false 0000064040 0000064040 2023-09-12 2023-09-12

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): September 12, 2023

 

 

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 Agreement.

Senior Notes Offering

On September 12, 2023, S&P Global Inc. (the “Company”) completed its previously announced private offering (the “Offering”) of $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.250% Senior Notes due 2033 (the “Notes”). The Notes were sold under a purchase agreement, dated as of September 7, 2023, entered into by and among the Company, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (the “Guarantor”) and each of BofA Securities, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the several initial purchasers (the “Initial Purchasers”) named therein, for resale in the United States to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

The Notes are governed by an indenture dated as of May 26, 2015 (the “Base Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the ninth supplemental indenture dated as of September 12, 2023, among the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee (the “Ninth Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor on a senior unsecured basis (the “Guarantee” and, together with the Notes, the “Securities”).

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to repay its outstanding commercial paper borrowings and for general corporate purposes, including repaying or repurchasing existing indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries.

The terms of the Securities are governed by the Indenture, which 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 Securities 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 Securities at any time on the terms provided in the Indenture. Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as defined in the Indenture, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem all of the Securities, each holder will have the right to require the Company to repurchase its Securities at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest. The Indenture also contains customary events of default. Indebtedness under the Securities may be accelerated in certain circumstances upon an event of default as set forth in the Indenture.

The above descriptions of the Indenture and the Securities 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 the Ninth Supplemental Indenture (including the form of the Notes included therein), a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Registration Rights Agreement

On September 12, 2023, in connection with the issuance of the Notes, the Company and the Guarantor entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with the Initial Purchasers. 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 Notes for new notes, with terms substantially identical in all material respects to the 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 Notes (i) if it does not complete the exchange offer on or prior to the 365th day after the issuance of the Notes (the “Target Registration Date”), (ii) if the shelf registration statement with respect to the Notes (if required to be filed) is not declared effective on or prior to the Target Registration Date, (iii) if the Company receives a request for filing of a shelf registration statement from any of the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, and the shelf registration statement required to be filed thereby has not become effective by the later of (a) the Target Registration Date and (b) 90 days after delivery of such request, or (iv) the shelf registration statement with respect to the Notes (if required to be filed) has become effective and thereafter ceases to be effective or the prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 90 days in a 12-month period.

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 4.4 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 “Senior Notes Offering” 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 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)    Ninth Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 12, 2023, 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 5.250% Senior Notes due 2033 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
(4.4)    Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2023, among S&P Global Inc., BofA Securities, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the initial purchasers.
(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: September 12, 2023

Exhibit 4.2

Execution Version

S&P GLOBAL INC.

as the Company

STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC,

as Guarantor

5.250% Senior Notes due 2033

NINTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of September 12, 2023

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      1  

Section 1.01.

   Certain Terms Defined in the Indenture; Additional Terms      1  

ARTICLE 2

   FORM AND TERMS OF THE NOTES      5  

Section 2.01.

   Form and Dating      5  

Section 2.02.

   Paying Agent; Depository      6  

Section 2.03.

   Registration      6  

Section 2.04.

   Transfer and Exchange      7  

Section 2.05.

   Terms of the Notes      7  

Section 2.06.

   Optional Redemption      8  

Section 2.07.

   Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control Triggering Event      9  

Section 2.08.

   Registration Default      11  

ARTICLE 3

   COVENANTS      12  

Section 3.01.

   Rule 144A Information      12  

ARTICLE 4

   SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE      12  

Section 4.01.

   Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders      12  

ARTICLE 5

   GUARANTEE      12  

Section 5.01.

   Release of Guarantor from Guarantee      12  

ARTICLE 6

   MISCELLANEOUS      13  

Section 6.01.

   Trust Indenture Act Controls      13  

Section 6.02.

   Governing Law      13  

Section 6.03.

   Payment of Notes      13  

Section 6.04.

   Multiple Counterparts      13  

Section 6.05.

   Severability      14  

Section 6.06.

   Relation to Indenture      14  

Section 6.07.

   Ratification      14  

Section 6.08.

   Effectiveness      14  

Section 6.09.

   Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities      14  

Section 6.10.

   Calculations      14  

 

APPENDIX A    PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE NOTES
EXHIBIT A    NOTES LEGENDS
EXHIBIT B    FORMS OF NOTES
EXHIBIT C    RULE 144A CERTIFICATE

 

 

i


NINTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

NINTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Ninth Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of September 12, 2023, 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, successor in interest to U.S. Bank 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 issuance and sale of $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of a new series of Securities of the Company designated as its 5.250% Senior Notes due 2033 (the “Notes”), and, if and when issued, any Additional Notes, together with any Exchange Notes issued therefor, as provided herein, 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 sole member of the Guarantor;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to issue and sell $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes on the date hereof, 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 Ninth 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 Ninth 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.

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

Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are 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 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 circumstances 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.

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 this 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.

 

2


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.

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.

Exchange Notes” means the Notes of the Company issued pursuant to the Indenture in exchange for, and in an aggregate principal amount up to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, the Notes, in compliance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement and containing terms substantially identical to the Notes (except that (i) such Exchange Notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not be subject to transfer restrictions or bear the Restricted Legend, and (ii) the provisions relating to rights under the Registration Rights Agreement will be eliminated).

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Ltd, and its successors.

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

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).

Issue Date” means the date on which the Notes are originally issued under this Indenture.

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

Offering Memorandum” means the Company’s confidential offering memorandum (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) dated September 7, 2023, pursuant to which the Notes were originally offered.

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

 

3


Par Call Date” means June 15, 2033.

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

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.

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, BofA Securities, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Restricted Legend” means the legend set forth on Exhibit A hereto.

Security Registrar” means the Trustee, for the purpose of registering the Notes and transfer of Notes as herein provided.

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Optional Redemption Date, the yield determined by the Company in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third business day preceding the Optional Redemption Date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily) – H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities – Treasury constant maturities – Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Company shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the Optional Redemption Date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H. 15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the Optional Redemption Date.

 

4


If on the third business day preceding the Optional Redemption Date ate H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Company shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second business day preceding such Optional Redemption Date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Company shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Company shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

The Company’s actions and determinations in determining the Redemption Price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Trustee shall not be obligated to calculate or verify any Redemption Price.

U.S. Global Note” means a Global Note that bears the Restricted Legend representing Notes issued and sold pursuant to Rule 144A.

(c) As used in the Indenture, for purposes of the Notes, the term “interest” shall be deemed to include any “Additional Interest” payable as a consequence of a “Registration Default,” in each case as defined in, and in accordance with, the Registration Rights Agreement.

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 B attached hereto. 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.

 

5


The terms and notations contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Indenture as supplemented by this Ninth Supplemental Indenture and the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Ninth 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).

(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.

Section 2.03. Registration. (a) 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 on Exhibit A hereto.

 

6


(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 (x) as set forth in (iii) of this Section 2.03(a) and (y) 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 prior 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.

(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) The transfer or exchange of any Note (or a beneficial interest therein) may only be made in accordance with this Section 2.04 and Section 2.03 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 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 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “5.250% Senior Notes due 2033”.

 

7


(b) Principal Amount. The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture shall be $750,000,000. 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 Notes shall be payable on September 15, 2033.

(d) Interest Rate. The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 5.250% per annum; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be March 15 and September 15 of each year, beginning on March 15, 2024; 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 the March 1 or September 1, 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) Prior to the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at its option, at a redemption price (the “Redemption Price”), as calculated by the Company and expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places, equal to the greater of: (i) (x) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the Optional Redemption Date (assuming the Notes matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 15 basis points less (y) interest accrued to the Optional Redemption Date, and (ii) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Optional Redemption Date.

 

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(b) On or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at its option at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Optional Redemption Date.

(c) If less than all the Notes are to be redeemed, selection of Notes for redemption will be made by random lottery or on a pro rata basis as a “Pro Rata Pass-Through Distribution of Principal,” as determined by the Company, and, in the case of a Global Note, by the Depository in accordance with the procedures of the Depository or, in the case of a Certificated Note, by such other method as the Trustee in its sole discretion deems appropriate and fair. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to the Note will state the portion of the principal amount of the Note to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Note will be issued in the name of the holder of the Note upon surrender for cancellation of the original Note. For so long as the Notes are held by the Depository, the redemption of the Notes shall be done in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Depository. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on or after the Optional Redemption Date, the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption will cease to bear interest, and the Holders thereof will have no right in respect of such Notes except the right to receive the Redemption Price thereof.

(d) The notice of redemption shall be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the Depository’s procedures) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the Optional Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed, with notice to the Trustee of such redemption at least 5 days prior to when such notice is delivered to Holders (or such shorter time as the Trustee may agree). Any notice of redemption may, in the Company’s discretion be subject to satisfaction or waiver of one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of any equity offering, a financing, or other corporate transaction, provided that if such redemption or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the Optional Redemption Date may be postponed until up to 60 days following the notice of redemption, 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 (including as it may be postponed). 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 the Notes pursuant to Section 2.06 hereof, each Holder of such 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 pursuant to the offer described below (the “Change of Control Offer”) on the terms set forth in the Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the 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.

 

9


(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;

(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 the same type will be issued in a principal amount equal to the unpurchased portion of the 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;

 

10


(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 equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes surrendered by such Holder, if any; provided that each new Note 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.

(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 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 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.

 

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ARTICLE 3

COVENANTS

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 10.01 of the Indenture, and, in addition for the following purpose: to conform any provision of the Indenture, the Ninth Supplemental Indenture, or the Notes, to the “Description of Notes” appearing in the Offering Memorandum.

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.

 

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ARTICLE 6

MISCELLANEOUS

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

Section 6.02. Governing Law. This Ninth 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 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 Ninth Supplemental Indenture. Each signed counterpart shall be deemed an original, but all of them together represent one and the same Ninth Supplemental Indenture. One signed copy is enough to prove this Ninth Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Ninth 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 Ninth Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Ninth Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Ninth 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.

 

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Section 6.05. Severability. Each provision of this Ninth 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 Ninth 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 Ninth Supplemental Indenture constitutes a part of the Indenture, the provisions of which (as modified by this Ninth Supplemental Indenture) shall apply to the series of Securities established by this Ninth 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.

Section 6.07. Ratification. The Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Ninth Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. The Indenture and this Ninth Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument. All provisions included in this Ninth 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 Ninth Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Indenture, as supplemented by this Ninth Supplemental Indenture.

Section 6.08. Effectiveness. The provisions of this Ninth 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 Ninth 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 Ninth 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.

 

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

 

 

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

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.

By:  

/s/ Grant Nicholson

  Name: Grant Nicholson
  Title: Senior Vice President, Treasury and Tax

STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC, as Guarantor

By:  

/s/ Martina Cheung

  Name: Martina Cheung
  Title: President

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

By:  

/s/ Christopher J. Grell

  Name: Christopher J. Grell
  Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Ninth Supplemental Indenture]

 


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:

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 DTC, 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.

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

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

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 the Notes bearing the Regulation S Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depository, or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes initially sold in reliance on Rule 903 of 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).

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.

 

Appendix A-1


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(f)

Clearstream

   2.1(b)

Euroclear

   2.1(b)

Global Notes

   2.1(e)

Regulation S Global Notes

   2.1(b)

Rule 144A Global Notes

   2.1(a)

2. The Notes.

2.1 Global Notes.

(a) Following execution by the Company and authentication by the Trustee of the Global Notes (as defined below), 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”).

(b) Following execution by the Company and authentication by the Trustee of the Global 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.

(c) The aggregate principal amount of each Global Note 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.

(d) 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.

 

Appendix A-2


(e) 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.

(f) 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.

(g) 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 Security 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.

(h) In connection with the transfer of a Global Note as an entirety to beneficial owners pursuant to subsection (ii) of this Section 2.1(g), 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.

(i) 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.

(j) 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.

(k) 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.

 

Appendix A-3


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(g). 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 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 Security 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 Security 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).

 

Appendix A-4


(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 Security 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 Security 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 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(g). 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(g). In any case, beneficial interests in Global Notes shall be transferred or exchanged only for Definitive Notes.

 

Appendix A-5


(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 QIB 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.

(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 Security 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,

 

Appendix A-6


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 Security 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 Security Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Security 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).

(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 Security 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;

 

Appendix A-7


(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 Security 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 Security 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 Global Notes and the Definitive Notes (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) shall bear the applicable legend in substantially the form (each defined term in the legend being defined as such for purposes of the legend only) as set forth under the heading “Restricted Notes Legend” on Exhibit A.

(y) Prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, each Regulation S Note shall bear the additional applicable legend in the form as set forth under the heading “Restricted Notes Legend” on Exhibit A.

(z) Each Global Note shall bear the additional legends as set forth under the heading “Global Notes Legend” on Exhibit A.

 

Appendix A-8


(ii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Definitive Note, the Security 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 Security Registrar that its request for such exchange was made in reliance on Rule 144 (such certification to be in the form set forth in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C).

(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 Security 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 Security 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 Security 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.

(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

 

Appendix A-9


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 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

 

Appendix A-10


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-11


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]

THIS NOTE AND THE RELATED GUARANTEE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF S&P GLOBAL INC. (THE “COMPANY”) THAT THIS NOTE OR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED ONLY (1) TO THE COMPANY, (2) SO LONG AS THIS NOTE IS ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (“RULE 144A”), TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A) IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 144A, (3) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (4) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) OR (5) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, AND IN EACH OF SUCH CASES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION. 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.

 

A-1-1


PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2) OR (3) ABOVE, A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH IS AN EXHIBIT TO THE INDENTURE) MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THE INDENTURE UNDER WHICH THIS NOTE WAS ISSUED. PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (4) ABOVE, THE COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY RULE 144 EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

THE FOREGOING LEGEND MAY BE REMOVED FROM THIS NOTE ONLY AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY.

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

THIS NOTE AND THE RELATED GUARANTEE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, AGREES THAT NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION.

THE FOREGOING LEGEND MAY BE REMOVED FROM THIS NOTE AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY AFTER 40 DAYS BEGINNING ON AND INCLUDING THE LATER OF (A) THE DATE ON WHICH THE NOTES ARE OFFERED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND (B) THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE NOTES.

 

Exhibit A-2


EXHIBIT B-1

[FORM OF 5.250% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2033]

S&P GLOBAL INC.

5.250% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2033

Fully and Unconditionally Guaranteed by

Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC

Principal Amount: $___

No. A-___

 

CUSIP:

78409V BP8 [For 144A Notes]

U75091 AT2 [For Regulation S Notes]

ISIN:

US78409VBP85 [For 144A Notes]

USU75091AT28 [For Regulation S Notes]

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., or registered assigns, the principal sum of $[•] on September 15, 2033 (the “Maturity Date”) (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon from September 12, 2023 (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 5.250% per annum, on March 15 and September 15 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing March 15, 2024, 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 March 1 and September 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.

 

B-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, successor in interest to U.S. Bank 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 Ninth Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of September 12, 2023 (the “Ninth 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 “5.250% Senior Notes due 2033” (collectively, the “Notes”), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $750,000,000.

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.

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.

 

B-1-2


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.

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

 

B-1-3


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.

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]

 

B-1-4


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

Dated: September 12, 2023

 

S&P GLOBAL INC.
By:  

        

  Name:
  Title:

 

Attest:
By:  

         

  Name:
  Title:

 

B-1-5


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 Ninth Supplemental Indenture.

Dated: September 12, 2023

 

U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

By:  

        

  Name:
  Title:

 

B-1-6


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)

 

B-1-7


[THE FOLLOWING PROVISION TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL CERTIFICATES BEARING A RESTRICTED LEGEND]

In connection with any transfer of this Note occurring prior to September 12, 2024, the undersigned confirms that such transfer is made without utilizing any general solicitation or general advertising and further as follows:

Check One

☐ (1) This Note is being transferred to a “qualified institutional buyer” in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and certification in the form of Exhibit F to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.

☐ (2) This Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in compliance with the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, provided by Regulation S thereunder, and certification in the form of Exhibit E to the Indenture is being furnished herewith.

or

☐ (3) This Note is being transferred other than in accordance with (1) or (2) above and documents are being furnished which comply with the conditions of transfer set forth in this Note and the Indenture.

If none of the foregoing boxes is checked, the Trustee is not obligated to register this Note in the name of any Person other than the Holder hereof unless and until the conditions to any such transfer of registration set forth herein and in the Indenture have been satisfied.

Date:                             

 

 

Seller
By:  

 

NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within-mentioned instrument in every particular, without alteration or any change whatsoever.

 

B-1-8


Signature Guarantee:1

 

 

By:  

 

To be executed by an executive officer

 

1 

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Securities Transfer Association Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Security Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

B-1-9


EXHIBIT C

[RULE 144A CERTIFICATE]

_______________, _______

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE

CHRISTOPHER J. GRELL

U.S. BANK CORPORATE TRUST SERVICES

100 WALL STREET, 16TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10005

PHONE: (212) 951-8542

CHRISTOPHER.GRELL@USBANK.COM

 

Re:

S&P Global Inc. 5.250% Senior Notes due 2033 (“Notes”) issued under the Indenture dated May 26, 2015 as supplemented by the Ninth Supplemental Indenture dated September 12, 2023 (collectively, the “Indenture”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

[TO BE COMPLETED BY PURCHASER IF (1) ABOVE IS CHECKED]

This Certificate relates to:

[CHECK A OR B AS APPLICABLE.]

 

A. Our proposed purchase of $___________ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture.

 

B. Our proposed exchange of $___________ principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture for an equal principal amount of Notes to be held by us.

We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting in the aggregate owned and invested more than $100,000,000 in securities of issuers that are not affiliated with us (or such accounts, if applicable), as of _____________, 20__, which is a date on or since close of our most recent fiscal year. We and, if applicable, each account for which we are acting, are a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A (“Rule 144A”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). If we are acting on behalf of an account, we exercise sole investment discretion with respect to such account. We are aware that the transfer of Notes to us, or such exchange, as applicable, is being made in reliance upon the exemption from the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities Act provided by Rule 144A. Prior to the date of this Certificate we have received such information regarding the Company as we have requested pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) or have determined not to request such information.

You and the Company are entitled to rely upon this Certificate and are irrevocably authorized to produce this Certificate or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.

 

C-1


Very truly yours,

[NAME OF PURCHASER (FOR TRANSFERS) OR OWNER (FOR EXCHANGES)]

as Trustee

By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
  Address:

Date: ____________________

 

C-2

Exhibit 4.4

EXECUTION VERSION

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated September 12, 2023 (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 BofA Securities, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (together, the “Representatives”) as representatives of the several initial purchasers named in Schedule I of the Purchase Agreement (the “Initial Purchasers”).

The Company, the Guarantor and the Representatives are parties to the Purchase Agreement dated September 7, 2023 (the “Purchase Agreement”), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.250% Senior Notes due 2033 (the “Securities”) which will be guaranteed on an unsecured unsubordinated basis by the Guarantor. As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Guarantor have agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.

In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:

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

Business Day” shall mean each day which is not a day on which Federal or State banking institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, executive order or regulation to close.

Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto and shall also include the Company’s successors.

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 Offer” shall mean the exchange offer by the Company and the Guarantor of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities 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.


Exchange Securities” shall mean senior notes issued by the Company and guaranteed by the Guarantor under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Securities (except that the Exchange Securities 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 of Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

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 or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities.

Guarantor” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto and shall also include the Guarantor’s successors.

Holders” shall mean the Initial Purchasers, 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(c) hereof.

Indemnifying Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

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

Initial Purchasers” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

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

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

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.

Participating Broker-Dealers” 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.

 

2


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.

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

Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of the following: (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities has become effective under the Securities Act and such Securities have been exchanged or disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such Securities cease to be outstanding, (iii) except in the case of Securities that otherwise remain Registrable Securities and that are held by an Initial Purchaser and that are ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, when the Exchange Offer is consummated and (iv) when such Securities 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 Securities.

Registration Default” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the Exchange Offer is not completed on or prior to the Target Registration Date, (ii) the Shelf Registration Statement, if required pursuant to Section 2(b)(i) or Section 2(b)(ii) hereof, has not become effective on or prior to the Target Registration Date, (iii) if the Company receives a Shelf Request pursuant to Section 2(b)(iii), the Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed thereby has not become effective by the later of (a) the Target Registration Date and (b) 90 days after delivery of such Shelf Request, or (iv) the Shelf Registration Statement, if required by this Agreement, has become effective and thereafter ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable, in each case whether or not permitted by this Agreement, at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 90 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period.

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, stock exchange 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 counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any Persons 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, (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 its counsel, (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the Guarantor and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement,

 

3


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 Initial Purchasers; 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 Securities 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.

Representatives” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

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

Securities” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

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 (but no other securities unless approved by a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities held by the Participating Holders) 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.

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 September 11, 2024.

 

4


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

Trustee” shall mean U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, successor in interest to 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 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 Securities and (y) have such Registration Statement become and remain effective until 180 days after the last Exchange Date for use by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers. The Company and the Guarantor shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Exchange Offer 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 Offer by mailing and/or electronically delivering, or by causing the mailing and/or electronic delivery of, the related Prospectus, 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 the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities 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”);

 

  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 exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (A) surrender such Registrable Security, together with the 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; and

 

5


  v.

that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, 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 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 the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company and the Guarantor that (1) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (2) 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 the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities 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 any 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 Securities and (5) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities 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 Securities.

As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company and the Guarantor shall:

 

  (I)

accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and

 

  (II)

deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities 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 Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities 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 commercially reasonable efforts to complete the 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 the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not 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.

 

6


(b) In the event that (i) the Company and the Guarantor determine that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) hereof is not available or the Exchange Offer may not be completed as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason completed by the Target Registration Date or (iii) upon receipt of a written request (a “Shelf Request”) from any Initial Purchaser representing that it holds Registrable Securities that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, the Company and the Guarantor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities 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 (iii) of the preceding sentence, the Company and the Guarantor shall use 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 Initial Purchasers after completion of the Exchange Offer.

The Company and the Guarantor agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until the date on which the Securities covered thereby cease to be Registrable Securities (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”). The Company and the Guarantor further agree to use 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 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 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.

 

7


(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 the Registrable Securities, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities (and only the Registrable Securities) 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 Securities when such Securities 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 is completed or when the Shelf Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities becomes effective, (2) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (ii) or clause (iii) of the definition thereof, when the Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective or (3) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (iv) 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 such next date that there is no Registration Default.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if the applicable Exchange Offer with respect to the 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 Securities for Exchange Securities in such Exchange Offer will not be entitled to receive any additional interest pursuant to the preceding paragraph, and such Securities will no longer constitute Registrable Securities hereunder.

(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).

 

8


(f) Without limiting the remedies available to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders, the Company and the Guarantor acknowledge that any failure by the Company or the Guarantor to comply with their obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers 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 Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company’s and the Guarantor’ 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 as expeditiously as possible:

(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 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 use commercially reasonable efforts to 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 Securities;

(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 or the Guarantor with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and to retain any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed;

(iv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Participating Holder, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for such Participating Holders 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

 

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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) use commercially reasonable efforts to 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 or advisable 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 any 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 so subject;

(vi) notify counsel for the Initial Purchasers 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 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 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, (3) 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, (4) 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 any 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 any Guarantor receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (5) 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 (6) of any determination by the Company or any 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;

 

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(vii) use commercially reasonable efforts to 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;

(viii) 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;

(ix) 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 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;

(x) upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use commercially reasonable efforts to 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 Initial Purchasers 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 Initial Purchasers, 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;

(xi) 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 or of any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus after initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the

 

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Participating Holders and their counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company and the Guarantor as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers 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, or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers 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 Initial Purchasers 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;

(xii) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

(xiii) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities 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 use commercially reasonable efforts to 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;

(xiv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by a representative of the Participating Holders (an “Inspector”), any Underwriter 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 Securities held by the Participating Holders and one firm of attorneys and one firm of accountants designated by such Underwriter, 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 any 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);

(xv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities covered thereby to be listed on any securities exchange or any automated quotation system on which similar securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any 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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(xvi) 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

(xvii) 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, (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 Underwriter 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, (3) 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 any Guarantor, or of any business acquired by the Company or any Guarantor for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each Participating Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter 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) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantor 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)(3) or Section 3(a)(vi)(5) 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)(x) 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. The Company and the Guarantor may give any such notice only twice during any 365-day period and any such suspensions shall not exceed 30 days for each suspension and there shall not be more than two suspensions in effect during any 365-day period.

(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; provided that any such Underwriter shall be acceptable to the Company.

4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer. (a) The Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities 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 Securities.

 

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The Company and the Guarantor understand that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the 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 Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities 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 Securities 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 of up to 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d) hereof), in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) 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 Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company, any Guarantor or any Holder with respect to any request that they may make pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof.

5. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company and the Guarantor, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser and each Holder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each Person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, 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 any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company in writing through the

 

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Representatives or any selling Holder, respectively, expressly for use in connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company and the Guarantor, jointly and severally, will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar securities industry professionals participating in the distribution, their respective affiliates and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.

(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantor, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders, the directors of the Company and the Guarantor, each officer of the Company and the Guarantor who signed the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Guarantor, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus.

(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related

 

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proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by the Representatives (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by such Holders and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor from the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Holders on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative 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 or by the Holders and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

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(e) The Company, the Guarantor and the Holders agree that it would not be just and 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 incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities 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 Initial Purchasers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Guarantor or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company or the Guarantor, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities 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 (i) the rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor under any other agreement and (ii) neither the Company nor any 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

 

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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.

(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), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; (ii) if to the Company and the Guarantor, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); and (iii) to such other persons at their respective addresses as provided in the Purchase 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; five 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. Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

(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 Securities under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, then such additional Securities 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 Purchase 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 Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) 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.

 

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(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 Initial Purchasers, 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.

(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate 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 Initial Purchasers 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.

 

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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/ Grant Nicholson

Name:   Grant Nicholson
Title:   Senior Vice President, Treasury and Tax
STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC
By:  

/s/ Martina Cheung

Name:   Martina Cheung
Title:   President

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]


Confirmed and accepted as of the date first written above:

For themselves and on behalf of the several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule 1 to the Purchase Agreement.

 

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Kevin Wehler

  Authorized Signatory
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
By:  

/s/ Brian D. Bednarski

        Authorized Signatory
        Name: Brian D. Bednarski
        Title: Managing Director

[Signature Page to the Registration Rights Agreement]