule 903(b)(3)(ii)(B) under the Securities Act. In all cases, Definitive Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests therein shall be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of the Depository in accordance with its customary procedures.

 

Appendix A-3


(iii) In connection with the transfer of a Global Note as an entirety to beneficial owners pursuant to subsection (ii) of this Section 2.1(b), such Global Note shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, to each beneficial owner identified by the Depository in writing in exchange for its beneficial interest in such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations.

(iv) Any Transfer Restricted Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to Section 2.2 shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.2, bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

(v) Notwithstanding the foregoing, through the Restricted Period, a beneficial interest in such Regulation S Global Note may be held only through Euroclear or Clearstream unless delivery is made in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 2.2.

(vi) The Holder of any Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Agent Members and Persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under the Indenture or the Notes.

2.2 Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. A Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except as set forth in Section 2.1(b). Global Notes will not be exchanged by the Company for Definitive Notes except under the circumstances described in Section 2.1(b)(ii). Global Notes also may be transferred, exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Section 3.6 of the Indenture and as contemplated by Sections 2.2(j) and 2.2(k) hereof. Beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.2(b) and 2.2(c).

In the event that a Restricted Global Note is exchanged for certificated Notes, prior to the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Notes, such Notes may be exchanged only in accordance with such procedures as are substantially consistent with the provisions of Section 2.2(b) (including the certification requirements set forth on the reverse of the Notes intended to ensure that such transfers comply with Rule 144A or Regulation S, as the case may be) and such other procedures as may from time to time be adopted by the Company.

(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes shall be effected through the Depository, in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository. Beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes shall be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Beneficial interests in Global Notes shall be transferred or exchanged only for beneficial interests in Global Notes. Transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with either subparagraph (i) or (ii) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:

(i) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Restricted Notes Legend; provided, however, that prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, transfers of beneficial interests in a Regulation S Global

 

Appendix A-4


Note may not be made to a U.S. Person or for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person (other than an Initial Purchaser). A beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 2.2(b)(i).

(ii) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests in any Global Note that is not subject to Section 2.2(b)(i), the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar (1) a written order from an Agent Member given to the Depository in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository directing the Depository 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 (2) instructions given in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository containing information regarding the Agent Member account to be credited with such increase. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in the Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note pursuant to Section 2.2(g).

(iii) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Transfer Restricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in a Transfer Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Transfer Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.2(b)(ii) above and the Registrar receives the following:

(A) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form attached to the applicable Note; and

(B) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form attached to the applicable Note.

(iv) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Transfer Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in a Transfer Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.2(b)(ii) above and the Registrar receives the following:

(1) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form attached to the applicable Note; or

(2) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form attached to the applicable Note,

and, in each such case, if the Company so requests or if the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Company, to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend or Regulation S Legend are no longer

 

Appendix A-5


required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. If any such transfer or exchange is effected pursuant to this subparagraph (iv) at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred or exchanged pursuant to this subparagraph (iv).

(v) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note. Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.

(c) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes for Definitive Notes. A beneficial interest in a Global Note may not be exchanged for a Definitive Note except under the circumstances described in Section 2.1(b)(ii). A beneficial interest in a Global Note may not be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note except under the circumstances described in Section 2.1(b)(ii). In any case, beneficial interests in Global Notes shall be transferred or exchanged only for Definitive Notes.

(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. Transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also shall require compliance with either subparagraph (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) below, as applicable:

(i) Transfer Restricted Notes to Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes. If any Holder of a Transfer Restricted Note proposes to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a beneficial interest in a Transfer Restricted Global Note or to transfer such Transfer Restricted Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Transfer Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:

(A) if the Holder of such Transfer Restricted Note proposes to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a beneficial interest in a Transfer Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note;

(B) if such Transfer Restricted Note is being transferred to a Qualified Institutional Buyer in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note;

(C) if such Transfer Restricted Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note;

(D) if such Transfer Restricted Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note; or

(E) if such Transfer Restricted Note is being transferred to the Company or a Subsidiary thereof, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note;

the Trustee shall cancel the Transfer Restricted Note, and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the appropriate Transfer Restricted Global Note.

 

Appendix A-6


(ii) Transfer Restricted Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of a Transfer Restricted Note may exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Transfer Restricted Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if the Registrar receives the following:

(1) if the Holder of such Transfer Restricted Note proposes to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note; or

(2) if the Holder of such Transfer Restricted Notes proposes to transfer such Transfer Restricted Note to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note,

and, in each such case, if the Company so requests or if the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Company to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon satisfaction of the conditions of this subparagraph (ii), the Trustee shall cancel the Transfer Restricted Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note. If any such transfer or exchange is effected pursuant to this subparagraph (ii) at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Transfer Restricted Notes transferred or exchanged pursuant to this subparagraph (ii).

(iii) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Unrestricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Unrestricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee shall cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes. If any such transfer or exchange is effected pursuant to this subparagraph (iii) at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company, shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Unrestricted Definitive Notes transferred or exchanged pursuant to this subparagraph (iii).

(iv) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Transfer Restricted Global Notes. An Unrestricted Definitive Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.

(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.2(e), the Registrar shall register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder shall present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder shall provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.2(e).

 

Appendix A-7


(i) Transfer Restricted Notes to Transfer Restricted Notes. A Transfer Restricted Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Transfer Restricted Note if the Registrar receives the following:

(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form attached to the applicable Note;

(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form attached to the applicable Note; or

(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, a certificate in the form attached to the applicable Note.

(ii) Transfer Restricted Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. Any Transfer Restricted Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if the Registrar receives the following:

(A) if the Holder of such Transfer Restricted Note proposes to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note; or

(B) if the Holder of such Transfer Restricted Note proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form attached to the applicable Note,

and, in each such case, if the Company so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Company to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Restricted Notes Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.

(iii) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes. A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may transfer such Unrestricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.

(iv) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Transfer Restricted Notes. An Unrestricted Definitive Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of, a Transfer Restricted Note.

(f) Legend.

(i)(x) Except as permitted by the following paragraph (ii), each Note certificate evidencing the Initial Certificated Notes, the Global Notes and the Definitive Notes (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (each defined term in the legend being defined as such for purposes of the legend only):

 

Appendix A-8


“THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAW AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT (A) (1) TO THE COMPANY OR ONE OF ITS AFFILIATES, (2) TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (3) TO A NON-U.S. PERSON IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION COMPLYING WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (4) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF AVAILABLE) OR (5) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (B) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF THE STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, REPRESENTS AND AGREES THAT IT SHALL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE. ”

(y) Prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, each Regulation S Note shall bear the following additional legend:

“THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAW AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR DELIVERED IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, ANY US PERSON, UNLESS SUCH SECURITIES ARE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS THEREOF IS AVAILABLE. THE FOREGOING SHALL NOT APPLY FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF FORTY DAYS FROM THE LATER OF (I) THE DATE ON WHICH THESE SECURITIES WERE FIRST OFFERED AND (II) THE DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THESE SECURITIES. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, REPRESENTS AND AGREES THAT IT SHALL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE.”

(z) Each Global Note shall bear the following additional legends:

“UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 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 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.

 

Appendix A-9


TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO DTC, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF”

(ii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Definitive Note, the Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a Definitive Note that does not bear the legends set forth above and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Registrar that its request for such exchange was made in reliance on Rule 144 (such certification to be in the form set forth on the reverse of the Note).

(iii) Upon a sale or transfer after the expiration of the Restricted Period of any Note acquired pursuant to Regulation S, all requirements that such Note bear the Restricted Notes Legend shall cease to apply and the requirements requiring any such Note be issued in global form shall continue to apply.

(g) Cancellation or Adjustment of Global Note. 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 shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 3.9 of the 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 shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depository 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 shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depository at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

(h) Obligations with Respect to Transfers and Exchanges of Notes.

(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate, Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Registrar’s request.

(ii) No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange; provided, however, that the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to pay all taxes, assessments or similar governmental charges in connection with any transfer or exchange.

(iii) Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Note, the Company, the Trustee, a Paying Agent or the Registrar shall deem and treat the person in whose name a Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(iv) All Notes issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of the Indenture shall evidence the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under the Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

 

Appendix A-10


(v) The transferor of any Note shall provide or cause to be provided to the Trustee all information reasonably requested by the Trustee that is necessary to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Section 6045 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Trustee may rely on information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information. In connection with any proposed exchange of a certificated Note for a Global Note, the Company or the Depository shall provide or cause to be provided to the Trustee all information reasonably requested by the Trustee that is necessary to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Section 6045 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Trustee may rely on information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information.

(i) No Obligation of the Trustee.

(i) The Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in the Depository or any other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Depository 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 Depository) of any notice (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Notes. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to the Holders under the Notes shall be given or made only to the registered Holders (which shall be the Depository or its nominee in the case of a Global Note). The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through the Depository subject to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depository. The Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in so relying upon information furnished by the Depository with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

(ii) The Trustee shall have no 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 Depository 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.

(j) Shelf Registration Statement. After a transfer of any Note pursuant to and during the period of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Note, all requirements pertaining to legends on such Note will cease to apply and the requirements that any such Note be issued in global form will continue to apply.

(k) Exchange Offer. Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company will issue, under the Indenture and, upon receipt of an authentication order in accordance with the Indenture, the Trustee will authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by each Person that certifies in the applicable letter of transmittal (A) that any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (B) that at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer, it has no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of Securities Act) of any Exchange Securities in

 

Appendix A-11


violation of the Securities Act, (C) that it is not an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under Securities Act) of the Company, (D) if such Person is not a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of any Exchange Securities; and (E) if such Person is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Notes that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.. Following the consummation of the Exchange Offer, the Exchange Securities will be treated as the same series as the original Notes.

Concurrently with the issuance of such Exchange Securities, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount of the Restricted Global Notes to be reduced accordingly.

 

Appendix A-12


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

[Global Notes Legend]

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 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 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.

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO DTC, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.

[Restricted Notes Legend]

THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAW AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT (A) (1) TO THE COMPANY OR ONE OF ITS AFFILIATES, (2) TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PURCHASING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A, (3) TO A NON-U.S. PERSON IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION COMPLYING WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (4) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF AVAILABLE) OR (5) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND (B) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF THE STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, REPRESENTS AND AGREES THAT IT SHALL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE.

Prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period each Regulation S Note shall bear the following additional legend:

 

Exhibit A-1


THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAW AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR DELIVERED IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, ANY US PERSON, UNLESS SUCH SECURITIES ARE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS THEREOF IS AVAILABLE. THE FOREGOING SHALL NOT APPLY FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF FORTY DAYS FROM THE LATER OF (I) THE DATE ON WHICH THESE SECURITIES WERE FIRST OFFERED AND (II) THE DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THESE SECURITIES. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, REPRESENTS AND AGREES THAT IT SHALL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE.

 

Exhibit A-2


EXHIBIT A-1

[FORM OF 5.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2022]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

5.000% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2022

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

CUSIP: 78409VAT11

U75091 AF22

ISIN: US78409VAT171

USU75091AF242

S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]3 [S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.]4, or registered assigns, the principal sum of $___ on November 1, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from March 2, 2022 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for semi-annually at the rate of 5.000% per annum, on May 1 and November 1 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing May 1, 2022, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Payment of Interest. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or made available for payment, on any Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on April 15 and October 15 (whether or not a Business Day, as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (the “Regular Record Date”). Any such interest not punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest, may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

 

 

 

 

1 

For Rule 144A Note(s).

2 

For Regulation S Note(s).

3 

Include for a global note.

4 

Include for an initial certificated note.

 

A-1-1


Place of Payment. Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest, premium, if any, and principal on this Note may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

Time of Payment. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of the Notes shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or this Note), payment of principal or interest, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or the date so fixed for redemption or repayment, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

General. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture with respect to a series of which this Note is a part), as supplemented by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of March 2, 2022 (the “Seventh Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor party thereto and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities designated as “5.000% Senior Notes due 2022” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $734,098,000.

Further Issuance. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Securities (the “Additional Securities”) of this series having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Securities of this series and the Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the Notes shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires; provided that if any such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Securities shall have a separate CUSIP number.

Events of Default. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

A-1-2


Sinking Fund. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

Redemption and Repurchase. The Notes are subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to the Notes.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens or the ability of the Company to consolidate, merge or sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Company on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related Defaults and Events of Default, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein, which provisions apply to this Note.

Modification and Waivers; Obligations of the Company Absolute. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series. Such amendment may be effected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with, except as stated therein, the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of individual series to waive on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such individual series certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver shall be conclusive and binding upon the Holder of this Note and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

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

Guarantee. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of a Guarantee made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, Guarantee release provisions, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders.

No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, agent, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, or manager of the Company or the Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantor under any Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

A-1-3


Limitation on Suits. As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have made written request, and offered indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee to institute such proceedings as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Authorized Denominations. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Registration of Transfer or Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the register of the Notes maintained by the Security Registrar upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder as the owner hereof for all purposes (except with respect to certain payments of Defaulted Interest), whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Defined Terms. All terms used in this Note, which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-1-4


Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

A-1-5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-1-6


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture, as such is supplemented by the within-mentioned Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-1-7


ASSIGNMENT FORM

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

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

Dated:                                                             

 

Signed:

 

(Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee

 

 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-1-8


EXHIBIT A-2

[FORM OF 4.125% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2023]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

4.125% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2023

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

 

CUSIP:    78409V AU85
   U75091 AG06
ISIN:    US78409VAU895
   USU75091AG076

S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]7 [S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.]8, or registered assigns, the principal sum of $___ on August 1, 2023 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from March 2, 2022 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for semi-annually at the rate of 4.125% per annum, on February 1 and August 1 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing August 1, 2022, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Payment of Interest. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or made available for payment, on any Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on January 15 and July 15 (whether or not a Business Day, as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (the “Regular Record Date”). Any such interest not punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest, may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

 

5 

For Rule 144A Note(s).

6 

For Regulation S Note(s).

7 

Include for a global note.

8 

Include for an initial certificated note.

 

A-2-1


Place of Payment. Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest, premium, if any, and principal on this Note may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

Time of Payment. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of the Notes shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or this Note), payment of principal or interest, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or the date so fixed for redemption or repayment, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

General. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture with respect to a series of which this Note is a part), as supplemented by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of March 2, 2022 (the “Seventh Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor party thereto and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities designated as “4.125% Senior Notes due 2023” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $462,292,000.

Further Issuance. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Securities (the “Additional Securities”) of this series having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Securities of this series and the Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the Notes shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires; provided that if any such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Securities shall have a separate CUSIP number.

Events of Default. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

A-2-2


Sinking Fund. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

Redemption and Repurchase. The Notes are subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to the Notes.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens or the ability of the Company to consolidate, merge or sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Company on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related Defaults and Events of Default, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein, which provisions apply to this Note.

Modification and Waivers; Obligations of the Company Absolute. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series. Such amendment may be effected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with, except as stated therein, the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of individual series to waive on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such individual series certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver shall be conclusive and binding upon the Holder of this Note and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

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

Guarantee. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of a Guarantee made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, Guarantee release provisions, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders.

No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, agent, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, or manager of the Company or the Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantor under any Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

A-2-3


Limitation on Suits. As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have made written request, and offered indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee to institute such proceedings as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Authorized Denominations. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Registration of Transfer or Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the register of the Notes maintained by the Security Registrar upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder as the owner hereof for all purposes (except with respect to certain payments of Defaulted Interest), whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Defined Terms. All terms used in this Note, which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-2-4


Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

A-2-5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-2-6


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture, as such is supplemented by the within-mentioned Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-2-7


ASSIGNMENT FORM

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

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

Dated:                                         

 

Signed:

 

(Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee:

 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-2-8


EXHIBIT A-3

[FORM OF 3.625% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2024]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

3.625% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2024

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

 

CUSIP:    78409VAV69
   U75091AH810
ISIN:    US78409VAV629
   USU75091AH8910

S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]11 [S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.]12, or registered assigns, the principal sum of $___ on May 1, 2024 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from March 2, 2022 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for semi-annually at the rate of 3.625% per annum, on May 1 and November 1 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing May 1, 2022, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Payment of Interest. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or made available for payment, on any Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on April 15 and October 15 (whether or not a Business Day, as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (the “Regular Record Date”). Any such interest not punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest, may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

 

9 

For Rule 144A Note(s).

10 

For Regulation S Note(s).

11 

Include for a global note.

12 

Include for an initial certificated note.

 

A-3-1


Place of Payment. Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest, premium, if any, and principal on this Note may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

Time of Payment. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of the Notes shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or this Note), payment of principal or interest, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or the date so fixed for redemption or repayment, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

General. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture with respect to a series of which this Note is a part), as supplemented by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of March 2, 2022 (the “Seventh Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor party thereto and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities designated as “3.625% Senior Notes due 2024” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $353,197,000.

Further Issuance. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Securities (the “Additional Securities”) of this series having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Securities of this series and the Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the Notes shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires; provided that if any such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Securities shall have a separate CUSIP number.

Events of Default. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

A-3-2


Sinking Fund. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

Redemption and Repurchase. The Notes are subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to the Notes.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens or the ability of the Company to consolidate, merge or sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Company on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related Defaults and Events of Default, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein, which provisions apply to this Note.

Modification and Waivers; Obligations of the Company Absolute. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series. Such amendment may be effected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with, except as stated therein, the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of individual series to waive on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such individual series certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver shall be conclusive and binding upon the Holder of this Note and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

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

Guarantee. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of a Guarantee made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, Guarantee release provisions, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders.

No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, agent, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, or manager of the Company or the Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantor under any Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

A-3-3


Limitation on Suits. As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have made written request, and offered indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee to institute such proceedings as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Authorized Denominations. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Registration of Transfer or Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the register of the Notes maintained by the Security Registrar upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder as the owner hereof for all purposes (except with respect to certain payments of Defaulted Interest), whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Defined Terms. All terms used in this Note, which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-3-4


Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

A-3-5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-3-6


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture, as such is supplemented by the within-mentioned Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-3-7


ASSIGNMENT FORM

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

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

Dated:                                                     

 

Signed:

 

(Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-3-8


EXHIBIT A-4

[FORM OF 4.750% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2025]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

4.750% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2025

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

 

CUSIP:    78409V AW413
   U75091 AJ414
ISIN:    US78409VAW4613
   USU75091AJ4614

S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]15 [S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.]16, or registered assigns, the principal sum of $___ on February 15, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from March 2, 2022 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for semi-annually at the rate of 4.750% per annum, on February 15 and August 15 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing August 15, 2022, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Payment of Interest. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or made available for payment, on any Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on February 1 and August 1 (whether or not a Business Day, as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (the “Regular Record Date”). Any such interest not punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest, may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

 

 

 

 

 

13 

For Rule 144A Note(s).

14 

For Regulation S Note(s).

15 

Include for a global note.

16 

Include for an initial certificated note.

 

A-4-1


Place of Payment. Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest, premium, if any, and principal on this Note may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

Time of Payment. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of the Notes shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or this Note), payment of principal or interest, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or the date so fixed for redemption or repayment, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

General. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture with respect to a series of which this Note is a part), as supplemented by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of March 2, 2022 (the “Seventh Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor party thereto and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities designated as “4.750% Senior Notes due 2025” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $795,818,000.

Further Issuance. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Securities (the “Additional Securities”) of this series having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Securities of this series and the Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the Notes shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires; provided that if any such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Securities shall have a separate CUSIP number.

Events of Default. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

A-4-2


Sinking Fund. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

Redemption and Repurchase. The Notes are subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to the Notes.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens or the ability of the Company to consolidate, merge or sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Company on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related Defaults and Events of Default, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein, which provisions apply to this Note.

Modification and Waivers; Obligations of the Company Absolute. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series. Such amendment may be effected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with, except as stated therein, the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of individual series to waive on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such individual series certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver shall be conclusive and binding upon the Holder of this Note and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

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

Guarantee. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of a Guarantee made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, Guarantee release provisions, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders.

No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, agent, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, or manager of the Company or the Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantor under any Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

A-4-3


Limitation on Suits. As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have made written request, and offered indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee to institute such proceedings as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Authorized Denominations. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Registration of Transfer or Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the register of the Notes maintained by the Security Registrar upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder as the owner hereof for all purposes (except with respect to certain payments of Defaulted Interest), whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Defined Terms. All terms used in this Note, which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-4-4


Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

A-4-5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-4-6


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture, as such is supplemented by the within-mentioned Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-4-7


ASSIGNMENT FORM

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

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

Dated:                                                 

 

Signed:

 

(Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-4-8


EXHIBIT A-5

[FORM OF 4.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2026]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

4.000% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2026

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

 

CUSIP:  

  

78409V AX217

  

U75091 AK118

ISIN:

  

US78409VAX2917

  

USU75091AK1918

S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]19 [S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.]20, or registered assigns, the principal sum of $___ on March 1, 2026 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from March 2, 2022 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for semi-annually at the rate of 4.000% per annum, on March 1 and September 1 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing September 1, 2022, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Payment of Interest. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or made available for payment, on any Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on February 15 and August 15 (whether or not a Business Day, as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (the “Regular Record Date”). Any such interest not punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest, may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

 

17 

For Rule 144A Note(s).

18 

For Regulation S Note(s).

19 

Include for a global note.

20 

Include for an initial certificated note.

 

A-5-1


Place of Payment. Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest, premium, if any, and principal on this Note may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

Time of Payment. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of the Notes shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or this Note), payment of principal or interest, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or the date so fixed for redemption or repayment, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

General. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture with respect to a series of which this Note is a part), as supplemented by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of March 2, 2022 (the “Seventh Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor party thereto and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities designated as “4.000% Senior Notes due 2026” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $497,157,000.

Further Issuance. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Securities (the “Additional Securities”) of this series having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Securities of this series and the Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the Notes shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires; provided that if any such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Securities shall have a separate CUSIP number.

Events of Default. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

A-5-2


Sinking Fund. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

Redemption and Repurchase. The Notes are subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to the Notes.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens or the ability of the Company to consolidate, merge or sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Company on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related Defaults and Events of Default, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein, which provisions apply to this Note.

Modification and Waivers; Obligations of the Company Absolute. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series. Such amendment may be effected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with, except as stated therein, the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of individual series to waive on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such individual series certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver shall be conclusive and binding upon the Holder of this Note and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

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

Guarantee. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of a Guarantee made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, Guarantee release provisions, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders.

No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, agent, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, or manager of the Company or the Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantor under any Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

A-5-3


Limitation on Suits. As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have made written request, and offered indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee to institute such proceedings as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Authorized Denominations. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Registration of Transfer or Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the register of the Notes maintained by the Security Registrar upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder as the owner hereof for all purposes (except with respect to certain payments of Defaulted Interest), whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Defined Terms. All terms used in this Note, which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-5-4


Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

A-5-5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-5-6


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture, as such is supplemented by the within-mentioned Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
By:  

                 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-5-7


ASSIGNMENT FORM

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

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

Dated:                                                                                  

 

Signed:

             

(Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-5-8


EXHIBIT A-6

[FORM OF 4.750% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2028]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

4.750% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2028

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

 

CUSIP:

  

78409V AY021

  

U75091 AL922

ISIN:

  

US78409VAY0221

  

USU75091AL9122

S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]23 [S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.]24, or registered assigns, the principal sum of $___ on August 1, 2028 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from March 2, 2022 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for semi-annually at the rate of 4.750% per annum, on February 1 and August 1 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing August 1, 2022, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Payment of Interest. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or made available for payment, on any Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on January 15 and July 15 (whether or not a Business Day, as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (the “Regular Record Date”). Any such interest not punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest, may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

 

 

 

 

 

21 

For Rule 144A Note(s).

22 

For Regulation S Note(s).

23 

Include for a global note.

24 

Include for an initial certificated note.

 

A-6-1


Place of Payment. Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest, premium, if any, and principal on this Note may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

Time of Payment. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of the Notes shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or this Note), payment of principal or interest, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or the date so fixed for redemption or repayment, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

General. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture with respect to a series of which this Note is a part), as supplemented by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of March 2, 2022 (the “Seventh Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor party thereto and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities designated as “4.750% Senior Notes due 2028” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $700,697,000.

Further Issuance. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Securities (the “Additional Securities”) of this series having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Securities of this series and the Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the Notes shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires; provided that if any such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Securities shall have a separate CUSIP number.

Events of Default. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

A-6-2


Sinking Fund. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

Redemption and Repurchase. The Notes are subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to the Notes.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens or the ability of the Company to consolidate, merge or sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Company on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related Defaults and Events of Default, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein, which provisions apply to this Note.

Modification and Waivers; Obligations of the Company Absolute. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series. Such amendment may be effected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with, except as stated therein, the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of individual series to waive on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such individual series certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver shall be conclusive and binding upon the Holder of this Note and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

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

Guarantee. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of a Guarantee made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, Guarantee release provisions, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders.

No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, agent, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, or manager of the Company or the Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantor under any Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

A-6-3


Limitation on Suits. As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have made written request, and offered indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee to institute such proceedings as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Authorized Denominations. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Registration of Transfer or Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the register of the Notes maintained by the Security Registrar upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder as the owner hereof for all purposes (except with respect to certain payments of Defaulted Interest), whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Defined Terms. All terms used in this Note, which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-6-4


Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

A-6-5


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

         

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-6-6


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture, as such is supplemented by the within-mentioned Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
By:  

         

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-6-7


ASSIGNMENT FORM

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

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

Dated:                                                                                                      

 

Signed:

 

(Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-6-8


EXHIBIT A-7

[FORM OF 4.250% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2029]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

4.250% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2029

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

 

CUSIP:  

  

78409V AZ725

  

U75091 AM726

ISIN:

  

US78409VAZ7625

  

USU75091AM7426

S&P GLOBAL INC., a New York corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to [Cede & Co.]27 [S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc.]28, or registered assigns, the principal sum of $___ on May 1, 2029 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from March 2, 2022 (the “Original Issue Date”) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for semi-annually at the rate of 4.250% per annum, on May 1 and November 1 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing May 1, 2022, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Payment of Interest. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or made available for payment, on any Interest Payment Date, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid, in immediately available funds, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on April 15 and October 15 (whether or not a Business Day, as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date (the “Regular Record Date”). Any such interest not punctually paid or duly provided for (“Defaulted Interest”) will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest, may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a special record date (the “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Notes not less than ten days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

 

25 

For Rule 144A Note(s).

26 

For Regulation S Note(s).

27 

Include for a global note.

28 

Include for an initial certificated note.

 

A-7-1


Place of Payment. Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated for such purpose, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that each installment of interest, premium, if any, and principal on this Note may at the Company’s option be paid in immediately available funds by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States of America.

Time of Payment. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or any date fixed for redemption or repayment of the Notes shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or this Note), payment of principal or interest, if any, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, the Maturity Date or the date so fixed for redemption or repayment, and no interest shall accrue in respect of the delay.

General. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture with respect to a series of which this Note is a part), as supplemented by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of March 2, 2022 (the “Seventh Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor party thereto and the Trustee. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities, and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities designated as “4.250% Senior Notes due 2029” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $930,164,000.

Further Issuance. The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Securities (the “Additional Securities”) of this series having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes. Any Additional Securities of this series and the Notes will constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the Notes shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires; provided that if any such Additional Securities are not fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Securities shall have a separate CUSIP number.

Events of Default. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

A-7-2


Sinking Fund. The Notes are not subject to any sinking fund.

Redemption and Repurchase. The Notes are subject to optional redemption, and may be the subject of an offer to purchase upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as further described in the Indenture. There is no sinking fund or mandatory redemption applicable to the Notes.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens or the ability of the Company to consolidate, merge or sell, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets.

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the entire indebtedness of the Company on this Note and (b) certain restrictive covenants and the related Defaults and Events of Default, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth therein, which provisions apply to this Note.

Modification and Waivers; Obligations of the Company Absolute. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series. Such amendment may be effected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with, except as stated therein, the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Securities, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. Furthermore, provisions in the Indenture permit the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of individual series to waive on behalf of all of the Holders of Securities of such individual series certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver shall be conclusive and binding upon the Holder of this Note and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

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

Guarantee. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of a Guarantee made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, Guarantee release provisions, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders.

No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, agent, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, or manager of the Company or the Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Guarantor under any Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of the Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

A-7-3


Limitation on Suits. As set forth in, and subject to, the provisions of the Indenture, no Holder of any Note will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have made written request, and offered indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee to institute such proceedings as Trustee, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes a direction inconsistent with such request and shall have failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days; provided, however, that such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by the Holder hereof for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or interest on this Note on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Authorized Denominations. The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Registration of Transfer or Exchange. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the register of the Notes maintained by the Security Registrar upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer, at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations herein and therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Holder as the owner hereof for all purposes (except with respect to certain payments of Defaulted Interest), whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Defined Terms. All terms used in this Note, which are defined in the Indenture and are not otherwise defined herein, shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

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Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed and its seal to be hereunto affixed and attested.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

             

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

         

  Name:
  Title:

 

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TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture, as such is supplemented by the within-mentioned Seventh Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: March 2, 2022

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

 

 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

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

Dated:                                                                                      

 

Signed:

         

(Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-7-8

Exhibit 4.10

EXECUTION VERSION

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated March 2, 2022 (this “Agreement”) is entered into by and among S&P Global Inc., a New York corporation (the “Company”), Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Guarantor”), as guarantor, and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (each, a “Dealer Manager” and collectively, the “Dealer Managers”).

S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc. (“Market Intelligence”) has made offers to exchange the series of notes described in the table set forth on Schedule I issued by IHS Markit Ltd., a Bermuda exempted company limited by shares (such notes, the “Existing IHS Markit Notes”), for new series of notes to be issued by the Company described in the right column of the table set forth on Schedule I (the “New Notes”). The New Notes will be issued upon the terms set forth in the Offering Memorandum (as defined below), for which the Dealer Managers have severally agreed to act as dealer managers pursuant to a dealer manager agreement dated as of November 16, 2021 among the Company, the Guarantor, Market Intelligence and the Dealer Managers. The New Notes will be issued pursuant to a supplemental indenture to the Indenture (as defined below) dated as of March 2, 2022 among the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee (as defined below) and guaranteed on unsecured and unsubordinated basis by the Guarantor. As an inducement to the Dealer Managers, the Company and the Guarantor agree with the Dealer Managers, for the benefit of the Holders (as defined below) as follows:

1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Dealer Manager” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

Exchange Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii) hereof.

Exchange Notes” shall mean senior notes of a series issued by the Company and guaranteed by the Guarantor under the Indenture and containing terms substantially identical in all material respects to the applicable series of New Notes (except that the Exchange Notes will not be subject to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest rate for failure to comply with this Agreement) and to be offered to Holders in exchange for Registrable Securities of such series pursuant to the Exchange Offer for such series.

 


Exchange Offer” shall mean each of the exchange offers by the Company and the Guarantor of Exchange Notes of each series for Registrable Securities of such series pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

Exchange Offer Registration” shall mean a registration under the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

Exchange Offer Registration Statement” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

Existing IHS Markit Notes” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company and used by the Company in connection with the sale of the New Notes or the Exchange Notes.

Guarantor” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Holders” shall mean a holder of New Notes, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that, for purposes of Section 4 and Section 5 hereof, the term “Holders” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.

Indemnified Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.

Indenture” shall mean the base indenture, dated as of May 26, 2015, among the Company (f/k/a McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.), the Guarantor and the Trustee, as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof with applicability to the New Notes and the Exchange Notes.

Inspector” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(xv) hereof.

Issuer Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.

Market Intelligence” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

New Notes” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

Notice and Questionnaire” shall mean a notice of registration statement and selling security holder questionnaire distributed to a Holder by the Company upon receipt of a Shelf Request from such Holder.

 

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Offering Memorandum” shall mean the confidential offering memorandum and consent solicitation statement, dated as of November 16, 2021, distributed in connection with the offer to exchange the New Notes for the Existing IHS Markit Notes.

Participating Broker-Dealer” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.

Participating Holder” shall mean any Holder of Registrable Securities that has returned a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the Company in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof.

Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in, or, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, deemed a part of, a Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including any document incorporated by reference therein.

Registrable Securities” shall mean the New Notes; provided that the New Notes shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of the following: (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such New Notes has become effective under the Securities Act and such New Notes have been exchanged or disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such New Notes cease to be outstanding, (iii) except in the case of New Notes that otherwise remain Registrable Securities and that are held by a Holder and that are ineligible to be exchanged in an Exchange Offer, when such Exchange Offer is consummated, and (iv) when such New Notes have been resold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (but not Rule 144A) without regard to volume restrictions; provided that the Company shall have removed or caused to be removed any restrictive legend on the New Notes.

Registration Default” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the Exchange Offer of the Exchange Notes for all New Notes validly tendered in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer is not completed on or prior to the Target Registration Date or, if a shelf registration statement is required, such shelf registration statement is not declared effective on or prior to the 180th day after the later of (a) the Target Registration Date and (b) the date on which the Company receives a duly executed Shelf Request by a Dealer Manager that has fully complied with Section 2(b) hereof or (ii) if applicable, a shelf registration statement covering resales of the New Notes has been declared effective and such shelf registration statement ceases to be effective or the prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable for resales of registrable securities at any time in any 12-month period during the Shelf Effectiveness Period and such failure to remain effective or be usable exists for more than 90 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period.

 

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Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC or FINRA registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Notes or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of the Company and the Guarantor in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees incurred by the Company (including with respect to maintaining ratings of the New Notes), (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee and one counsel, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the Guarantor and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Participating Holders (which counsel shall be selected or replaced by the Participating Holders holding a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Registrable Securities held by such Participating Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Dealer Managers; provided that such counsel shall be acceptable to the Company) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent registered public accountants of the Company and the Guarantor, including the expenses of any special audits or “comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement of the Company and the Guarantor that covers any of the Exchange Notes or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

Shelf Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.

Shelf Registration Statement” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement of the Company and the Guarantor that covers all or a portion of the Registrable Securities on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

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Shelf Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

Staff” shall mean the staff of the SEC.

Suspension Actions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(e) hereof.

Target Registration Date” shall mean March 2, 2023.

Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.

Trustee” shall mean U.S. Bank National Association.

Underwriter” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(e) hereof.

Underwritten Offering” shall mean an offering in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.

2. Registration Under the Securities Act.

a. To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, the Company and the Guarantor shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to (x) cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all outstanding Registrable Securities for Exchange Notes and (y) cause such Registration Statement to become effective by the Target Registration Date and, if requested by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers, remain effective until 180 days after the last Exchange Date for use by such Participating Broker-Dealers. The Company and the Guarantor shall commence the Exchange Offers for each series of New Notes promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use their commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offers for such series not later than 60 days after such effective date.

After the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has become effective, the Company and the Guarantor shall commence the Exchange Offers for each series by mailing and/or electronically delivering, or by causing the mailing and/or electronic delivery of, the related Prospectus, any appropriate letters of transmittal and other accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law, substantially the following:

(i) that such Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities of such series validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange;

(ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days from the date such notice is mailed and/or electronically delivered) (each, an “Exchange Date”);

 

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(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this Agreement, except as otherwise specified herein;

(iv) that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security of a series exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer for such series will be required to surrender such Registrable Security, together with any appropriate letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address and in the manner specified in the notice, or (B) effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date with respect to such Exchange Offer; and

(v) that any Holder of Registrable Securities of a series will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date with respect to the Exchange Offer for such series, by (A) sending to the institution and at the address specified in the notice, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have such Registrable Securities exchanged or (B) effecting such withdrawal in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for the Registrable Securities.

As a condition to participating in an Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company and the Guarantor that (1) any Exchange Notes to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (2) at the time of the commencement of such Exchange Offer it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Notes in violation of the provisions of the Securities Act, (3) it is not an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company or the Guarantor, (4) if such Holder is not a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of the Exchange Notes and (5) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Notes for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, then such Holder will deliver a Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a Prospectus to purchasers) in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes.

As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date with respect to an Exchange Offer for Registrable Securities of a series, the Company and the Guarantor shall:

(i) accept for exchange Registrable Securities of such series or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to such Exchange Offer; and

 

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(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities of such series or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each Holder, Exchange Notes of such series equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities of such series tendered by such Holder; provided that if any of the Registrable Securities are in book-entry form, the Company shall, in cooperation with the Trustee, effect the exchange of Registrable Securities in accordance with applicable book-entry procedures.

The Company and the Guarantor shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to complete each Exchange Offer as provided above and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with each Exchange Offer. No Exchange Offer shall be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff and that no action or proceeding has been instituted or threatened in any court or by or before any governmental agency relating to the Exchange Offer which, in the Company’s judgment, could reasonably be expected to impair the Company’s ability to proceed with the Exchange Offer.

b. If (i) for any reason the Exchange Offer is not completed on or prior to the Target Registration Date or (ii) following the Target Registration Date the Company receives a written request (a “Shelf Request”) from any Dealer Manager representing that it holds Registrable Securities of the applicable series that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in any such Exchange Offer, the Company and the Guarantor shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities of such series by the Holders thereof; provided that (1) no Holder will be entitled to have any Registrable Securities included in any Shelf Registration Statement, or entitled to use the prospectus forming a part of such Shelf Registration Statement, until such Holder shall have delivered a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire and provided such other information regarding such Holder to the Company as is contemplated by Section 3(b) hereof and, if necessary, the Shelf Registration Statement has been amended to reflect such information, and (2) the Company and the Guarantor shall be under no obligation to file any such Shelf Registration Statement before they are obligated to file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

In the event that the Company and the Guarantor are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to clause (ii) of the preceding sentence, the Company and the Guarantor shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to file and have become effective both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Holders after completion of the Exchange Offers.

The Company and the Guarantor agree to use their commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until the date on which the New Notes covered thereby cease to be Registrable Securities (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”). The Company and the Guarantor further agree to use their commercially reasonable efforts to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities

 

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Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Participating Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective, if required, and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable. The Company and the Guarantor agree to furnish to the Participating Holders copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC, as reasonably requested by the Participating Holders.

c. The Company and the Guarantor shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof. Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

d. An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC. A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or is automatically effective upon filing with the SEC as provided by Rule 462 under the Securities Act.

If a Registration Default occurs with respect to a series of Registrable Securities, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities (and only the Registrable Securities) of such series will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period beginning on the day immediately following such Registration Default and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, in each case until and including the date such Registration Default ends, up to a maximum increase of 0.50% per annum. A Registration Default ends with respect to any New Notes when such New Notes cease to be Registrable Securities or, if earlier, (1) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (i) of the definition thereof, when the Exchange Offer for such series is completed or when the Shelf Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities becomes effective or (2) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (ii) of the definition thereof, when the Shelf Registration Statement again becomes effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable. If at any time more than one Registration Default has occurred and is continuing, then, until the next date that there is no Registration Default, the increase in interest rate provided for by this paragraph shall apply as if there occurred a single Registration Default that begins on the date that the earliest such Registration Default occurred and ends on the next date that there is no Registration Default.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if the applicable Exchange Offer with respect to a series of Registrable Securities is consummated, any Holder who was, at the time such Exchange Offer was pending and consummated, eligible to exchange, and did not validly tender, or withdrew, its New Notes for Exchange Notes in such Exchange Offer will not be entitled to receive any additional interest pursuant to the preceding paragraph, and such New Notes will no longer constitute Registrable Securities hereunder.

 

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e. The Company shall be entitled to suspend its obligation to file any amendment to a Shelf Registration Statement, furnish any supplement or amendment to a Prospectus included in a Shelf Registration Statement or any Free Writing Prospectus, make any other filing with the SEC that would be incorporated by reference into a Shelf Registration Statement, cause a Shelf Registration Statement to remain effective or the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus usable or take any similar action (collectively, “Suspension Actions”) if there is a possible acquisition, disposition or business combination or other transaction, business development or event involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries that may require disclosure in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus and the Company determines that such disclosure is not in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders or obtaining any financial statements relating to any such acquisition or business combination required to be included in the Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus would be impracticable. Upon the occurrence of any of the conditions described in the foregoing sentence, the Company shall give prompt notice of the delay or suspension (but not the basis thereof) to the Participating Holders. Upon the termination of such condition, the Company shall promptly proceed with all Suspension Actions that were delayed or suspended and, if required, shall give prompt notice to the Participating Holders of the cessation of the delay or suspension (but not the basis thereof).

f. Without limiting the remedies available to the Dealer Managers and the Holders, the Company and the Guarantor acknowledge that any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Dealer Managers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Dealer Managers or any Holder may seek to specifically enforce the Company’s and the Guarantor’s obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.

3. Registration Procedures.

a. In connection with their obligations pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company and the Guarantor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to:

(i) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (A) shall be selected by the Company and the Guarantor, (B) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Participating Holders thereof and (C) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include or incorporate by reference all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

(ii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and keep each Prospectus current during the period described in Section 4(a)(3) of, and Rule 174 under, the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Notes;

 

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(iii) to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company and the Guarantor with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and to retain a copy of any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed;

(iv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Participating Holder, to the Dealer Managers (if any Registrable Securities held by the Dealer Managers are included in the Shelf Registration Statement), to counsel for such Participating Holders, to counsel for the Dealer Managers and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto (other than any document that amends and supplements any Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus because it is incorporated by reference therein), as such Participating Holder, counsel or Underwriter may reasonably request in writing in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and, subject to Section 3(c) hereof, the Company and the Guarantor consent to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Participating Holders and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

(v) register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions of the United States as any Participating Holder shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Registration Statement becomes effective; cooperate with such Participating Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA; and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary to enable each Participating Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Participating Holder; provided that neither the Company nor the Guarantor shall be required to (1) 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, (2) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not already so subject;

(vi) notify counsel for the Dealer Managers and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Participating Holder and counsel for such Participating Holders promptly and, if requested by any such Participating Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective, when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes

 

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effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed, (2) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (3) if, between the applicable effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company or the Guarantor contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to an offering of such Registrable Securities cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company or the Guarantor receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any U.S. jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (4) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (5) of any determination by the Company or the Guarantor that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be appropriate;

(vii) notify counsel for the Dealer Managers or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Participating Holder and counsel for such Participating Holders, of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective;

(viii) obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, including by filing an amendment to such Registration Statement on the proper form, as soon as reasonably practicable and provide prompt notice to each Holder or Participating Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;

(ix) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Participating Holder, without charge, upon request, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested), if such documents are not available via EDGAR;

 

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(x) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the Participating Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and, in the case of certificated securities, registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Participating Holders may reasonably request at least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

(xi) upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(4) hereof, prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to the applicable Exchange Offer Registration Statement or Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, 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; and the Company and the Guarantor shall notify the Participating Holders (in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement) and the Dealer Managers and any Participating Broker-Dealers known to the Company (in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and such Participating Holders, such Participating Broker-Dealers and the Dealer Managers, as applicable, hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company and the Guarantor have amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission;

(xii) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, provide copies of such document to the Dealer Managers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the Participating Holders and their counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company and the Guarantor as shall be reasonably requested by the Dealer Managers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders or their counsel) available for discussion of such document; and the Company and the Guarantor shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, use or file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement or a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Dealer Managers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Dealer Managers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders or their counsel) shall reasonably object in writing within two Business Days after the receipt thereof, unless the Company believes that use or filing of such Prospectus, Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment of or supplement thereto is required by applicable law;

 

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(xiii) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Notes of each series or Registrable Securities of each series that are registered on a Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

(xiv) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Notes or Registrable Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

(xv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by a representative of the Participating Holders (an “Inspector”), any Underwriters participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants designated by a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Securities held by the Participating Holders and one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants designated by such Underwriters, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all pertinent financial and other records, documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant, and cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company and the Guarantor to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement; provided that if any such information is identified by the Company or the Guarantor as being confidential or proprietary, each Person receiving such information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information to the extent such action is otherwise not inconsistent with, an impairment of or in derogation of the rights and interests of any Inspector, Holder or Underwriter;

(xvi) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cause all Registrable Securities covered thereby to be listed on any securities exchange or any automated quotation system on which similar senior unconvertible debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or the Guarantor are then listed if requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, to the extent such Registrable Securities satisfy applicable listing requirements;

 

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(xvii) if reasonably requested by any Participating Holder, promptly include or incorporate by reference in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Participating Holder as such Participating Holder reasonably requests to be included therein, based upon a reasonable belief that such information is required to be included therein or is necessary to make the information about such Participating Holder not misleading, and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company has received notification of the matters to be so included in such filing; and

(xviii) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (1) provided that the Participating Holders’ representations and warranties are of the substance and scope as are customarily made by selling securityholders to underwriters in underwritten offerings, to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Participating Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when requested by the applicable underwriting agreement, (2) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and the Guarantor (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Participating Holders and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each Participating Holder and the Underwriters of Registrable Securities, in customary form subject to customary limitations, assumptions and exclusions and covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, provided that, if required by the Underwriters, counsel for the Participating Holders shall provide an opinion to the Underwriters covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested from selling securityholders by underwriters in underwritten offerings, in connection with an Underwritten Offering (3) in connection with an Underwritten Offering, obtain “comfort” letters from the independent registered public accountants of the Company and the Guarantor (and, if necessary, any other registered public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company or the Guarantor, or of any business acquired by the Company or the Guarantor for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to the Underwriters of Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus and (4) in connection with an Underwritten Offering, deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties made pursuant to clause (1) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement.

 

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b. In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require, as a condition to including such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company a Notice and Questionnaire and such other information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities and other documentation necessary to effectuate the proposed disposition as the Company and the Guarantor may from time to time reasonably request in writing and require such Holder to agree in writing to be bound by all provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder. Each Holder of Registrable Securities as to which any Shelf Registration is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company and the Guarantor all information required to be disclosed so that the information previously furnished to the Company and the Guarantor by such Holder is not materially misleading and does not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made.

c. Each Participating Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company and the Guarantor of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(a)(vi)(2) or Section 3(a)(vi)(4) hereof, such Participating Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Participating Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(a)(xi) hereof and, if so directed by the Company and the Guarantor, such Participating Holder will deliver to the Company and the Guarantor all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Participating Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.

d. If the Company and the Guarantor shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company and the Guarantor shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions or notice that such amendment or supplement is not necessary; provided, however, that no such extension shall be made in the case where such suspension is solely a result the Company’s compliance with Section 3(b) or any other suspension at the request of a Holder.

e. The Participating Holders who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each an “Underwriter”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering, subject in each case to consent by the Company (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed so long as such bank or manager is internationally recognized as a underwriter of debt securities offerings).

 

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f. No Holder of Registrable Securities may participate in any Underwritten Offering hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder’s Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.

a. The Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Notes for its own account in an Exchange Offer in exchange for New Notes that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”) may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Notes.

The Company and the Guarantor understand that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in an Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Notes, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Notes owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Notes for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.

b. In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company and the Guarantor agree to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days after the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration becomes effective (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section3(d) hereof) and (ii) the date on which each Participating Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market making or other trading activities, in each case to the extent necessary, and if requested by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers, to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Notes by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4 above. The Company and the Guarantor further agree that Participating Broker-Dealers shall be authorized to deliver such Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available) during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4.

c. The Dealer Managers shall have no liability to the Company, the Guarantor or any Holder with respect to any request that they may make pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof.

 

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5. Indemnification and Contribution.

a. The Company and the Guarantor, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each Dealer Manager and each Holder, their respective directors, officers and employees, each Person, if any, who controls any Dealer Manager or any Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Dealer Manager within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act (any of the foregoing, an “Indemnified Person”), from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Person may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus as amended or supplemented, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“Issuer Information”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, and will reimburse each such Indemnified Person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, damage, liability, action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus as amended or supplemented, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Dealer Manager or any Holder furnished to the Company in writing by such Dealer Manager or by such Holder expressly for use therein.

b. Each Holder will, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantor, the Dealer Managers and the other selling Holders, the directors, officers and employees of the Company, the Guarantor and the Dealer Managers, each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Guarantor any Dealer Manager and any other selling Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and each affiliate of any Dealer Manager within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company, the Guarantor or such Dealer Manager, other selling Holder, director, officer, employee, controlling Person or affiliate may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) that arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company and the Guarantor by such Holder; and each Holder will reimburse the Company, the Guarantor and such Dealer Manager, other selling Holder, director, officer, employee, controlling Person and affiliate in connection with investigating, or defending any such loss, damage, liability, action or claim as such expenses are incurred, but only with reference to information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company and the Guarantor in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus.

 

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c. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such omission materially prejudices the indemnifying party. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.

d. To the extent the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 5 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein (or actions in respect thereof), then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company from the offering of the New Notes or Exchange Notes, on the one hand, and the Holders from receiving New Notes or Exchange Notes registered under the Securities Act, on the other. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Holders on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Holders on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand or such Holder on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

e. The Company, the Guarantor and the Holders agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, no Holder shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of

 

18


the amount by which the total price at which the New Notes or Exchange Notes sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder 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 Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5 are several and not joint.

f. The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

g. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Dealer Managers or any Holder, any Person controlling any Dealer Manager or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Guarantor or their respective officers or directors or any Person controlling the Company or the Guarantor, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Notes and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

6. General.

a. No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company and the Guarantor represent, warrant and agree that neither the Company nor the Guarantor has entered into, or on or after the date of this Agreement will enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

b. Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company and the Guarantor have obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder. Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be by a writing executed by each of the parties hereto. Each Holder of Registrable Securities outstanding at the time of any such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent thereafter shall be bound by any such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent effected pursuant to this Section 6(b), whether or not any notice, writing or marking indicating such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent appears on the Registrable Securities or is delivered to such Holder. Each Holder may waive compliance with respect to any obligation of the Company under this Agreement as it may apply or be enforced by such particular Holder.

 

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c. Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); (ii) if to the Company and the Guarantor, initially at the applicable addresses set forth in the Dealer Manager Agreement and thereafter at such other address(es), notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); (iii) if to a Dealer Manager, initially at the Dealer Manager’s respective address set forth in the Dealer Manager Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); and (iv) to such other Persons at their respective addresses as provided in the Dealer Manager Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c). All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.

d. Majority of Holders. Whenever an action or determination under this Agreement requires a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the applicable holders, in determining such majority, if the Company shall issue any additional New Notes under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, then such additional New Notes and the Registrable Securities to which this Agreement relates shall be treated together as one class for purposes of determining whether the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities has been obtained.

e. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Dealer Manager Agreement or the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Dealer Managers (in their capacity as Dealer Managers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company or the Guarantor with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

f. Third Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Dealer Managers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

 

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g. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered (by telecopy, electronic delivery or otherwise) to the other parties. Signatures to this Agreement transmitted by facsimile transmission or electronic format (e.g., “.pdf” or “.tif”) form, or by any other electronic means intended to preserve the original graphic and pictorial appearance of a document, will have the same effect as physical delivery of the paper document bearing the original signature. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement or any agreement entered into in connection herewith shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or 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 or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the 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, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (e.g. DocuSign).

h. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not a part of this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

i. 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.

j. Entire Agreement; Severability. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and prior writings with respect thereto. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. The Company, the Guarantor and the Dealer Managers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

/s/ Grace Lee

Name:   Grace Lee
Title:   Head of Treasury & Financial Planning and Analytics
STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC
By:  

/s/ John Berisford

  Name: John Berisford
  Title: President
GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
By:  

/s/ Raffael Fiumara

  Name: Raffael Fiumara
  Title: Vice President
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
By:  

/s/ Kevin Prior

  Name: Kevin Prior
  Title: Director
By:  

/s/ Ritu Ketkar

  Name: Ritu Ketkar
  Title: Managing Director
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
By:  

/s/ Brian D. Bednarski

  Name: Brian D. Bednarski
  Title: Managing Director

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement – Exchange


SCHEDULE I

Series of New Notes To Be Exchanged for Series of Existing IHS Markit Notes

 

Existing IHS Markit Notes

  

New Notes to be issued by the Company

5.000% Senior Notes due 2022

(CUSIP 44962L AA5 / G47567 AA3)

   S&P Global 5.000% Senior Notes due 2022

4.125% Senior Notes due 2023

(CUSIP 44962L AG2)

   S&P Global 4.125% Senior Notes due 2023

3.625% Senior Notes due 2024

(CUSIP 44962L AH0)

   S&P Global 3.625% Senior Notes due 2024

4.750% Senior Notes due 2025

(CUSIP 44962L AB3 / G47567 AB1 / G47567 AC9)

   S&P Global 4.750% Senior Notes due 2025

4.000% Senior Notes due 2026

(CUSIP 44962L AC1 / G47567 AD7)

   S&P Global 4.000% Senior Notes due 2026

4.750% Senior Notes due 2028

(CUSIP 44962L AF4)

   S&P Global 4.750% Senior Notes due 2028

4.250% Senior Notes due 2029

(CUSIP 44962L AJ6)

   S&P Global 4.250% Senior Notes due 2029

Schedule I-1