Upgrade to SI Premium - Free Trial

Form S-3 Del Frisco's Restaurant

June 28, 2018 6:04 AM
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 27, 2018

Registration No. 333-          

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   20-8453116

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

2900 Ranch Trail,

Irving, TX 75063

(469) 913-1845

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

Neil H. Thomson

Chief Financial Officer

2900 Ranch Trail,

Irving, TX 75063

(469) 913-1845

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

With a copy to:

Michael J. Zeidel

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Four Times Square

New York, NY 10036

Telephone: (212) 735-3000

Facsimile: (212) 735-2000

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement as determined by the Registrant

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer   ☐  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company  
     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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of
Securities to be Registered(1)
  Amount
to be
Registered(2)
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Unit(2)
  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(2)
  Amount of
Registration Fee(3)

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share

       

Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share

       

Debt Securities

       

Warrants

       

Subscription Rights

       

Purchase Contracts

       

Purchase Units

       

Units

       

TOTAL

      $200,000,000   $24,900.00

 

 

(1) Securities registered hereunder may be sold separately, together or as units with other securities registered hereunder.
(2) We are registering an indeterminate aggregate principal amount and number of securities of each identified class of securities up to a proposed aggregate offering price of $200,000,000, which may be offered from time to time in unspecified numbers and at indeterminate prices, and as may be issued upon conversion, redemption, repurchase, exchange or exercise of any securities registered hereunder, including under any applicable anti-dilution provisions.
(3) The registration fee has been calculated in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933 and reflects the maximum aggregate offering price, rather than the principal amount of any securities issued at a discount. Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 27, 2018

Prospectus

 

LOGO

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

$200,000,000

COMMON STOCK

PREFERRED STOCK

DEBT SECURITIES

WARRANTS

SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

PURCHASE CONTRACTS

PURCHASE UNITS

UNITS

We may offer and sell from time to time, in one or more offerings, in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time of any such offering, (1) shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, (2) shares of our preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, (3) debt securities, which may be senior or subordinated and convertible or non-convertible, (4) warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, (5) subscription rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or other securities, (6) purchase contracts, (7) purchase units, (8) units, or (9) a combination of the foregoing.

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities. We will provide the specific prices and terms of these securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus at the time of the offering. You should read this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement carefully before you make your investment decision.

We may offer and sell these securities through underwriters, dealers or agents or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. The prospectus supplement for each offering will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering and will set forth the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the offering and any applicable fees, commissions or discount arrangements.

This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement or a free writing prospectus.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “DFRG.” Each prospectus supplement will indicate if the securities offered thereby will be listed on any securities exchange.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” on page 5 before you make your investment decision.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is                 , 2018.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     ii  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     1  

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     2  

SUMMARY

     4  

RISK FACTORS

     5  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     5  

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     5  

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     6  

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

     6  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     14  

DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

     16  

DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE UNITS

     17  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     18  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     19  

LEGAL MATTERS

     23  

EXPERTS

     23  

 

i


Table of Contents

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under the shelf process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings, up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $200,000,000.

This prospectus only provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering, including the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities offered. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement or other offering materials, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement or other offering materials do not contain all of the information included in the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information, we refer you to the registration statement on Form S-3, including its exhibits. We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), and, therefore, file reports and other information with the SEC. Statements contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement or other offering materials about the provisions or contents of any agreement or other document are only summaries. If SEC rules require that any agreement or document be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, you should refer to that agreement or document for its complete contents.

You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any other offering materials is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of each document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since then.

Except where the context otherwise requires or where otherwise indicated, the terms “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

 

ii


Table of Contents

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC under the Exchange Act. You may inspect without charge any documents filed by us at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains our reports, proxy and other information regarding us at http://www.sec.gov. Our SEC filings are also available free of charge at our website (www.dfrg.com). The information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered part of this prospectus, and information filed with the SEC subsequent to this prospectus and prior to the termination of the particular offering referred to in such prospectus supplement will automatically be deemed to update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement the documents listed below (excluding any portions of such documents that have been “furnished” but not “filed” for purposes of the Exchange Act):

 

    our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2017, filed on March 27, 2018;

 

    our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 27, 2018, filed on May 7, 2018;

 

    the portions of the Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on April 25, 2018, that are incorporated by reference into Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2017;

 

    our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on May 7, 2018, June 15, 2018 and June 27, 2018; and

 

    the description of our common stock set forth in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on July 24, 2012, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

We also incorporate by reference any future filings made with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act between the date of this prospectus and the date all of the securities offered hereby are sold or the offering is otherwise terminated, with the exception of any information furnished under Item 2.02 and Item 7.01 of Form 8-K, which is not deemed filed and which is not incorporated by reference herein. Any such filings shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference and to be a part of this prospectus from the respective dates of filing of those documents.

We will provide without charge upon written or oral request to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any and all of the documents which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus (other than exhibits unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in such documents).

You should direct requests for documents to:

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

2900 Ranch Trail

Irving, TX 75063

(469) 913-1845

Attention: Investor Relations

 

1


Table of Contents

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplements and the documents incorporated by reference contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on beliefs, expectations, estimates, projections, forecasts, plans, anticipations, targets, outlooks, initiatives, visions, objectives, strategies, opportunities, drivers and intents of our management. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements reflect intent, belief, current expectations, estimates or projections about, among other things, our industry, management’s beliefs, and future events and financial trends affecting us. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “targets,” “outlooks,” “initiatives,” “visions,” “objectives,” “strategies,” “opportunities,” “drivers,” “will” and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward looking statements as a result of various factors. Additional important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions and include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

    economic conditions (including customer spending patterns);

 

    our ability to compete;

 

    our ability to implement our growth strategy, including opening new restaurants, operating them profitably and accelerating development of our brands;

 

    customer experiences or negative publicity surrounding our restaurants;

 

    pricing and deliveries of food and other supplies;

 

    changes in consumer tastes and spending patterns;

 

    laws and regulations affecting labor and employee benefit costs, including increases in state and federally mandated minimum wages;

 

    labor shortages;

 

    general financial and credit market conditions;

 

    fixed rental payments and the terms of our indebtedness;

 

    our ability to successfully integrate Barteca (as defined below) with our business;

 

    any failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Barteca acquisition; and

 

    other factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2017 (the “2017 Annual Report”) and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 27, 2018 (the “Q1 2018 Quarterly Report”).

In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward looking statements.

Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward looking statements as a result of various factors. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and except for our ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new

 

2


Table of Contents

information, future events or otherwise. Such statements include, without limitation, our expectations and estimates (whether qualitative or quantitative) as to our intention and ability, including as a result of market conditions or restrictions under our credit agreements, other contractual arrangements or applicable law, to issue securities pursuant to this prospectus. In addition to factors that may be described in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference, our determination not to, or difficulties, delays or unanticipated costs in or our inability to, including as a result of market conditions or restrictions under our credit agreements, other contractual arrangement or applicable law, issue securities pursuant to this prospectus, among others factors, could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by us.

 

3


Table of Contents

SUMMARY

This is only a summary and may not contain all the information that is important to you. You should carefully read both this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement and any other offering materials, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” including the documents incorporated by reference to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Our Company

We develop, own and operate three contemporary, high-end, complementary restaurants: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, or the Double Eagle, Del Frisco’s Grille, or the Grille, and Sullivan’s Steakhouse, or Sullivan’s. We are a leader in the full-service steakhouse industry based on average unit volume (“AUV”) and EBITDA margin. We currently operate 50 restaurants in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Each of our three restaurant concepts offers steaks as well as other menu selections, such as chops and fresh seafood. These menu selections are complemented by an extensive, award-winning wine list. The Double Eagle, Grille and Sullivan’s are positioned within the fine dining segment and are designed to appeal to both business and local dining customers. Our Double Eagle restaurants are sited in urban locations to target customers seeking a “destination dining” experience while our Grille and Sullivan’s restaurants are intended to appeal to a broader demographic, allowing them to be located either in urban areas or in close proximity to affluent residential neighborhoods. We believe our success reflects consistent execution across all aspects of the dining experience, from the formulation of proprietary recipes to the procurement and presentation of high quality menu items and delivery of a positive customer experience. We currently operate 13 Double Eagle steakhouses in nine states and the District of Columbia, 23 Grilles in 10 states and the District of Columbia and 14 Sullivan’s steakhouses in 12 states. Our Double Eagle steakhouses range in size from 11,000 to 24,000 square feet with seating capacity for at least 300 people. Grilles range in size from 6,500 to 8,000 square feet with seating capacity for at least 200 people, and Sullivan’s steakhouse restaurants range in size from 7,000 to 11,000 square feet with seating capacity for at least 250 people.

Barteca

On June 27, 2018, the Company announced the completion of its acquisition of Barteca Holdings, LLC (“Barteca”). Barteca currently operates 32 restaurants in 12 states and Washington D.C. Barteca owns and operates two restaurant chains: Barcelona Wine Bar (“Barcelona”) and bartaco. We believe that Barcelona is the largest Spanish restaurant group in the U.S. with 15 locations in seven states and Washington D.C. Bartaco has 17 locations in ten states. Barteca will now be referred to as the Company’s Emerging Brands within the Company’s organizational structure.

Corporate Information

Our corporate headquarters is located at 2900 Ranch Trail, Irving, TX 75063, and our telephone number is (469) 913-1845. Our website address is www.dfrg.com, and we also host www.delfriscos.com, www.sullivanssteakhouse.com and www.delfriscosgrille.com. Information contained on our websites or connected thereto does not constitute a part of this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference.

 

4


Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

You should consider the specific risks described in our 2017 Annual Report, our Q1 2018 Quarterly Report, the risk factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” in any applicable prospectus supplement and any risk factors set forth in our other filings with the SEC, pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, before making an investment decision. See “Where You Can Find More Information.” Each of the risks described in these documents could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and could result in a partial or complete loss of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be less significant than the risk factors incorporated by reference herein may also adversely affect our business. In addition, past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated:

 

     Thirteen Weeks
Ended March 27,
     Year Ended December  
     2018      26, 2017      27, 2016      29, 2015      30, 2014      31, 2013  

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges(1)

     0.6x        1.6x        2.8x        3.0x        3.8x        4.9x  

 

(1) For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings represent income before income taxes plus fixed charges. Fixed charges are the sum of interest and related expenses and one-third of rent expense, which represents our estimate of the interest component of rent expense.

As of the date of this prospectus, we had no preferred stock outstanding.

 

5


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

This prospectus contains summary descriptions of the common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, subscription rights, purchase contracts, purchase units and units that we may offer and sell from time to time. These summary descriptions are not meant to be complete descriptions of each security. The particular terms of any security will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 190,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of which 24,564,013 shares were issued and 20,382,722 shares were outstanding as of June 25, 2018, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, none of which were issued and outstanding as of June 25, 2018.

The following is a description of our capital stock and certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and certain provisions of applicable law. The following is only a summary and is qualified by applicable law and by the provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, copies of which are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

Common Stock

We have one class of common stock. All holders of our common stock are entitled to the same rights and privileges, as described below.

Voting Rights. The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders and our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors. An election of directors by our stockholders is determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote on the election.

Dividends. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding series of preferred stock, the holders of our common stock will receive ratably any dividends declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends.

Liquidation and Dissolution. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of or provision for any liabilities, subject to prior distribution rights of preferred stock, if any, then outstanding.

Other Rights. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in the future.

Listing. Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “DFRG.” As of June 25, 2018, the closing price per share of our common stock was $13.05 per share, and we had 4 holders of record of our common stock, not including beneficial owners of shares registered in nominee or street name.

Transfer Agent and Registrar. The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.

All outstanding shares of common stock are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

6


Table of Contents

Preferred Stock

Under our certificate of incorporation we are authorized to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, in one or more series, none of which were issued and outstanding as of June 25, 2018. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock in one or more series and may determine, with respect to any such series, the designation, powers, privileges, preferences and relative participating, optional or other rights, if any, of such series, and its qualifications, limitations and restrictions.

The prospectus supplement relating to any series of preferred stock that we may offer will contain the specific terms of such preferred stock. These terms may include the following:

 

    the number of shares constituting such series, including any increase or decrease in the number of shares of any such series (but not below the number of shares in any such series then outstanding), and the distinctive designation of such series;

 

    the price at which the preferred stock will be offered;

 

    the dividend rate on the shares of such series, if any, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of dividends on shares of such series;

 

    the voting rights (including multiple or fractional votes per share) , if any, of the holders of shares of the preferred stock being offered, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights;

 

    whether the shares of such series shall have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such privileges, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the board of directors shall determine;

 

    whether or not the shares of such series shall be redeemable, and if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the date or dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable, and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption rates;

 

    whether a sinking fund shall be provided for the redemption or purchase of shares of such series, and, if so, the terms and the amount of such sinking fund;

 

    the rights of the shares of such series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of such series; and

 

    any other relative rights, preferences and limitations of such series.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any class or series of preferred stock we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to our certificate of incorporation, any applicable certificate of designations (which will be filed with the SEC if we offer preferred stock) and our by-laws.

Issuances of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock and reduce the likelihood that holders of our common stock will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation. Any issuance of preferred stock also could have the effect of decreasing the market price of our common stock and could delay, deter or prevent a change in control of our company. We do not intend to seek shareholder approval prior to the issuance of any preferred stock, unless otherwise required by applicable laws, rules or regulations. Our board of directors does not presently have any plans to issue shares of preferred stock.

Upon issuance, the shares of preferred stock will be fully paid and nonassessable.

 

7


Table of Contents

Forum Selection Clause

Unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our directors, officers, employees or agents or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporate Law (“DGCL”) or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each such case subject to said Court of Chancery having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock will be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum selection clause.

Anti-takeover Effects of Delaware Law and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws

Provisions of the DGCL and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make it more difficult to acquire us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise, or to remove incumbent officers and directors. These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with us. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging takeover or acquisition proposals because, among other things, negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

We are subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, an anti-takeover statute. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the time the person became an interested stockholder, unless (with certain exceptions) the business combination or the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder is approved in a prescribed manner. Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Generally, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns (or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, did own) 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. The existence of this provision would be expected to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by the board of directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by stockholders.

Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Meetings, Nominations and Proposals

Our bylaws provide that special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by or at the direction of the board of directors, the chairman of our board or the chief executive officer with the concurrence of a majority of the board of directors. Our bylaws prohibit the conduct of any business at a special meeting other than as specified in the notice for such meeting. These provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of our company.

Our bylaws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors. In order for any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information. Our bylaws allow the presiding officer at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

 

8


Table of Contents

Any amendment to our certificate of incorporation requires the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all shares of our common stock then outstanding. Our certificate of incorporation provides that the board of directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal our bylaws and that our stockholders may only amend our bylaws with the approval of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all shares of our common stock then outstanding.

No Cumulative Voting

The DGCL provides that stockholders are denied the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting.

Classified Board of Directors

Our certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors will be divided into three classes of directors, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible. The members of each class serve for a three-year term. As a result, approximately one-third of our board of directors will be elected each year. The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board of directors. Our certificate of incorporation provides that the number of directors will be fixed from time to time pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of directors, but must consist of not less than three or more than 13 directors.

Removal of Directors

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that directors may be removed only for cause and only upon the affirmative vote of holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class. In addition, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws also provide that any newly created directorships and any vacancies on our board of directors will be filled only by the affirmative vote of the majority of remaining directors; provided that so long as affiliates of Lone Star Fund own at least 25% of the total voting power of our capital stock, the positions can only be filled by our stockholders.

Stockholder Action by Written Consent

The DGCL permits any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws preclude stockholder action by written consent.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties as directors. Our organizational documents include provisions that eliminate, to the extent allowable under the DGCL, the personal liability of directors or officers for monetary damages for actions taken as a director or officer, as the case may be. Our organizational documents also provide that we must indemnify and advance reasonable expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We are also expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ insurance for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. This limitation is generally unavailable for acts or omissions by a director which (a) were in bad faith, (b) were the result of intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) the director derived an improper

 

9


Table of Contents

personal benefit from (such as a financial profit or other advantage to which the director was not legally entitled) or (d) breached the director’s duty of loyalty. The DGCL also prohibits limitations on director liability under Section 174 of the DGCL, which relates to certain unlawful dividend declarations and stock repurchases.

The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent that, in a class action or direct suit, we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

Authorized but Unissued Shares

Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuance without your approval. The DGCL does not require stockholder approval for any issuance of authorized shares. However, the Nasdaq Global Select Market listing requirements require stockholder approval of certain issuances equal to or exceeding 20% of the then-outstanding voting power or the then-outstanding number of shares of common stock. No assurances can be given that our shares will remain so listed. We may use additional shares for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

 

10


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

We may offer secured or unsecured debt securities which may be senior or subordinated, and which may be convertible. We may issue debt securities in one or more series.

The following description briefly sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities. The particular terms of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent, if any, to which these general provisions may apply to the debt securities, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. As you read this section, please remember that the specific terms of a debt security as described in the applicable prospectus supplement will supplement and may modify or replace the general terms described in this section. If there are any differences between the applicable prospectus supplement and this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement will control. As a result, the statements we make in this section may not apply to the debt security you purchase. If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under an indenture to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, or other trustee that we select and that is qualified to act as trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “TIA”). A form of the indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The terms of the debt securities will include those set forth in the indenture, any supplemental indenture and any related securities documents and those made a part of the indenture by the TIA. You should read the summary below, the applicable prospectus supplement and the provisions of the indenture and any related security documents, if any, in their entirety before investing in our debt securities. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indenture.

The prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that we may offer will contain the specific terms of the debt securities. These terms may include the following:

 

    the title and aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

    whether the debt securities will be senior or subordinated;

 

    whether the debt securities will be secured or unsecured;

 

    applicable subordination provisions, if any;

 

    whether the debt securities are convertible or exchangeable into other securities;

 

    the percentage or percentages of principal amount at which such debt securities will be issued;

 

    the interest rate(s) or the method for determining the interest rate(s);

 

    the dates on which interest will accrue or the method for determining dates on which interest will accrue and dates on which interest will be payable;

 

    the maturity date;

 

    redemption or early repayment provisions;

 

    authorized denominations;

 

    form;

 

    amount of discount or premium, if any, with which such debt securities will be issued;

 

    whether such debt securities will be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities;

 

    the identity of the depositary for global securities;

 

    whether a temporary security is to be issued with respect to such series and whether any interest payable prior to the issuance of definitive securities of the series will be credited to the account of the persons entitled thereto;

 

11


Table of Contents
    the terms upon which beneficial interests in a temporary global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for beneficial interests in a definitive global security or for individual definitive securities;

 

    any covenants applicable to the particular debt securities being issued;

 

    any defaults and events of default applicable to the particular debt securities being issued;

 

    the guarantors of each series, if any, and the extent of the guarantees (including provisions relating to seniority, subordination, security and release of the guarantees), if any;

 

    any applicable subordination provisions for any subordinated debt securities;

 

    any restriction or condition on the transferability of the debt securities;

 

    the currency, currencies or currency units in which the purchase price for, the principal of and any premium and any interest on, such debt securities will be payable;

 

    the time period within which, the manner in which and the terms and conditions upon which the purchaser of the debt securities can select the payment currency;

 

    the securities exchange(s) on which the securities will be listed, if any;

 

    whether any underwriter(s) will act as market maker(s) for the securities;

 

    the extent to which a secondary market for the securities is expected to develop;

 

    our obligation or right to redeem, purchase or repay debt securities under a sinking fund, amortization or analogous provision;

 

    provisions relating to covenant defeasance and legal defeasance;

 

    provisions relating to satisfaction and discharge of the indenture;

 

    provisions relating to the modification of the indenture both with and without the consent of holders of debt securities issued under the indenture; and

 

    additional terms.

General

We may sell the debt securities, including original issue discount securities, at par or at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we may issue additional debt securities of a particular series without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of such series outstanding at the time of issuance. Any such additional debt securities, together with all other outstanding debt securities of that series, will constitute a single series of securities under the indenture. In addition, we will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement, material U.S. federal income tax considerations and any other special considerations for any debt securities we sell which are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than U.S. dollars. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not be listed on any securities exchange.

We expect most debt securities to be issued in fully registered form without coupons and in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples thereof. Subject to the limitations provided in the indenture, any supplemental indenture and any related securities documents and in the prospectus supplement, debt securities that are issued in registered form may be transferred or exchanged at the corporate office of the trustee or the principal corporate trust office of the trustee, without the payment of any service charge, other than any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Global Securities

Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf

 

12


Table of Contents

of, a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Global securities will be issued in registered form and in either temporary or definitive form. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual debt securities, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depositary for such global security to a nominee of such depositary or by a nominee of such depositary to such depositary or another nominee of such depositary or by such depositary or any such nominee to a successor of such depositary or a nominee of such successor. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any debt securities of a series and the rights of and limitations upon owners of beneficial interests in a global security will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Governing Law

The indenture (including any amendments or supplements thereto) and the debt securities shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

13


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. We may issue warrants independently or together with any offered securities. The warrants may be attached to or separate from those offered securities. We will issue the warrants under one or more warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a warrant agent to be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

The prospectus supplement relating to any warrants that we may offer will contain the specific terms of the warrants. These terms may include the following:

 

    the title of the warrants;

 

    the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued;

 

    the designation, amount and terms of the securities for which the warrants are exercisable;

 

    the designation and terms of the other securities, if any, with which the warrants are to be issued and the number of warrants issued with each other security;

 

    the aggregate number of warrants;

 

    any provisions for adjustment of the number or amount of securities receivable upon exercise of the warrants or the exercise price of the warrants;

 

    the price or prices at which the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased;

 

    if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants will be separately transferable;

 

    a discussion of any material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the exercise of the warrants;

 

    the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence, and the date on which the right will expire;

 

    the maximum or minimum number of warrants that may be exercised at any time;

 

    information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; and

 

    any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase for cash the amount of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities at the exercise price stated or determinable in the applicable prospectus supplement for the warrants. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date shown in the applicable prospectus supplement, unless otherwise specified in such prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void. Warrants may be exercised as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. When the warrant holder makes the payment and properly completes and signs the warrant certificate at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as possible, forward the common stock, preferred stock or debt securities that the warrant holder has purchased. If the warrant holder exercises the warrant for less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate, we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining warrants.

 

14


Table of Contents

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any warrants we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable warrant agreement and warrant certificate, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer warrants. For more information on how you can obtain copies of any warrant certificate or warrant agreement if we offer warrants, see “Where You Can Find More Information” beginning on page 1 of this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable warrant certificate, the applicable warrant agreement and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.

 

15


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS

We may issue subscription rights to purchase common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or other securities. We may issue subscription rights independently or together with any other offered security, which may or may not be transferable by the stockholder. In connection with any offering of subscription rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.

The prospectus supplement relating to any subscription rights we may offer will contain the specific terms of the subscription rights. These terms may include the following:

 

    the price, if any, for the subscription rights;

 

    the exercise price payable for each share of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or other securities upon the exercise of the subscription rights;

 

    the number of subscription rights issued to each security holder;

 

    the number and terms of each share of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or other securities which may be purchased per each subscription right;

 

    the extent to which the subscription rights are transferable;

 

    any provisions for adjustment of the number or amount of securities receivable upon exercise of the subscription rights or the exercise price of the subscription rights;

 

    any other terms of the subscription rights, including the terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the subscription rights;

 

    the date on which the right to exercise the subscription rights shall commence, and the date on which the subscription rights shall expire;

 

    the extent to which the subscription rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; and

 

    if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement entered into by us in connection with the offering of subscription rights.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any subscription rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable subscription rights certificate or subscription rights agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer subscription rights. For more information on how you can obtain copies of any subscription rights certificate or subscription rights agreement if we offer subscription rights, see “Where You Can Find More Information,” beginning on page 1 of this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable subscription rights certificate, the applicable subscription rights agreement and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.

 

16


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE UNITS

We may issue purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or other securities issued by us or by third parties as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase on specified dates, such securities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such purchase contract or the cash value of the securities otherwise deliverable, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract. The price per security and the number of securities may be fixed at the time the purchase contracts are entered into or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the applicable purchase contracts.

The purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a purchase contract and debt securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities, or any other securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or any combination of the foregoing, securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the securities under the purchase contracts, which we refer to herein as “purchase units.” The purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the purchase contracts in a specified manner. The purchase contracts also may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the purchase contracts or the purchase units, as the case may be, or vice versa, and those payments may be unsecured or pre-funded on some basis.

The prospectus supplement relating to any purchase contracts or purchase units we may offer will contain the specific terms of the purchase contracts or purchase units. These terms may include the following:

 

    whether the purchase contracts obligate the holder to purchase or sell, or both, our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or other securities, and the nature and amount of each of those securities, or method of determining those amounts;

 

    whether the purchase contracts are to be prepaid or not;

 

    whether the purchase contracts are to be settled by delivery, or by reference or linkage to the value, performance or level of our common stock or preferred stock;

 

    any acceleration, cancellation, termination or other provisions relating to the settlement of the purchase contracts;

 

    whether the purchase contracts will be issued in fully registered global form; and

 

    any other terms of the contracts, which may amend any of the terms described herein.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any purchase contract or purchase unit we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable purchase contract or purchase unit, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer purchase contracts or purchase units. For more information on how you can obtain copies of any purchase contract or purchase unit we may offer, see “Where You Can Find More Information” beginning on page 1 of this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable purchase contract or applicable purchase unit and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.

 

17


Table of Contents

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue, in one or more series, units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date. The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:

 

    the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

    any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units;

 

    the terms of the unit agreement governing the units;

 

    United States federal income tax considerations relevant to the units;

 

    whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form; and

 

    any other terms of the securities.

The preceding description and any description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units.

 

18


Table of Contents

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus from time to time in one or more transactions, including without limitation:

 

    directly to one or more purchasers;

 

    through agents;

 

    to or through underwriters, brokers or dealers;

 

    through a combination of any of these methods.

A distribution of the securities offered by this prospectus may also be effected through the issuance of derivative securities, including without limitation, warrants, subscriptions, exchangeable securities, forward delivery contracts and the writing of options.

In addition, the manner in which we may sell some or all of the securities covered by this prospectus includes, without limitation, through:

 

    a block trade in which a broker-dealer will attempt to sell as agent, but may position or resell a portion of the block, as principal, in order to facilitate the transaction;

 

    purchases by a broker-dealer, as principal, and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

    ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a broker solicits purchasers; or

 

    privately negotiated transactions.

We may also enter into hedging transactions. For example, we may:

 

    enter into transactions with a broker-dealer or affiliate thereof in connection with which such broker-dealer or affiliate will engage in short sales of our common stock pursuant to this prospectus, in which case such broker-dealer or affiliate may use shares of common stock received from us to close out its short positions;

 

    sell securities short and redeliver such shares to close out our short positions;

 

    enter into option or other types of transactions that require us to deliver common stock to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who will then resell or transfer our common stock under this prospectus; or

 

    loan or pledge our common stock to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who may sell the loaned shares or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged shares pursuant to this prospectus.

In addition, we may enter into derivative or hedging transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. In connection with such a transaction, the third parties may sell securities covered by and pursuant to this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be. If so, the third party may use securities borrowed from us or others to settle such sales and may use securities received from us to close out any related short positions. We may also loan or pledge securities covered by this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement to third parties, who may sell the loaned securities or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be.

A prospectus supplement with respect to each offering of securities will state the terms of the offering of the securities, including:

 

    the name or names of any underwriters or agents and the amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by each of them, if any;

 

19


Table of Contents
    the public offering price or purchase price of the securities and the net proceeds to be received by us from the sale;

 

    any delayed delivery arrangements;

 

    any initial public offering price;

 

    any underwriting discounts or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters’ or agents’ compensation;

 

    any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

    any securities exchange or markets on which the securities may be listed.

The offer and sale of the securities described in this prospectus by us, the underwriters or the third parties described above may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions, including privately negotiated transactions, either:

 

    at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

 

    at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

    at prices related to the prevailing market prices; or

 

    at negotiated prices.

General

Any public offering price and any discounts, commissions, concessions or other items constituting compensation allowed or reallowed or paid to underwriters, dealers, agents or remarketing firms may be changed from time to time. Underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing firms that participate in the distribution of the offered securities may be “underwriters” as defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profits they receive on the resale of the offered securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify any underwriters, agents or dealers and describe their commissions, fees or discounts in the applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be.

Underwriters and Agents

If underwriters are used in a sale, they will acquire the offered securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the offered securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. These sales may be made at a fixed public offering price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of the sale, at prices related to such prevailing market price or at negotiated prices. We may offer the securities to the public through an underwriting syndicate or through a single underwriter. The underwriters in any particular offering will be mentioned in the applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be.

Unless otherwise specified in connection with any particular offering of securities, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the offered securities will be subject to certain conditions contained in an underwriting agreement that we will enter into with the underwriters at the time of the sale to them. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities of the series offered if any of the securities are purchased, unless otherwise specified in connection with any particular offering of securities. Any initial offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed, reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

We may designate agents to sell the offered securities. Unless otherwise specified in connection with any particular offering of securities, the agents will agree to use their best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of

 

20


Table of Contents

their appointment. We may also sell the offered securities to one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. These firms will remarket the offered securities upon purchasing them in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to the terms of the offered securities. A prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be will identify any remarketing firm and will describe the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and its compensation.

In connection with offerings made through underwriters or agents, we may enter into agreements with such underwriters or agents pursuant to which we receive our outstanding securities in consideration for the securities being offered to the public for cash. In connection with these arrangements, the underwriters or agents may also sell securities covered by this prospectus to hedge their positions in these outstanding securities, including in short sale transactions. If so, the underwriters or agents may use the securities received from us under these arrangements to close out any related open borrowings of securities.

Dealers

We may sell the offered securities to dealers as principals. We may negotiate and pay dealers’ commissions, discounts or concessions for their services. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public either at varying prices to be determined by the dealer or at a fixed offering price agreed to with us at the time of resale. Dealers engaged by us may allow other dealers to participate in resales.

Direct Sales

We may choose to sell the offered securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved.

Institutional Purchasers

We may authorize agents, dealers or underwriters to solicit certain institutional investors to purchase offered securities on a delayed delivery basis pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified future date. The applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be will provide the details of any such arrangement, including the offering price and commissions payable on the solicitations.

We will enter into such delayed contracts only with institutional purchasers that we approve. These institutions may include, among others, commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies and educational and charitable institutions.

Indemnification; Other Relationships

We may have or may enter into agreements with agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms, and their affiliates, may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business. This includes commercial banking and investment banking transactions.

Market-Making, Stabilization and Other Transactions

There is currently no market for any of the offered securities, other than our common stock which is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. If the offered securities are traded after their initial issuance, they may trade at a discount from their initial offering price, depending upon prevailing interest rates, the market for similar securities and other factors. While it is possible that an underwriter could inform us that it intends to make a market in the offered securities, such underwriter would not be obligated to do so, and any such market-making

 

21


Table of Contents

could be discontinued at any time without notice. Therefore, no assurance can be given as to whether an active trading market will develop for the offered securities. We have no current plans for listing of the debt securities, preferred stock, subscription rights, purchase contracts, purchase units, units or warrants on any securities exchange; any such listing with respect to any particular debt securities, preferred stock, subscription rights, purchase contracts, purchase units, units or warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be.

In connection with any offering of common stock, the underwriters may purchase and sell shares of common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve syndicate sales of common stock in excess of the number of shares to be purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a syndicate short position. “Covered” short sales are sales of shares made in an amount up to the number of shares represented by the underwriters’ over-allotment option. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered syndicate short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option. Transactions to close out the covered syndicate short involve either purchases of our common stock in the open market after the distribution has been completed or the exercise of the over-allotment option. The underwriters may also make “naked” short sales of shares in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares of common stock in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids for or purchases of shares in the open market while the offering is in progress for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the securities.

In connection with any offering, the underwriters may also engage in penalty bids. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be in the absence of the transactions. The underwriters may, if they commence these transactions, discontinue them at any time.

 

22


Table of Contents

LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, New York will provide opinions regarding the authorization and validity of the securities. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP may also provide opinions regarding certain other matters. Any underwriters will also be advised about legal matters by their own counsel, which will be named in the prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 26, 2017 and December 27, 2016, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 26, 2017, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 26, 2017 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The audit report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 26, 2017, expresses an opinion that the Company did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 26, 2017 because of the effect of a material weakness on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria and contains an explanatory paragraph that states a material weakness has been identified and included in management’s assessment. The material weakness related to the operating effectiveness of the Company’s control over the accounting for a non-routine transaction, specifically for a sale leaseback transaction related to property and equipment.

The consolidated financial statements of Barteca Holdings, LLC and Subsidiaries as of January 2, 2018, January 3, 2017 and December 29, 2015 and for the years then ended, appearing in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 27, 2018, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of CohnReznick LLP, independent auditor, incorporated by reference herein, which report includes an explanatory paragraph related to certain restatement matters, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

23


Table of Contents

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The expenses relating to the registration of the securities will be borne by the registrant. Such expenses (except the SEC Registration Fee) are estimated to be as follows:

 

     Amount to
be paid*
 

SEC Registration Fee

   $ 24,900.00  

FINRA Filing Fee

     *  

Accounting Fees and Expenses

     *  

Legal Fees and Expenses

     *  

Printing expenses

     *  

Transfer Agent, Registrar and Trustee Fees

     *  

Trustees’ Fees and Expenses

     *  

Stock Exchange Listing Fee

     *  

Rating Agency Fees

     *  

Miscellaneous expenses

     *  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ *  

 

* Fees and expenses (other than the SEC registration fee to be paid upon filing of this registration statement) will depend on the number and nature of the offerings of common stock, and cannot be estimated at this time. An estimate of the aggregate expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being offered will be included in any applicable prospectus supplement.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Our bylaws provide that each person who was or is party or is threatened to be made a party to, or was or is otherwise involved in, any threatened, pending or completed proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of our company or was serving at the request of our company as a director, officer, employee, agent or trustee of another entity shall be indemnified and held harmless by us to the full extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL, against all expense, liability and loss actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith, subject to certain limitations.

Section 145(a) of the DGCL authorizes a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to a threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation), by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides in relevant part that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise

 

II-1


Table of Contents

against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

The DGCL also provides that indemnification under Section 145(d) can only be made upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer or employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 145(a) and (b). Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of directors who are not a party to the action at issue (even though less than a quorum), or (2) by a majority vote of a designated committee of these directors (even though less than a quorum), or (3) if there are no such directors, or these directors authorize, by the written opinion of independent legal counsel, or (4) by the stockholders.

Section 145(g) of the DGCL also empowers a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under Section 145 of the DGCL.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide for eliminating or limiting the personal liability of one of its directors for any monetary damages related to a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, as long as the corporation does not eliminate or limit the liability of a director for acts or omissions which (1) were in bad faith, (2) were the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and were material to the cause of action so adjudicated, (3) the director derived an improper personal benefit from (such as a financial profit or other advantage to which such director was not legally entitled) or (4) breached the director’s duty of loyalty.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our officers and directors that provide, in general, that we will indemnify them to the fullest extent permitted by law in connection with their service to us or on our behalf.

Item 16. Exhibits.

The following is a list of all exhibits filed as a part of this registration statement on Form S-3.

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
3.1    Certificate of Incorporation, filed on July 24, 2012 as Exhibit 3.1 to Amendment No. 6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-179141) and incorporated herein by reference.
3.2    Bylaws, filed on June 11, 2012 as Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-179141) and incorporated herein by reference.
4.1    Specimen Preferred Stock Certificate and Form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights with respect to any series of Preferred Stock issued hereunder.*

 

II-2


Table of Contents

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

4.2    Form of Indenture (including form of Debt Security).
4.3    Form of Warrant Agreement (including form of Warrant Certificate).*
4.4    Form of Subscription Rights Agreement (including form of Subscription Rights Certificate).*
4.5    Form of Stock Purchase Contract (including form of Stock Purchase Contract Certificate).*
4.6    Form of Stock Purchase Unit Agreement (including form of Stock Purchase Unit Certificate).*
4.7    Form of Unit Agreement (including form of Unit Certificate).*
5.1    Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
12.1    Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1    Consent of KPMG LLP.
23.2    Consent of CohnReznick LLP.
23.3    Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereto).
25.1    Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee under the Indenture on Form T-1 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.**

 

* To be filed by amendment to the Registration Statement or incorporated by reference from documents filed or to be filed with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act.
** To be filed subsequent to the effectiveness of this registration statement pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Item 17. Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (A) (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”);

 

  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.

 

  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

II-3


Table of Contents
  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

  (4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

 

  (i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

  (ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

  (5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

  (ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

  (iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

  (iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

  (B) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (C)

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy

 

II-4


Table of Contents
  as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

  (D) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under Subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (the “TIA”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)2 of the TIA.

 

  (E) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the subscription offer, the transactions by the underwriters during the subscription period, the amount of unsubscribed securities to be purchased by the underwriters, and the terms of any subsequent reoffering thereof. If any public offering by the underwriters is to be made on terms differing from those set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, a post-effective amendment will be filed to set forth the terms of such offering.

 

II-5


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Irving, State of Texas, on the June 27, 2018.

 

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.
By:   /s/    Neil H. Thomson        
  Name:  Neil H. Thomson
  Title:    Chief Financial Officer

SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates stated. Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Norman J. Abdallah and Neil H. Thomson and each of them severally, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting along with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and exhibits to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, and to any registration statement filed under SEC Rule 462, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dated indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/    Norman J. Abdallah        

Norman J. Abdallah

  

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

  June 27, 2018

/s/    Neil H. Thomson        

Neil H. Thomson

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

  June 27, 2018

/s/    Ian R. Carter        

Ian R. Carter

   Chairman of the Board, Director   June 27, 2018

/s/    David B. Barr        

David B. Barr

   Director   June 27, 2018

/s/    Richard L. Davis        

Richard L. Davis

   Director   June 27, 2018

/s/    William Lamar, Jr.         

William Lamar, Jr.

   Director   June 27, 2018

/s/    Pauline J. Brown        

Pauline J. Brown

   Director   June 27, 2018

 

II-6

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

 

DEL FRISCO’S RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.

 

 

FORM OF INDENTURE

Dated as of

[                    ]

 

 

DEBT SECURITIES

[                    ]

Trustee

 

 

 


Reconciliation and tie between

Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture*

 

Trust Indenture

Act Section        

 

Indenture Section

§ 310 (a)

  11.04(a), 16.02

          (b)

  11.01(f), 11.04(b), 11.05(1), 16.02

          (b)(1)

  11.04(b), 16.02

§ 311

  11.01(f), 16.02

§ 312

  14.02(d), 16.02

          (b)

  11.10, 16.02

          (c)

  11.10, 16.02

§ 313 (a)

  10.01(a), 16.02

§ 314

  16.02

§ 315 (e)

  11.05, 16.02

§ 316

  16.02

§ 317

  16.02

§ 318

  16.02

 

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

 

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS*

 

         PAGE  
ARTICLE I  
DEFINITIONS  

Section 1.01

 

Definitions

     2  
ARTICLE II  
FORMS OF SECURITIES  

Section 2.01

 

Terms of the Securities

     11  

Section 2.02

 

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

     12  

Section 2.03

 

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication by an Authenticating Agent

     12  
ARTICLE III  
THE DEBT SECURITIES  

Section 3.01

 

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

     13  

Section 3.02

 

Denominations

     16  

Section 3.03

 

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

     16  

Section 3.04

 

Temporary Securities

     18  

Section 3.05

 

Registrar

     19  

Section 3.06

 

Transfer and Exchange

     20  

Section 3.07

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

     23  

Section 3.08

 

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

     24  

Section 3.09

 

Cancellation

     25  

Section 3.10

 

Computation of Interest

     25  

Section 3.11

 

Currency of Payments in Respect of Securities

     26  

Section 3.12

 

Judgments

     26  

Section 3.13

 

CUSIP Numbers

     27  

 

* The Table of Contents is not a part of the Indenture.

 

i


ARTICLE IV  
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES  

Section 4.01

 

Applicability of Right of Redemption

     27  

Section 4.02

 

Selection of Securities to be Redeemed

     27  

Section 4.03

 

Notice of Redemption

     28  

Section 4.04

 

Deposit of Redemption Price

     29  

Section 4.05

 

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

     29  

Section 4.06

 

Securities Redeemed in Part

     29  
ARTICLE V  
SINKING FUNDS  

Section 5.01

 

Applicability of Sinking Fund

     30  

Section 5.02

 

Mandatory Sinking Fund Obligation

     30  

Section 5.03

 

Optional Redemption at Sinking Fund Redemption Price

     30  

Section 5.04

 

Application of Sinking Fund Payment

     31  
ARTICLE VI  
PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY  

Section 6.01

 

Payments of Securities

     32  

Section 6.02

 

Paying Agent

     32  

Section 6.03

 

To Hold Payment in Trust

     32  

Section 6.04

 

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

     34  

Section 6.05

 

[Reserved]

     35  

Section 6.06

 

Conditional Waiver by Holders of Securities

     35  

Section 6.07

 

[Reserved]

     35  
ARTICLE VII  
REMEDIES OF TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS  

Section 7.01

 

Events of Default

     35  

Section 7.02

 

Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment

     37  

Section 7.03

 

Other Remedies

     38  

Section 7.04

 

Trustee as Attorney-in-Fact

     39  

Section 7.05

 

Priorities

     40  

Section 7.06

 

Control by Securityholders; Waiver of Past Defaults

     40  

Section 7.07

 

Limitation on Suits

     41  

Section 7.08

 

Undertaking for Costs

     41  

Section 7.09

 

Remedies Cumulative

     41  
ARTICLE VIII  
CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS  

Section 8.01

 

Evidence of Action of Securityholders

     42  

Section 8.02

 

Proof of Execution or Holding of Securities

     42  

Section 8.03

 

Persons Deemed Owners

     43  

Section 8.04

 

Effect of Consents

     43  

 

ii


ARTICLE IX  
SECURITYHOLDERS’ MEETINGS  

Section 9.01

 

Purposes of Meetings

     44  

Section 9.02

 

Call of Meetings by Trustee

     44  

Section 9.03

 

Call of Meetings by Company or Securityholders

     44  

Section 9.04

 

Qualifications for Voting

     44  

Section 9.05

 

Regulation of Meetings

     45  

Section 9.06

 

Voting

     45  

Section 9.07

 

No Delay of Rights by Meeting

     46  
ARTICLE X   

REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE AND

SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS

 

 

Section 10.01

 

Reports by Trustee

     46  

Section 10.02

 

Reports by the Company

     46  

Section 10.03

 

Securityholders’ Lists

     47  
ARTICLE XI   
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE  

Section 11.01

 

Rights of Trustees; Compensation and Indemnity

     47  

Section 11.02

 

Duties of Trustee

     50  

Section 11.03

 

Notice of Defaults

     51  

Section 11.04

 

Eligibility; Disqualification

     51  

Section 11.05

 

Resignation and Notice; Removal

     52  

Section 11.06

 

Successor Trustee by Appointment

     53  

Section 11.07

 

Successor Trustee by Merger

     54  

Section 11.08

 

Right to Rely on Officer’s Certificate

     54  

Section 11.09

 

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

     54  

Section 11.10

 

Communications by Securityholders with Other Securityholders

     55  
ARTICLE XII  
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE  

Section 12.01

 

Applicability of Article

     56  

Section 12.02

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     56  

Section 12.03

 

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations

     57  

Section 12.04

 

Repayment to Company

     59  

Section 12.05

 

Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations

     59  

 

iii


Section 12.06

 

Deposits to Be Held in Escrow

     59  

Section 12.07

 

Application of Trust Money

     60  

Section 12.08

 

Deposits of Non-U.S. Currencies

     60  
ARTICLE XIII  
IMMUNITY OF CERTAIN PERSONS  

Section 13.01

 

No Personal Liability

     60  
ARTICLE XIV  
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES  

Section 14.01

 

Without Consent of Securityholders

     61  

Section 14.02

 

With Consent of Securityholders; Limitations

     63  

Section 14.03

 

Trustee Protected

     64  

Section 14.04

 

Effect of Execution of Supplemental Indenture

     65  

Section 14.05

 

Notation on or Exchange of Securities

     65  

Section 14.06

 

Conformity with TIA

     65  
ARTICLE XV  
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES  

Section 15.01

 

Agreement to Subordinate

     65  

Section 15.02

 

Distribution on Dissolution, Liquidation and Reorganization; Subrogation of Securities

     65  

Section 15.03

 

No Payment on Securities in Event of Default on Senior Indebtedness

     67  

Section 15.04

 

Payments on Securities Permitted

     67  

Section 15.05

 

Authorization of Securityholders to Trustee to Effect Subordination

     68  

Section 15.06

 

Notices to Trustee

     68  

Section 15.07

 

Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness

     68  

Section 15.08

 

Modifications of Terms of Senior Indebtedness

     69  

Section 15.09

 

Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent

     69  

Section 15.10

 

Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

     69  

Section 15.11

 

Subordination Not Applicable to Trustee Compensation

     69  
ARTICLE XVI  
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS  

Section 16.01

 

Certificates and Opinions as to Conditions Precedent

     70  

Section 16.02

 

Trust Indenture Act Controls

     71  

Section 16.03

 

Notices to the Company and Trustee

     71  

Section 16.04

 

Notices to Securityholders; Waiver

     71  

Section 16.05

 

Legal Holiday

     72  

Section 16.06

 

Effects of Headings and Table of Contents

     72  

 

iv


Section 16.07

 

Successors and Assigns

     72  

Section 16.08

 

Separability Clause

     72  

Section 16.09

 

Benefits of Indenture

     72  

Section 16.10

 

Counterparts Originals

     72  

Section 16.11

 

Governing Law; Waiver of Trial by Jury

     73  

 

v


INDENTURE dated as of              ,20    , among Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and                     , as trustee (the “Trustee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of unsecured debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness (the “Securities”) in an unlimited aggregate principal amount to be issued from time to time in one or more series as provided in this Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

That, in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof for the equal and proportionate benefit of all of the present and future Holders of the Securities, each party agrees and covenants as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

For all purposes of this Indenture, any Company Order, any Board Resolution and any indentures supplemental hereto, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(a)    the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

(b)    unless otherwise defined in this Indenture or the context otherwise requires, all terms used herein without definition which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c)    the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

(d)    references to “Article” or “Section” or other subdivision herein are references to an Article, Section or other subdivision of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires.


Section 1.01    Definitions.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms defined in this Section 1.01 shall for all purposes of this Indenture have the meanings hereinafter set forth:

Affiliate:

The term “Affiliate,” with respect to any specified Person shall mean any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Authenticating Agent:

The term “Authenticating Agent” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 11.09.

Board of Directors:

The term “Board of Directors” shall mean either the board of directors of the Company or the executive or any other committee or subcommittee of that board duly authorized to act in respect hereof.

Board Resolution:

The term “Board Resolution” shall mean a copy of a resolution or resolutions certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors (or by a committee of the Board of Directors or subcommittee thereof to the extent that any such other committee or subcommittee has been authorized by the Board of Directors or, in the case of a subcommittee, by the relevant committee, to establish or approve the matters contemplated) and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification and delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day:

The term “Business Day,” when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York or, with respect to any payment to be made hereunder, that Place of Payment or such location are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Capital Stock:

The term “Capital Stock” shall mean:

(a)    in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;

(b)    in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;

 

2


(c)    in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and

(d)    any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.

Code:

The term “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Company:

The term “Company” shall mean the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

Company Order:

The term “Company Order” shall mean a written order signed in the name of the Company by any one Officer and delivered to the Trustee.

Corporate Trust Office:

The term “Corporate Trust Office,” or other similar term, shall mean the principal office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date hereof is located at [    ], Attention: [            ], [address], or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust officer of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).

Currency:

The term “Currency” shall mean U.S. Dollars or Foreign Currency.

Default:

The term “Default” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 11.03.

Defaulted Interest:

The term “Defaulted Interest” shall have the same meaning assigned to it in Section 3.08(b).

 

3


Depositary:

The term “Depositary” shall mean, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, each Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 until one or more successor Depositaries shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of that series.

Designated Currency:

The term “Designated Currency” shall have the same meaning assigned to it in Section 3.12.

Discharged:

The term “Discharged” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.03.

DTC:

The term “DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company, Inc. and its successors.

Event of Default:

The term “Event of Default” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.01.

Exchange Act:

The term “Exchange Act” shall mean the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

Exchange Rate:

The term “Exchange Rate” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 7.01.

Floating Rate Security:

The term “Floating Rate Security” shall mean a Security that provides for the payment of interest at a variable rate determined periodically by reference to an interest rate index specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

Foreign Currency:

The term “Foreign Currency” shall mean a currency issued by the government of any country other than the United States or a composite currency, the value of which is determined by reference to the values of the currencies of any group of countries.

 

4


GAAP:

The term “GAAP,” with respect to any computations required or permitted hereunder, shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in effect in the United States as in effect from time to time; provided, however if the Company is required by the SEC to adopt (or is permitted to adopt and so adopts) a different accounting framework, including but not limited to the International Financial Reporting Standards, “GAAP” shall mean such new accounting framework as in effect from time to time, including, without limitation, in each case, those accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession.

Global Security:

The term “Global Security” shall mean any Security that evidences all or part of a series of Securities, issued in fully-registered certificated form to the Depositary for such series in accordance with Section 3.03 and bearing the legend prescribed in Section 3.03(g).

Holder; Holder of Securities:

The terms “Holder” and “Holder of Securities” are defined under “Securityholder; Holder of Securities; Holder.”

Indebtedness:

The term “Indebtedness” shall mean any and all obligations of a Person for money borrowed which, in accordance with GAAP, would be reflected on the balance sheet of such Person as a liability on the date as of which Indebtedness is to be determined.

Indenture:

The term “Indenture” or “this Indenture” shall mean this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01; provided, however, that if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this Indenture due to the appointment of one or more separate Trustees for any one or more separate series of Securities, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to such series of Securities for which any such Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 3.01, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is not Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any

 

5


provisions or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed and delivered after such person had become such Trustee, but to which such person, as such Trustee, was not a party; provided, further that in the event that this Indenture is supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto which are only applicable to certain series of Securities, the term “Indenture” for a particular series of Securities shall only include the supplemental indentures applicable thereto.

Individual Securities:

The term “Individual Securities” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.01(p).

Interest:

The term “interest” shall mean, unless the context otherwise requires, interest payable on any Securities, and with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security that by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, interest payable after Maturity.

Interest Payment Date:

The term “Interest Payment Date” shall mean, with respect to any Security, the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment:

The term “Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 5.01(b).

Maturity:

The term “Maturity,” with respect to any Security, shall mean the date on which the principal of such Security shall become due and payable as therein and herein provided, whether by declaration, call for redemption or otherwise.

Members:

The term “Members” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.03(i).

Officer:

The term “Officer” shall mean any of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President or a Vice President, Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, Controller, Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company.

Officer’s Certificate:

The term “Officer’s Certificate” shall mean a certificate signed by any Officer and delivered to the Trustee. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 16.01 if and to the extent required by the provisions of such Section.

 

6


Opinion of Counsel:

The term “Opinion of Counsel” shall mean an opinion in writing signed by one or more legal counsel (which may be internal counsel), who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, and meets the requirements provided for in Section 16.01.

Optional Sinking Fund Payment:

The term “Optional Sinking Fund Payment” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 5.01(b).

Original Issue Discount Security:

The term “Original Issue Discount Security” shall mean any Security that is issued with “original issue discount” within the meaning of Section 1273(a) of the Code and the regulations thereunder, or any successor provision, and any other Security designated by the Company as issued with original issue discount for United States federal income tax purposes.

Outstanding:

The term “Outstanding,” when used with respect to Securities means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a)    Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(b)    Securities or portions thereof for which payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities or Securities as to which the Company’s obligations have been Discharged; provided, however, that if such Securities or portions thereof are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made; and

(c)    Securities that have been paid pursuant to Section 3.07(b) or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Securities of a series Outstanding have performed any action hereunder, Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such action, only Securities of such series that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned

 

7


shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned that have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of a series have performed any action hereunder, the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purpose shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 7.02 and the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purpose shall be the amount calculated pursuant to Section 3.11(b).

Paying Agent:

The term “Paying Agent” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 6.02(a).

Person:

The term “Person” shall mean any individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a government or an agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Place of Payment:

The term “Place of Payment” shall mean, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, the place or places where the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

Predecessor Security:

The term “Predecessor Security” shall mean, with respect to any Security, every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Security, and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.07 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed or stolen Security.

Record Date:

The term “Record Date” shall mean, with respect to any interest payable on any Security on any Interest Payment Date, any date specified in such Security or pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to such Security as the record date for the payment of interest.

Redemption Date:

The term “Redemption Date” shall mean, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, in whole or in part, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture and the terms of such Security, which, in the case of a Floating Rate Security, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, shall be an Interest Payment Date only.

 

8


Redemption Price:

The term “Redemption Price,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, in whole or in part, shall mean the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to the terms of the applicable Security and this Indenture.

Register:

The term “Register” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.05(a).

Registrar:

The term “Registrar” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.05(a).

Responsible Officers:

The term “Responsible Officers” of the Trustee hereunder shall mean any vice president, any assistant vice president, any trust officer, any assistant trust officer, secretary, associate or any other officer associated with the corporate trust department of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers, and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

SEC:

The term “SEC” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, as constituted from time to time.

Security:

The term “Security” or “Securities” shall have the meaning stated in the recitals and shall more particularly mean one or more of the Securities duly authenticated by the Trustee and delivered pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture.

Security Custodian:

The term “Security Custodian” shall mean the custodian with respect to any Global Security appointed by the Depositary, or any successor Person thereto, and shall initially be the Trustee.

Securityholder; Holder of Securities; Holder:

The term “Securityholder” or “Holder of Securities” or “Holder,” shall mean the Person in whose name Securities shall be registered in the Register kept for that purpose hereunder.

 

9


Senior Indebtedness:

The term “Senior Indebtedness” means the principal of (and premium, if any) and unpaid interest on (x) Indebtedness of the Company, whether outstanding on the date hereof or thereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed, for money borrowed other than (a) any Indebtedness of the Company which when incurred, and without respect to any election under Section 1111(b) of the Federal Bankruptcy Code, was without recourse to the Company, (b) any Indebtedness of the Company to any of its Subsidiaries, (c) Indebtedness to any employee of the Company, (d) any liability for taxes, (e) Trade Payables and (f) any Indebtedness of the Company which is expressly subordinate in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company, and (y) renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such Indebtedness. For purposes of the foregoing and the definition of “Senior Indebtedness,” the phrase “subordinated in right of payment” means debt subordination only and not lien subordination, and accordingly, (i) unsecured indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinated in right of payment to secured indebtedness merely by virtue of the fact that it is unsecured, and (ii) junior liens, second liens and other contractual arrangements that provide for priorities among Holders of the same or different issues of indebtedness with respect to any collateral or the proceeds of collateral shall not constitute subordination in right of payment. This definition may be modified or superseded by a supplemental indenture.

Special Record Date:

The term “Special Record Date” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.08(b)(i).

Stated Maturity:

The term “Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of interest thereon, shall mean the date specified in such Security or pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to such Security as the fixed date on which the principal (or any portion thereof) of or premium, if any, on such Security or such installment of interest is due and payable.

Subsidiary:

The term “Subsidiary,” when used with respect to any Person, shall mean with respect to any Person, a corporation, partnership association, joint venture, trust, limited liability company or other business entity which is required to be consolidated with such Person in accordance with GAAP.

Successor Company:

The term “Successor Company” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 3.06(i).

Trade Payables:

The term “Trade Payables” means accounts payable or any other Indebtedness or monetary obligations to trade creditors created or assumed by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company in the ordinary course of business (including guarantees thereof or instruments evidencing such liabilities).

 

10


Trust Indenture Act; TIA:

The term “Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder as in effect on the date of this Indenture, except as provided in Section 14.06 and except to the extent any amendment to the Trust Indenture Act expressly provides for application of the Trust Indenture Act as in effect on another date.

Trustee:

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

U.S. Dollars:

The term “U.S. Dollars” shall mean such currency of the United States as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

U.S. Government Obligations:

The term “U.S. Government Obligations” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 12.03.

United States:

The term “United States” shall mean the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any State of the United States and the District of Columbia.

ARTICLE II

FORMS OF SECURITIES

Section 2.01    Terms of the Securities.

(a)    The Securities of each series shall be substantially in the form set forth in a Board Resolution, a Company Order or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, and shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with

 

11


any rule or regulation of any securities exchange on which any series of the Securities may be listed or of any automated quotation system on which any such series may be quoted, or to conform to usage, all as determined by any of the officers executing such Securities as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

(b)    The terms and provisions of the Securities shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture, and, to the extent applicable, the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

Section 2.02    Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

(a)    Only such of the Securities as shall bear thereon a certificate substantially in the form of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication hereinafter recited, executed by the Trustee by manual signature, shall be valid or become obligatory for any purpose or entitle the Holder thereof to any right or benefit under this Indenture.

(b)    Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication, except that any Global Security shall be dated as of the date specified as contemplated in Section 3.01.

(c)    The form of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication to be borne by the Securities shall be substantially as follows:

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

Date of authentication:                         [                    ], as Trustee
    By:  

                     

      Authorized Signatory

Section 2.03    Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication by an Authenticating Agent. If at any time there shall be an Authenticating Agent appointed with respect to any series of Securities, then the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication by such Authenticating Agent to be borne by Securities of each such series shall be substantially as follows:

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

Date of authentication:                         [                    ], as Trustee
    By:  

[NAME OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT]

as Authenticating Agent

    By:  

                                          

      Authorized Signatory

 

12


ARTICLE III

THE DEBT SECURITIES

Section 3.01    Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series. The title and terms on each series of Securities shall be as set forth in a Board Resolution, Company Order or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series:

(a)    the title of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of such series from the Securities of all other series, except to the extent that additional Securities of an existing series are being issued);

(b)    any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.06, 3.07, 4.06, or 14.05);

(c)    the dates on which or periods during which the Securities of the series may be issued, and the dates on, or the range of dates within, which the principal of and premium, if any, on the Securities of such series are or may be payable or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined or extended;

(d)    the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method by which such rate or rates shall be determined, whether such interest shall be payable in cash or additional Securities of the same series or shall accrue and increase the aggregate principal amount outstanding of such series (including if such Securities were originally issued at a discount), the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable, and the Record Dates for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable on such Interest Payment Dates or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined, the right, if any, to extend or defer interest payments and the duration of such extension or deferral;

(e)     if other than U.S. Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which Securities of the series shall be denominated or in which payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities of the series shall be payable and any other terms concerning such payment;

 

13


(f)    if the amount of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method including, but not limited to, an index based on a Currency or Currencies other than that in which the Securities are stated to be payable, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(g)    if the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on Securities of the series are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a Currency other than that in which the Securities are denominated or stated to be payable without such election, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made and the time and the manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which the Securities are denominated or payable without such election and the Currency in which the Securities are to be paid if such election is made;

(h)    the place or places, if any, in addition to or instead of the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee where the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on Securities of the series shall be payable, and where Securities of any series may be presented for registration of transfer, exchange or conversion, and the place or places where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series may be made;

(i)    the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company, if the Company is to have that option;

(j)    the obligation or right, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund, amortization or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the Currency or Currencies in which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(k)    if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

(l)    if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 7.02;

(m)    the guarantors, if any, of the Securities of the series, and the extent of the guarantees (including provisions relating to seniority, subordination, and the release of the guarantors), if any, and any additions or changes to permit or facilitate guarantees of such Securities;

(n)    whether the Securities of the series are to be issued as Original Issue Discount Securities and the amount of discount with which such Securities may be issued;

 

14


(o)    if the provisions of Article XII hereof shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series; or any addition to or change in the provisions of Article XII and, if the Securities of any series are payable in a Currency other than U.S. Dollars, the Currency or the nature of the government obligations to be deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 12.08;

(p)    whether the Securities of the series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the Depositary for such Global Security or Global Securities, and the terms and conditions, if any, upon which interests in such Global Security or Global Securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for the individual securities represented thereby in definitive form registered in the name or names of Persons other than such Depositary or a nominee or nominees thereof (“Individual Securities”);

(q)    the date as of which any Global Security of the series shall be dated if other than the original issuance of the first Security of the series to be issued;

(r)    the form or forms of the Securities of the series including such legends as may be required by applicable law;

(s)    if the Securities of the series are to be convertible into or exchangeable for any securities or property of any Person (including the Company), the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any additions or changes, if any, to permit or facilitate such conversion or exchange;

(t)    whether the Securities of such series are subject to subordination and the terms of such subordination, including amendments to the subordination provision contained herein (for avoidance of doubt, Article XV shall not apply to the Securities of any series unless the terms of such series expressly state it applies);

(u)    whether the Securities of such series are to be secured and the terms of such security;

(v)    any restriction or condition on the transferability of the Securities of such series;

(w)    any addition or change in the provisions related to compensation and reimbursement of the Trustee which applies to Securities of such series;

(x)    any addition or change in the provisions related to supplemental indentures set forth in Sections 14.01, 14.02 and 14.04 which applies to Securities of such series;

(y)    provisions, if any, granting special rights to Holders upon the occurrence of specified events;

(z)    any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 7.02 and any addition or change in the provisions set forth in Article VII which applies to Securities of the series;

 

15


(aa)    any addition to or change in the covenants or definitions set forth in Article VI which applies to Securities of the series; and

(bb)    any other terms of the Securities of such series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of the TIA, but may modify, amend, supplement or delete any of the terms of this Indenture with respect to such series or elect not to be governed by the provisions of the TIA).

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical, except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided herein or set forth in a Board Resolution, a Company Order or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, provided that any Securities that are not fungible with the Securities of the same series for U.S. federal income tax purposes will not have the same CUSIP, ISIN or other applicable securities identifier.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to the Securities of any series pursuant to this Section 3.01, the Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, issue additional Securities of any series of Securities previously issued under this Indenture which together shall constitute a single series of Securities under this Indenture.

Section 3.02    Denominations. In the absence of any specification pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable only as Securities in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, and shall be payable only in U.S. Dollars.

Section 3.03    Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

(a)    The Securities shall be executed in the name and on behalf of the Company by the manual or facsimile signature of any Officer. If the Person whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated and delivered, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.

(b)    At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities and, if required pursuant to Section 3.01, a supplemental indenture or Company Order setting forth the terms of the Securities of a series. The Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver such Securities without any further action by the Company. The Company Order shall specify the amount of Securities to be authenticated and the date on which the original issue of Securities is to be authenticated.

(c)    In authenticating the first Securities of any series and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities the Trustee shall receive, and (subject to Section 11.02) shall be fully protected in relying upon an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each prepared in accordance with Section 16.01 stating that the conditions precedent, if any, provided for in the Indenture have been complied with.

 

16


(d)    The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver the Securities under this Section 3.03 if the issue of the Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

(e)    Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication, except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of such series.

(f)    Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.01 and of this Section 3.03, if all of the Securities of any series are not to be originally issued at the same time, then the documents required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 3.03 must be delivered only once prior to the authentication and delivery of the first Security of such series;

(g)    If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.01 that the Securities of a series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver one or more Global Securities that (i) shall represent an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such Global Securities, (ii) shall be registered, in the name of the Depositary for such Global Security or Global Securities or the nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instruction and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect:

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

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

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.”

 

17


The aggregate principal amount of each Global Security may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Security Custodian, as provided in this Indenture.

(h)    Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 3.01 for a Global Security in registered form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as such Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and any other applicable statute or regulation.

(i)    Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“Members”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Security held on their behalf by the Depositary or by the Security Custodian under such Global Security, and the Depositary shall be treated by the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar and any of their agents as the absolute owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Registrar or any of their agents from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Members, the operation of customary practices of the Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of an owner of a beneficial interest in any Global Security. The Holder of a Global Security may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Members and Persons that may hold interests through Members, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Securities.

(j)    No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in one of the forms provided for herein duly executed by the Trustee or by an Authenticating Agent by manual or facsimile signature of an authorized signatory of the Trustee or Authenticating Agent, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

Section 3.04    Temporary Securities.

(a)    Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities that are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed, photocopied or otherwise reproduced, in any authorized denominations, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Any such temporary Security may be in the form of one or more Global Securities, representing all or a portion of the Outstanding Securities of such series. Every such temporary Security shall be executed by the Company and shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with the same effect, as the definitive Security or Securities in lieu of which it is issued.

 

18


(b)    If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of such temporary Securities at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for such series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

(c)    Upon any exchange of a portion of a temporary Global Security for a definitive Global Security or for the Individual Securities represented thereby pursuant to this Section 3.04 or Section 3.06, the temporary Global Security shall be endorsed by the Trustee to reflect the reduction of the principal amount evidenced thereby, whereupon the principal amount of such temporary Global Security shall be reduced for all purposes by the amount so exchanged and endorsed.

Section 3.05    Registrar.

(a)    The Company will keep, at an office or agency to be maintained by it in a Place of Payment where Securities may be presented for registration or presented and surrendered for registration of transfer or of exchange, and where Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable (the “Registrar”), a security register for the registration and the registration of transfer or of exchange of the Securities (the registers maintained in such office and in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Register”), as in this Indenture provided, which Register shall at all reasonable times be open for inspection by the Trustee. Such Register shall be in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. The Company may have one or more co-Registrars; the term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar.

(b)    The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Registrar or co-Registrar not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such agent. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of each such agent. If the Company fails to maintain a Registrar for any series, the Trustee shall act as such and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation therefor pursuant to Section 11.01. The Company or any Affiliate thereof may act as Registrar, co-Registrar or transfer agent.

(c)    The Company hereby appoints the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office as Registrar in connection with the Securities and this Indenture, until such time as another Person is appointed as such.

 

19


Section 3.06    Transfer and Exchange.

(a)    Transfer.

(i)    Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the Registrar the Company shall execute, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee, one or more new Securities of the same series for like aggregate principal amount of any authorized denomination or denominations. The transfer of any Security shall not be valid as against the Company or the Trustee unless registered at the Registrar at the request of the Holder, or at the request of his, her or its attorney duly authorized in writing.

(ii)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the Individual Securities represented thereby, a Global Security representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

(b)    Exchange.

(i)    At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series (other than a Global Security, except as set forth below) may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series for like aggregate principal amount of any authorized denomination or denominations, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at the Registrar.

(ii)    Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee or Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

(c)    Exchange of Global Securities for Individual Securities. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in Global Securities will not be entitled to receive Individual Securities.

(i)    Individual Securities shall be issued to all owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security in exchange for such interests if: (A) at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series notifies the Company in writing that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.03(h) and, in each case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice, or (B) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee and the Registrar an Company Order stating that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable.

 

20


In connection with the exchange of an entire Global Security for Individual Securities pursuant to this subsection (c), such Global Security shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of Individual Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver to each beneficial owner identified by the Depositary in exchange for its beneficial interest in such Global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of Individual Securities of authorized denominations.

(ii)    The owner of a beneficial interest in a Global Security will be entitled to receive an Individual Security in exchange for such interest if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. Upon receipt by the Security Custodian and Registrar of instructions from the Holder of a Global Security directing the Security Custodian and Registrar to (x) issue one or more Individual Securities in the amounts specified to the owner of a beneficial interest in such Global Security and (y) debit or cause to be debited an equivalent amount of beneficial interest in such Global Security, subject to the rules and regulations of the Depositary:

(A)    the Security Custodian and Registrar shall notify the Company and the Trustee of such instructions, identifying the owner and amount of such beneficial interest in such Global Security;

(B)    the Company shall promptly execute and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of Individual Securities of such series, shall authenticate and deliver to such beneficial owner Individual Securities in an equivalent amount to such beneficial interest in such Global Security; and

(C)    the Security Custodian and Registrar shall decrease such Global Security by such amount in accordance with the foregoing. In the event that the Individual Securities are not issued to each such beneficial owner promptly after the Registrar has received a request from the Holder of a Global Security to issue such Individual Securities, the Company expressly acknowledges, with respect to the right of any Holder to pursue a remedy pursuant to Section 7.07 hereof, the right of any beneficial Holder of Securities to pursue such remedy with respect to the portion of the Global Security that represents such beneficial Holder’s Securities as if such Individual Securities had been issued.

(iii)    If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to a series of Securities, the Depositary for such series of Securities may surrender a Global Security for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Individual Securities of such series on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge,

 

21


(A)    to each Person specified by such Depositary a new Individual Security or new Individual Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Global Security; and

(B)    to such Depositary a new Global Security in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Individual Securities delivered to Holders thereof.

(iv)    In any exchange provided for in clauses (i) through (iii), the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver Individual Securities in registered form in authorized denominations.

(v)    Upon the exchange in full of a Global Security for Individual Securities, such Global Security shall be canceled by the Trustee. Individual Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver such Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

(d)    All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered for such registration of transfer or exchange.

(e)    Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer, or for exchange or payment shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee or the Registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and the Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or by his, her or its attorney duly authorized in writing.

(f)    No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities. The Company or the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than those expressly provided in this Indenture to be made at the Company’s own expense or without expense or charge to the Holders.

(g)    The Company shall not be required to (i) register, transfer or exchange Securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the

 

22


day of the transmission of a notice of redemption of Securities of such series selected for redemption under Section 4.02 and ending at the close of business on the day of such transmission, or (ii) register, transfer or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

(h)    In case a successor Company (“Successor Company”) has executed an indenture supplemental hereto with the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.04, any of the Securities previously authenticated or delivered may, from time to time, at the request of the Successor Company, be exchanged for other Securities executed in the name of the Successor Company with such changes in phraseology and form as may be appropriate, but otherwise identical to the Securities surrendered for such exchange and of like principal amount; and the Trustee, upon Company Order of the Successor Company, shall authenticate and deliver Securities as specified in such order for the purpose of such exchange. If Securities shall at any time be authenticated and delivered in any new name of a Successor Company pursuant to this Section 3.06 in exchange or substitution for or upon registration of transfer of any Securities, such Successor Company, at the option of the Holders but without expense to them, shall provide for the exchange of all Securities at the time Outstanding for Securities authenticated and delivered in such new name.

(i)    The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security 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, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

(j)    Neither the Trustee nor any agent of the Trustee shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.

Section 3.07    Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

(a)    If (i) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office or (ii) the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, and there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to them to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless, and neither the Company nor the Trustee receives notice that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, then the Company shall execute and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor, form, terms and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, such that neither gain nor loss in interest shall result from such exchange or substitution.

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

 

23


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

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

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

Section 3.08    Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.

(a)    Interest on any Security that is payable and is punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Record Date for such interest notwithstanding the cancellation of such Security upon any transfer or exchange subsequent to the Record Date. Payment of interest on Securities shall be made at the Corporate Trust Office (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01) or, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Register or, in accordance with arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee, by wire transfer to an account designated by the Holder.

(b)    Any interest on any Security that is payable but is not punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Record Date by virtue of his, her or its having been such a Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (i) or (ii) below:

(i)    The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest (a “Special Record Date”), which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 calendar days and not less than

 

24


10 calendar days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 calendar days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given to each Holder of such Securities in the manner set forth in Section 16.04, not less than 10 calendar days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (ii).

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

(c)    Subject to the provisions set forth herein relating to Record Dates, each Security delivered pursuant to any provision of this Indenture in exchange or substitution for, or upon registration of transfer of, any other Security shall carry all the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

Section 3.09    Cancellation. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for Securities of any series, all Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange or credit against any sinking fund or otherwise shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation and shall be promptly canceled by it and, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be promptly canceled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder that the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of all canceled Securities held by it in accordance with its then customary procedures and deliver a certificate of such disposal to the Company upon its request therefor. The acquisition of any Securities by the Company shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented thereby unless and until such Securities are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 3.10    Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

25


Section 3.11    Currency of Payments in Respect of Securities.

(a)    Except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for Securities of any series, payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on Securities of such series will be made in U.S. Dollars.

(b)    For purposes of any provision of the Indenture where the Holders of Outstanding Securities may perform an action that requires that a specified percentage of the Outstanding Securities of all series perform such action and for purposes of any decision or determination by the Trustee of amounts due and unpaid for the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of all series in respect of which moneys are to be disbursed ratably, the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Outstanding Securities denominated in a Foreign Currency will be the amount in U.S. Dollars based upon exchange rates, determined as specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for Securities of such series, as of the date for determining whether the Holders entitled to perform such action have performed it or as of the date of such decision or determination by the Trustee, as the case may be.

(c)    Any decision or determination to be made regarding exchange rates shall be made by an agent appointed by the Company; provided, that such agent shall accept such appointment in writing and the terms of such appointment shall, in the opinion of the Company at the time of such appointment, require such agent to make such determination by a method consistent with the method provided pursuant to Section 3.01 for the making of such decision or determination. All decisions and determinations of such agent regarding exchange rates shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company, the Trustee and all Holders of the Securities.

Section 3.12    Judgments. The Company may provide pursuant to Section 3.01 for Securities of any series that (a) the obligation, if any, of the Company to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of any series in a Foreign Currency or U.S. Dollars (the “Designated Currency”) as may be specified pursuant to Section 3.01 is of the essence and agrees that, to the fullest extent possible under applicable law, judgments in respect of such Securities shall be given in the Designated Currency; (b) the obligation of the Company to make payments in the Designated Currency of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Securities shall, notwithstanding any payment in any other Currency (whether pursuant to a judgment or otherwise), be discharged only to the extent of the amount in the Designated Currency that the Holder receiving such payment may, in accordance with normal banking procedures, purchase with the sum paid in such other Currency (after any premium and cost of exchange) on the business day in the country of issue of the Designated Currency or in the international banking community (in the case of a composite currency) immediately following the day on which such Holder receives such payment; (c) if the amount in the Designated Currency that may be so purchased for any reason falls short of the amount originally due, the Company shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary to compensate for such shortfall; and (d) any obligation of the Company not discharged by such payment shall be due as a separate and independent obligation and, until discharged as provided herein, shall continue in full force and effect.

 

26


Section 3.13    CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing any Securities may use CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers, if then generally in use, and thereafter with respect to such series, the Trustee may use such numbers in any notice of redemption or exchange with respect to such series provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers.

ARTICLE IV

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

Section 4.01    Applicability of Right of Redemption. Redemption of Securities (other than pursuant to a sinking fund, amortization or analogous provision) permitted by the terms of any series of Securities shall be made (except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article; provided, however, that if any such terms of a series of Securities shall conflict with any provision of this Article, the terms of such series shall govern.

Section 4.02    Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.

(a)    If the Company shall at any time elect to redeem all or any portion of the Securities of a series then Outstanding, it shall at least 30 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed or shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities to be redeemed, and thereupon the Trustee shall select, by lot or in such other manner as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of a portion of the principal amount of any Security of such series; provided that the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of any Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security. In any case where more than one Security of such series is registered in the same name, the Trustee may treat the aggregate principal amount so registered as if it were represented by one Security of such series. The Trustee shall, as soon as practicable, notify the Company in writing of the Securities and portions of Securities so selected.

(b)    For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security that has been or is to be redeemed. If the Company shall so direct, Securities registered in the name of the Company, any Affiliate or any Subsidiary thereof shall not be included in the Securities selected for redemption.

 

27


Section 4.03    Notice of Redemption.

(a)    Notice of redemption shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date (unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed or shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), to the Holders of Securities of any series to be redeemed in whole or in part pursuant to this Article, in the manner provided in Section 16.04. Any notice so given shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. Failure to give such notice, or any defect in such notice to the Holder of any Security of a series designated for redemption, in whole or in part, shall not affect the sufficiency of any notice of redemption with respect to the Holder of any other Security of such series.

(b)    All notices of redemption shall identify the Securities to be redeemed (including CUSIP, ISIN or other similar numbers, if available along with the statement in Section 3.13) and shall state:

(i)    such election by the Company to redeem Securities of such series pursuant to provisions contained in this Indenture or the terms of the Securities of such series or a supplemental indenture establishing such series, if such be the case;

(ii)    the Redemption Date;

(iii)    the Redemption Price;

(iv)    if less than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amounts) of the Securities of such series to be redeemed;

(v)    that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed, and that, if applicable, interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date;

(vi)    the Place or Places of Payment where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price;

(vii)    that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case; and

(viii)    the applicable conditions to such redemption, if any.

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 16.04 need not identify particular Securities to be redeemed.

For the avoidance of doubt, any redemption of any series of Securities or notice of redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent. In addition, if such redemption or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such

 

28


notice shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the Redemption Date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied (or waived by the Company in its sole discretion), or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the Redemption Date, or by the Redemption Date so delayed and such redemption provisions may be adjusted to comply with the requirements of any depositary.

Notice of redemption of such Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 4.04    Deposit of Redemption Price. On the Redemption Date for any Securities, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 6.03) an amount of money in the Currency in which such Securities are denominated (except as provided pursuant to Section 3.01) sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of such Securities or any portions thereof that are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 4.05    Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, any Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price and from and after such date (unless the Company shall Default in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price; provided, however, that (unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 3.01) installments of interest that have a Stated Maturity on or prior to the Redemption Date for such Securities shall be payable according to the terms of such Securities and the provisions of Section 3.08.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal thereof and premium, if any, thereon shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by or prescribed in such Securities.

Section 4.06    Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Security that is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at the Corporate Trust Office or such other office or agency of the Company as is specified in the notice of redemption with, if the Company, the Registrar or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Registrar and the Trustee duly executed by the Holder thereof or his, her or its attorney duly authorized in writing, and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series, of like tenor and form, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered; except that if a Global Security is so surrendered, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Depositary for such Global Security, without service charge, a new Global Security in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Global Security so surrendered. In the case of a Security providing appropriate space for such notation, at the option of the Holder thereof, the Trustee, in lieu of delivering a new Security or Securities as aforesaid, may make a notation on such Security of the payment of the redeemed portion thereof.

 

29


ARTICLE V

SINKING FUNDS

Section 5.01    Applicability of Sinking Fund.

(a)    Redemption of Securities permitted or required pursuant to a sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series by the terms of such series of Securities shall be made in accordance with such terms of such series of Securities and this Article, except as otherwise specified pursuant to Article IV for Securities of such series, provided, however, that if any such terms of a series of Securities shall conflict with any provision of this Article, the terms of such series shall govern.

(b)    The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “Optional Sinking Fund Payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 5.02.

Section 5.02    Mandatory Sinking Fund Obligation. The Company may, at its option, satisfy any Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment obligation, in whole or in part, with respect to a particular series of Securities by (a) delivering to the Trustee Securities of such series in transferable form theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired by the Company or redeemed at the election of the Company pursuant to Article IV or (b) receiving credit for Securities of such series (not previously so credited) acquired by the Company and theretofore delivered to the Trustee. The Trustee shall credit such Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment obligation with an amount equal to the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment shall be reduced accordingly. If the Company shall elect to so satisfy any Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment obligation, it shall deliver to the Trustee not less than 45 days prior to the relevant sinking fund payment date an Officer’s Certificate, which shall designate the Securities (and portions thereof, if any) so delivered or credited and which shall be accompanied by such Securities (to the extent not theretofore delivered) in transferable form. In case of the failure of the Company, at or before the time so required, to give such notice and deliver such Securities the Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment obligation shall be paid entirely in moneys.

Section 5.03    Optional Redemption at Sinking Fund Redemption Price. In addition to the sinking fund requirements of Section 5.02, to the extent, if any, provided for by the terms of a particular series of Securities, the Company may, at its option, make an Optional Sinking Fund Payment with respect to such Securities. Unless otherwise provided by such terms, (a) to the extent that the right of the Company to make such Optional Sinking Fund Payment shall not be exercised in any year, it shall not be cumulative or carried forward to any subsequent year, and (b) such optional payment shall operate to reduce the amount of any Mandatory Sinking Fund

 

30


Payment obligation as to Securities of the same series. If the Company intends to exercise its right to make such optional payment in any year it shall deliver to the Trustee not less than 45 days prior to the relevant sinking fund payment date an Officer’s Certificate stating that the Company will exercise such optional right, and specifying the amount which the Company will pay on or before the next succeeding sinking fund payment date. Such Officer’s Certificate shall also state that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

Section 5.04    Application of Sinking Fund Payment.

(a)    If the sinking fund payment or payments made in funds pursuant to either Section 5.02 or 5.03 with respect to a particular series of Securities plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments made in funds with respect to such series shall exceed $50,000 (or a lesser sum if the Company shall so request, or such equivalent sum for Securities denominated other than in U.S. Dollars), it shall be applied by the Trustee on the sinking fund payment date next following the date of such payment, unless the date of such payment shall be a sinking fund payment date, in which case such payment shall be applied on such sinking fund payment date, to the redemption of Securities of such series at the redemption price specified pursuant to Section 4.03(b). The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 4.02, for redemption on such sinking fund payment date, a sufficient principal amount of Securities of such series to absorb said funds, as nearly as may be, and shall, at the expense and in the name of the Company, thereupon cause notice of redemption of the Securities to be given in substantially the manner provided in Section 4.03(a) for the redemption of Securities in part at the option of the Company, except that the notice of redemption shall also state that the Securities are being redeemed for the sinking fund. Any sinking fund moneys not so applied by the Trustee to the redemption of Securities of such series shall be added to the next sinking fund payment received in funds by the Trustee and, together with such payment, shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.04. Any and all sinking fund moneys held by the Trustee on the last sinking fund payment date with respect to Securities of such series, and not held for the payment or redemption of particular Securities of such series, shall be applied by the Trustee to the payment of the principal of the Securities of such series at Maturity.

(b)    On or prior to each sinking fund payment date, the Company shall pay to the Trustee a sum equal to all interest accrued to but not including the date fixed for redemption on Securities to be redeemed on such sinking fund payment date pursuant to this Section 5.04.

(c)    The Trustee shall not redeem any Securities of a series with sinking fund moneys or mail any notice of redemption of Securities of such series by operation of the sinking fund during the continuance of a Default in payment of interest on any Securities of such series or of any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default occurring as a consequence of this paragraph) of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge, except that if the notice of redemption of any Securities of such series shall theretofore have been mailed in accordance with the provisions hereof, the Trustee shall redeem such Securities if funds sufficient for that purpose shall be deposited with the Trustee in accordance with the terms of this Article. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund at the time any such Default or Event of Default shall occur and any moneys thereafter paid into the sinking fund shall, during the continuance of such Default or Event of Default, be held as security for the payment of all

 

31


the Securities of such series; provided, however, that in case such Default or Event of Default shall have been cured or waived as provided herein, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next sinking fund payment date on which such moneys are required to be applied pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.04.

ARTICLE VI

PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

The Company hereby covenants and agrees as follows:

Section 6.01    Payments of Securities. The Company will duly and punctually pay the principal of and premium, if any, on each series of Securities, and the interest which shall have accrued thereon, at the dates and place and in the manner provided in the Securities and in this Indenture.

Section 6.02    Paying Agent.

(a)    The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served (the “Paying Agent”). The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent to receive all presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

(b)    The Company may also from time to time designate different or additional offices or agencies where the Securities of any series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes (in or outside of such Place of Payment), and may from time to time rescind any such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations described in the preceding paragraph. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such additional designation or rescission of designation and of any change in the location of any such different or additional office or agency. The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Paying Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such agent. The Company shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of each such agent. The Company or any Affiliate thereof may act as Paying Agent.

Section 6.03    To Hold Payment in Trust.

(a)    If the Company or an Affiliate thereof shall at any time act as Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, then, on or before the date on which the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of that series by their terms or as a result of the calling thereof for redemption shall become payable, the Company or such Affiliate will segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities or the Trustee a

 

32


sum sufficient to pay such principal and premium, if any, or interest which shall have so become payable until such sums shall be paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will notify the Trustee of its action or failure to act in that regard. Upon any proceeding under any federal bankruptcy laws with respect to the Company or any Affiliate thereof, if the Company or such Affiliate is then acting as Paying Agent, the Trustee shall replace the Company or such Affiliate as Paying Agent.

(b)    If the Company shall appoint, and at the time have, a Paying Agent for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on any series of Securities, then prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date on which the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of that series shall become payable as aforesaid, whether by their terms or as a result of the calling thereof for redemption, the Company will deposit with such Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal and premium, if any, or interest, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities or the Trustee, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee), the Company or any other obligor of such Securities will promptly notify the Trustee of its payment or failure to make such payment.

(c)    If the Paying Agent shall be other than the Trustee, the Company will cause such Paying Agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 6.03, that such Paying Agent shall:

(i)    hold all moneys held by it for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on the Securities of that series in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities until such sums shall be paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;

(ii)    give to the Trustee notice of any Default by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series in the making of any payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on the Securities of that series; and

(iii)    at any time during the continuance of any such Default, upon the written request of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

(d)    Anything in this Section 6.03 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a release, satisfaction or discharge of this Indenture or for any other reason, pay or cause to be paid to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee as required by this Section 6.03, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent.

(e)    Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company upon

 

33


Company Order along with any interest that has accumulated thereon as a result of such money being invested at the direction of the Company, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust, and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment of such amounts without interest thereon, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in The City of New York, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

Section 6.04    Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets. Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Securities:

(a)    The Company will not consolidate with any other entity or permit a merger of any other entity into the Company or permit the Company to be merged into any other entity, or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to another entity, unless (i) either the Company shall be the continuing entity, or the successor, transferee or lessee entity (if other than the Company) shall be organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any State thereof or the District of Columbia and expressly assume, by indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered by such entity prior to or simultaneously with such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest and premium, if any, on all the Securities, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all other obligations to the Holders and the Trustee under this Indenture or under the Securities to be performed or observed by the Company; and (ii) immediately after such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease the Company or the successor, transferee or lessee entity (if other than the Company) would not be in Default in the performance of any covenant or condition of this Indenture.

(b)    Upon any consolidation with or merger into any other entity, or any sale, conveyance or transfer lease of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in accordance with this Section 6.04, the successor entity formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which the Company is sold or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor entity had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Company shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities, and from time to time such entity may exercise each and every right and power of the Company under this Indenture, in the name of the Company, or in its own name; and any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture required or permitted to be done by the Board of Directors or any officer of the Company may be done with like force and effect by the like board or officer of any entity that shall at the time be the successor of the Company hereunder. In the event of any such sale or conveyance, but not any such lease, the Company (or any successor entity which shall theretofore have become such in the manner described in this Section 6.04) shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and may thereupon be dissolved and liquidated.

 

34


Section 6.05    [Reserved].

Section 6.06    Conditional Waiver by Holders of Securities. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may fail or omit in any particular instance to comply with a covenant or condition set forth herein with respect to any series of Securities if the Company shall have obtained and filed with the Trustee, prior to the time of such failure or omission, evidence (as provided in Article VIII) of the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series at the time Outstanding (except as to a covenant or condition which under Section 14.02 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected, in which case the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected shall be required), either waiving such compliance in such instance or generally waiving compliance with such covenant or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, or impair any right consequent thereon and, until such waiver shall have become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such covenant or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 6.07    [Reserved].

ARTICLE VII

REMEDIES OF TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS

Section 7.01    Events of Default. Except where otherwise indicated by the context or where the term is otherwise defined for a specific purpose, the term “Event of Default” as used in this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series shall mean any of the following described events unless it is either inapplicable to a particular series or it is specifically deleted or modified in the manner contemplated in Section 3.01:

(a)    the failure of the Company to pay any installment of interest on any Security of such series when and as the same shall become payable, which failure shall have continued unremedied for a period of 30 days;

(b)    the failure of the Company to pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Security of such series, when and as the same shall become payable, whether at Maturity as therein expressed, by call for redemption (otherwise than pursuant to a sinking fund), upon acceleration under this Indenture or otherwise;

(c)    the failure of the Company to pay a sinking fund installment, if any, when and as the same shall become payable by the terms of a Security of such series, which failure shall have continued unremedied for a period of 30 days;

(d)    the failure of the Company, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06, to perform any covenants or satisfy any conditions contained in this Indenture (or the terms of the Securities of such series or a supplemental indenture establishing such series) (other than a

 

35


covenant or condition which has been expressly included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than that series and other than a covenant or condition a default in the performance of which is elsewhere in this Section 7.01 specifically addressed), which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision deemed to be adequate for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 90 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 30% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding, specifying such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

(e)    the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the property of the Company or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days;

(f)    the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or the consent by the Company to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or the consent by the Company to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the property of the Company or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any action; or

(g)    the occurrence of any other Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series as provided in Section 3.01;

provided, however, that no event described in clause (d) or (other than with respect to a payment default) (g) above shall constitute an Event of Default hereunder until the Trustee or the Holders of 30% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series the Outstanding, notify the Company (and the Trustee in case of notice by the Holders) of the Default, specifying the Default, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder.

For the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any indentures supplemental hereto (or the terms of the Securities of any series issued under this Indenture or any indentures supplemental hereto) the Holders shall not be entitled to specific performance of the optional redemption provisions applicable to any such series of Securities, and no premium will be due or available as a remedy, in each case in connection with (i) any Default or Event of Default, (ii) any acceleration of such series of Securities or (iii) any other payment, distribution, satisfaction or other recovery in respect of such series of Securities.

 

36


Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.01, if the principal or any premium or interest on any Security is payable in a Currency other than the Currency of the United States and such Currency is not available to the Company for making payment thereof due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond the control of the Company, the Company will be entitled to satisfy its obligations to Holders of the Securities by making such payment in the Currency of the United States in an amount equal to the Currency of the United States equivalent of the amount payable in such other Currency, as determined by the Company’s agent in accordance with Section 3.11(c) hereof by reference to the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers for such Currency (“Exchange Rate”), as such Exchange Rate is reported or otherwise made available by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the date of such payment, or, if such rate is not then available, on the basis of the most recently available Exchange Rate. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.01, any payment made under such circumstances in the Currency of the United States where the required payment is in a Currency other than the Currency of the United States will not constitute an Event of Default under this Indenture.

Section 7.02    Acceleration; Rescission and Annulment.

(a)    Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Securities, if any one or more of the above-described Events of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 7.01(e) or 7.01(f)) shall happen with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding, then, and in each and every such case, during the continuance of any such Event of Default, the Trustee or the Holders of 30% or more in principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding may declare the principal (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of and all accrued and unpaid interest on all the Securities of such series then Outstanding to be due and payable immediately by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such acceleration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 7.01(e) or 7.01(f) occurs and is continuing, then in every such case, the principal amount (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified by the terms of that series) of and accrued and unpaid interest on all of the Securities of that series then Outstanding shall automatically, and without any acceleration or any other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become due and payable immediately. Upon payment of such amounts in the Currency in which such Securities are denominated (subject to the last paragraph of Section 7.01 and except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 3.01), all obligations of the Company in respect of the payment of principal of and interest on the Securities of such series shall terminate.

(b)    The provisions of Section 7.02(a), however, are subject to the condition that, at any time after the principal and accrued and unpaid interest on all the Securities of such series, to which any one or more of the above-described Events of Default is applicable, shall have been so declared to be or shall have automatically become due and payable, and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter provided in this Article, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of

 

37


that Series then Outstanding, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such acceleration if:

(i)    the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee or Paying Agent a sum in the Currency in which such Securities are denominated (subject to the last paragraph of Section 7.01 and except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 3.01) sufficient to pay:

(A)    all amounts owing the Trustee and any predecessor trustee hereunder under Section 11.01(a) (provided, however, that all sums payable under this clause (A) shall be paid in U.S. Dollars);

(B)    all accrued and unpaid interest, if any, upon all the Securities of such series with interest thereon to the extent that interest thereon shall be legally enforceable, on any overdue installment of interest at the rate borne by or prescribed in such Securities; and

(C)    the principal of and accrued and unpaid premium, if any, on any Securities of such series that have become due otherwise than by such acceleration with interest thereon to the extent that interest thereon shall be legally enforceable, on any overdue installment of interest at the rate borne by or prescribed in such Securities; and

(ii)    every other Default and Event of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 7.06.

(c)    No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

(d)    For all purposes under this Indenture, if a portion of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Securities shall have been accelerated and declared due and payable pursuant to the provisions hereof, then, from and after such acceleration, unless such acceleration has been rescinded and annulled, the principal amount of such Original Issue Discount Securities shall be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, and payment of such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, together with interest, if any, thereon and all other amounts owing thereunder, shall constitute payment in full of such Original Issue Discount Securities.

Section 7.03    Other Remedies. If the Company shall fail for a period of 30 days to pay any installment of interest on the Securities of any series or shall fail to pay any principal of and premium, if any, on any of the Securities of such series when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity, or by call for redemption (other than pursuant to the sinking

 

38


fund), by acceleration as authorized by this Indenture, or otherwise, or shall fail for a period of 30 days to make any required sinking fund payment as to a series of Securities, then, upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Paying Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series then Outstanding the whole amount which then shall have become due and payable on all the Securities of such series for principal, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest, with interest (so far as the same may be legally enforceable) on the overdue principal and on the overdue premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest at the rate borne by or prescribed in such Securities, and all amounts owing the Trustee and any predecessor trustee hereunder under Section 11.01(a).

In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any action or proceeding at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series, and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series, wherever situated, in the manner provided by law. Every recovery of judgment in any such action or other proceeding, subject to the payment to the Trustee of all amounts owing the Trustee and any predecessor trustee hereunder under Section 11.01(a), shall be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of such series of Securities which shall be the subject of such action or proceeding. All rights of action upon or under any of the Securities or this Indenture may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities and without the production of any thereof at any trial or any proceeding relative thereto.

Section 7.04    Trustee as Attorney-in-Fact. The Trustee is hereby appointed, and each and every Holder of the Securities, by receiving and holding the same, shall be conclusively deemed to have appointed the Trustee, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of such Holder, with authority to make or file (whether or not the Company shall be in Default in respect of the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any of the Securities), in its own name and as trustee of an express trust or otherwise as it shall deem advisable, in any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or to their respective creditors or property, any and all claims, proofs of claim, proofs of debt, petitions, consents, other papers and documents and amendments of any thereof, as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee and any predecessor trustee hereunder and of the Holders of the Securities allowed in any such proceeding and to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claim, and to execute and deliver any and all other papers and documents and to do and perform any and all other acts and things, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to enforce in any such proceeding any of the claims of the Trustee and any predecessor trustee hereunder and of any of such Holders in respect of any of the Securities; and any receiver, assignee, trustee, custodian or debtor in any such proceeding is hereby authorized, and each and every taker or Holder of the Securities, by receiving and holding the same, shall be conclusively deemed to have authorized any such receiver, assignee, trustee, custodian or debtor, to make any such payment or delivery only to or on the order of the Trustee, and to pay to the Trustee any amount due it and any predecessor trustee hereunder under Section 11.01(a); provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or

 

39


empower the Trustee to consent to or accept or adopt, on behalf of any Holder of Securities, any plan of reorganization or readjustment affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize or empower the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of any Securities in any such proceeding.

Section 7.05    Priorities. Any moneys or properties collected by the Trustee with respect to a series of Securities under this Article VII shall be applied in the order following, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution of such moneys or properties and, in the case of the distribution of such moneys or properties on account of the Securities of any series, upon presentation of the Securities of such series, and stamping thereon the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due to the Trustee and any predecessor trustee hereunder under Section 11.01(a).

Second: Subject to Article XV (to the extent applicable to any series of Securities then outstanding), to the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium and interest on the Outstanding Securities of such series in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Outstanding Securities for principal and any premium and interest, respectively.

Any surplus then remaining shall be paid to the Company or as directed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 7.06    Control by Securityholders; Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any series at the time Outstanding may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee pursuant to this Indenture, or of exercising any trust or power hereby conferred upon the Trustee pursuant to this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of Sections 11.01 and 11.02, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee being advised by counsel determines that the action so directed may not lawfully be taken or would be unduly prejudicial to Holders not joining in such direction or would involve the Trustee in personal liability. Prior to any acceleration of the Maturity of the Securities of any series, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such series of Securities at the time Outstanding may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Securities of such series waive any past Default or Event of Default hereunder and its consequences except a Default in the payment of interest or any premium on or the principal of the Securities of such series and except as to a covenant or condition which under Section 14.02 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected, in which case the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected shall be required for such waiver. Upon any such waiver the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities of such series shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Whenever any Default or Event of Default hereunder shall have been waived as permitted by this Section 7.06, said Default or Event of Default shall for all purposes of the Securities of such series and this Indenture be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing.

 

40


Section 7.07    Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity for the execution of any trust hereunder or for the appointment of a receiver or for any other remedy hereunder, in each case with respect to an Event of Default with respect to such series of Securities, unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of one or more of the Events of Default herein specified with respect to such series of Securities, and unless also the Holders of 30% or more in principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding shall have requested the Trustee in writing to take action in respect of the matter complained of, and unless also there shall have been offered to the Trustee security and indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby, and the Trustee, for 60 days after receipt of such notification, request and offer of indemnity, shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding; and such notification, request and offer of indemnity are hereby declared in every such case to be conditions precedent to any such action, suit or proceeding by any Holder of any Security of such series; it being understood and intended that no one or more of the Holders of Securities of such series shall have any right in any manner whatsoever by his, her, its or their action to enforce any right hereunder, except in the manner herein provided, and that every action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity shall be instituted, had and maintained in the manner herein provided and for the equal benefit of all Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series; provided, however, that nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities of such series shall affect or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of such series to the respective Holders of such Securities at the respective due dates in such Securities stated, or affect or impair the right, which is also absolute and unconditional, of such Holders to institute suit to enforce the payment thereof.

Section 7.08    Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture and each Holder of any Security, by such Holder’s acceptance thereof, shall be deemed to have agreed that any court may in its discretion require, in any action, suit or proceeding for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any action, suit or proceeding against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such action, suit or proceeding of an undertaking to pay the costs of such action, suit or proceeding, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such action, suit or proceeding, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 7.08 shall not apply to any action, suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee, to any action, suit or proceeding instituted by any one or more Holders of Securities holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Securities of any series Outstanding, or to any action, suit or proceeding instituted by any Holder of Securities of any series for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or the interest on, any of the Securities of such series, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Securities.

Section 7.09    Remedies Cumulative. No remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities of any series is intended to be exclusive of any other

 

41


remedy or remedies, and each and every remedy shall be cumulative and shall be in addition to every other remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or by statute. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of the Securities of any series to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Default or Event of Default shall impair any such right or power or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such Default or Event of Default or an acquiescence therein; and every power and remedy given by this Article VII to the Trustee and to the Holders of Securities of any series, respectively, may be exercised from time to time and as often as may be deemed expedient by the Trustee or by the Holders of Securities of such series, as the case may be. In case the Trustee or any Holder of Securities of any series shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Indenture and the proceedings for the enforcement thereof shall have been discontinued or abandoned because of waiver or for any other reason or shall have been adjudicated adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder of Securities, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities of such series shall severally and respectively be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, and thereafter all rights, remedies and powers of the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities of such series shall continue as though no such proceedings had been taken, except as to any matters so waived or adjudicated.

ARTICLE VIII

CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

Section 8.01    Evidence of Action of Securityholders. Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the Holders of a specified percentage or a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities or of any series of Securities may take any action (including the making of any demand or request, the giving of any notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action), the fact that at the time of taking any such action the Holders of such specified percentage or majority have joined therein may be evidenced by (a) any instrument or any number of instruments of similar tenor executed by Securityholders in person, by an agent or by a proxy appointed in writing, including through an electronic system for tabulating consents operated by the Depositary for such series or otherwise (such action becoming effective, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, when such instruments or evidence of electronic consents are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company), or (b) by the record of the Holders of Securities voting in favor thereof at any meeting of Securityholders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article IX, or (c) by a combination of such instrument or instruments and any such record of such a meeting of Securityholders.

Section 8.02    Proof of Execution or Holding of Securities. Proof of the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or his, her or its agent or proxy and proof of the holding by any Person of any of the Securities shall be sufficient if made in the following manner:

(a)    The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument may be proved (i) by the certificate of any notary public or other officer in any jurisdiction who, by the laws thereof, has power to take acknowledgments or proof of deeds to be recorded within such jurisdiction, that the Person who signed such instrument did acknowledge before such notary public or other officer the execution thereof, or (ii) by the affidavit of a witness of such execution sworn to before any such notary or other officer. Where such execution is by a Person acting in other than his or her individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his or her authority.

 

42


(b)    The ownership of Securities of any series shall be proved by the Register of such Securities or by a certificate of the Registrar for such series.

(c)    The record of any Holders’ meeting shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 9.06.

(d)    The Trustee may require such additional proof of any matter referred to in this Section 8.02 as it shall deem appropriate or necessary, so long as the request is a reasonable one.

(e)    If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of Securities of any series any action, the Company may, at its option fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Securities entitled to take such action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. Any such record date shall be fixed at the Company’s discretion. If such a record date is fixed, such action may be sought or given before or after the record date, but only the Holders of Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders of Securities for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities of such series have authorized or agreed or consented to such action, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities of such series shall be computed as of such record date.

Section 8.03    Persons Deemed Owners.

(a)    The Company, the Trustee or any of their agents shall treat the Person in whose name any Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.08) interest, if any, on, such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any of their agents shall be affected by notice to the contrary. All payments made to any Holder, or upon his, her or its order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum or sums paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for moneys payable upon such Security.

(b)    None of the Company, the Trustee, or any of their agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 8.04    Effect of Consents. After an amendment, supplement, waiver or other action becomes effective as to any series of Securities, a consent to it by a Holder of such series of Securities is a continuing consent conclusive and binding upon such Holder and every subsequent Holder of the same Securities or portion thereof, and of any Security issued upon the transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in place thereof, even if notation of the consent is not made on any such Security.

 

43


ARTICLE IX

SECURITYHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

Section 9.01    Purposes of Meetings. A meeting of Securityholders of any or all series may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Article IX for any of the following purposes:

(a)    to give any notice to the Company or to the Trustee, or to give any directions to the Trustee, or to consent to the waiving of any Default or Event of Default hereunder and its consequences, or to take any other action authorized to be taken by Securityholders pursuant to any of the provisions of Article VIII;

(b)    to remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee pursuant to the provisions of Article XI;

(c)    to consent to the execution of an Indenture or of indentures supplemental hereto pursuant to the provisions of Section 14.02; or

(d)    to take any other action authorized to be taken by or on behalf of the Holders of any specified aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any one or more or all series, as the case may be, under any other provision of this Indenture or under applicable law.

Section 9.02    Call of Meetings by Trustee. The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of all Securityholders of any or all series that may be affected by the action proposed to be taken, to take any action specified in Section 9.01, to be held at such time and at such place as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of the Securityholders of a series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be mailed at the expense of the Company to Holders of Securities of such series at their addresses as they shall appear on the Register of the Company. Such notice shall be mailed not less than 20 nor more than 90 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

Section 9.03    Call of Meetings by Company or Securityholders. In case at any time the Company or the Holders of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series then Outstanding that may be affected by the action proposed to be taken, shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of Securityholders of such series, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such request, then the Company or such Securityholders may determine the time and the place for such meeting and may call such meeting to take any action authorized in Section 9.01, by mailing notice thereof as provided in Section 9.02.

Section 9.04    Qualifications for Voting. To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Securityholders, a Person shall (a) be a Holder of one or more Securities affected by the action proposed to be taken at the meeting or (b) be a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy by a Holder of one or more such Securities. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Securityholders shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel and any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any

 

44


representatives of the Company and its counsel. Unless otherwise expressly provided pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series, any vote, consent, waiver or other action given or taken by the Holders of any series of Securities at a meeting shall be given or taken, as the case may be, by the Holders of such series of Securities as a separate class.

Section 9.05    Regulation of Meetings.

(a)    Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Securityholders, in regard to proof of the holding of Securities and of the appointment of proxies, and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem fit.

(b)    The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Securityholders as provided in Section 9.03, in which case the Company or the Securityholders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chair. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by majority vote of the meeting.

(c)    At any meeting of Securityholders of a series, each Securityholder of such series of such Securityholder’s proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Securities of such series Outstanding held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. If the Securities of any series are issuable in minimum denominations of less than $1,000, then a Holder of such a Security in a principal amount of less than $1,000 shall be entitled to a fraction of one vote which is equal to the fraction that the principal amount of such Security bears to $1,000. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote other than by virtue of Securities of such series held by him or her or instruments in writing as aforesaid duly designating him or her as the Person to vote on behalf of other Securityholders. At any meeting of the Securityholders of any series duly called pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.02 or 9.03, the presence of Persons holding or representing Securities of such series in an aggregate principal amount sufficient to take action as it concerns the Securities of such series upon the business for the transaction of which such meeting was called shall be necessary to constitute a quorum, and any such meeting may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of those present, whether or not constituting a quorum, and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 9.06    Voting. The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Securityholders of a series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts of the Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record in duplicate of the proceedings of each meeting of Securityholders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting

 

45


and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more Persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was mailed as provided in Section 9.02. The record shall show the principal amounts of the Securities voting in favor of or against any resolution. The record shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one of the duplicates shall be delivered to the Company and the other to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee.

Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

Section 9.07    No Delay of Rights by Meeting. Nothing contained in this Article IX shall be deemed or construed to authorize or permit, by reason of any call of a meeting of Securityholders of any series or any rights expressly or impliedly conferred hereunder to make such call, any hindrance or delay in the exercise of any right or rights conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders of such series under any of the provisions of this Indenture or of the Securities of such series.

ARTICLE X

REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE AND

SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS

Section 10.01    Reports by Trustee.

(a)    So long as any Securities are outstanding, the Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided therein. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within 60 days after each anniversary following the date of this Indenture deliver to Holders a brief report which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).

(b)    The Trustee shall, at the time of the transmission to the Holders of Securities of any report pursuant to the provisions of this Section 10.01, file a copy of such report with each stock exchange upon which the Securities are listed, if any, and also with the SEC in respect of a Security listed and registered on a national securities exchange, if any. The Company agrees to notify the Trustee when, as and if the Securities become listed on any stock exchange or any delisting thereof.

(c)    The Company will reimburse the Trustee for all expenses incurred in the preparation and transmission of any report pursuant to the provisions of this Section 10.01 and of Section 10.02.

Section 10.02    Reports by the Company. The Company shall file with the Trustee and the SEC, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided that, unless available on EDGAR, any such information, documents or reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 13

 

46


or 15(d) of the Exchange Act shall be filed with the Trustee within 30 days after the same is filed with the SEC. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall be deemed to have so filed and transmitted such information, documents, reports and summaries upon the filing thereof via the SEC’s EDGAR system (or any successor system).

Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).

Section 10.03    Securityholders’ Lists. The Company covenants and agrees that it will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:

(a)    semi-annually, within 15 days after each Record Date, but in any event not less frequently than semi-annually, a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably request of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities to which such Record Date applies, as of such Record Date, and

(b)    at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;

provided, however, that so long as the Trustee shall be the Registrar, such lists shall not be required to be furnished.

ARTICLE XI

CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

Section 11.01    Rights of Trustees; Compensation and Indemnity. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by this Indenture upon the terms and conditions hereof, including the following, to all of which the parties hereto and the Holders from time to time of the Securities agree:

(a)    The Trustee shall be entitled to such compensation as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing for all services rendered by it hereunder (including in any agent capacity in which it acts). The compensation of the Trustee shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee promptly upon its request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee (including the reasonable and documented expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

The Company also agrees to indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee hereunder for, and to hold it harmless against, any and all loss, liability, damage, claim, or expense incurred without its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder and the

 

47


performance of its duties (including in any agent capacity in which it acts), as well as the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except those attributable to its negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have one separate counsel of its selection and the Company shall pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section 11.01(a), the Trustee shall have a lien upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust by the Trustee to pay principal of, premium and interest on any Securities. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in clause (e) or (f) of Section 7.01 occurs, the expenses and compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws.

(b)    The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereof and perform any duty hereunder either directly or by its agents and attorneys and shall not be responsible for any willful misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.

(c)    The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for the correctness of the recitals herein or in the Securities (except its certificates of authentication thereon) contained, all of which are made solely by the Company; and the Trustee shall not be responsible or accountable in any manner whatsoever for or with respect to the validity or execution or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities (except its certificates of authentication thereon), and the Trustee makes no representation with respect thereto, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Indenture, authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder and that the statements made by it in a Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 supplied to the Company are true and accurate, subject to the qualifications set forth therein. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any Securities, or the proceeds of any Securities, authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture.

(d)    The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and advice of counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered by the Trustee hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice of counsel.

(e)    In the absence of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, (i) the Trustee may rely upon the certificate of the Secretary or one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Company as to the adoption of any Board Resolution or resolution of the stockholders of the Company, and (ii) any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by, and whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee may rely upon, an Officer’s Certificate of the Company (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed).

 

48


(f)    The Trustee or any agent of the Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have had if it were not the Trustee or such agent.

(g)    Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.

(h)    Any action taken by the Trustee pursuant to any provision hereof at the request or with the consent of any Person who at the time is the Holder of any Security shall be conclusive and binding in respect of such Security upon all future Holders thereof or of any Security or Securities which may be issued for or in lieu thereof in whole or in part, whether or not such Security shall have noted thereon the fact that such request or consent had been made or given.

(i)    In the absence of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, debenture or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

(j)    The Trustee shall not be under any obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Holders of the Securities, pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, unless one or more of the Holders of the Securities shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred by it therein or thereby.

(k)    The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within its discretion or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

(l)    The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless the Company or Holders of not less than 30% of the Outstanding Securities notify the Trustee thereof.

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

 

49


(n)    The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder.

Section 11.02    Duties of Trustee.

(a)    If one or more of the Events of Default specified in Section 7.01 with respect to the Securities of any series shall have happened, then, during the continuance thereof, the Trustee shall, with respect to such Securities, exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and shall use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

(b)    None of the provisions of this Indenture shall be construed as relieving the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that, anything in this Indenture contained to the contrary notwithstanding,

(i)    unless and until an Event of Default specified in Section 7.01 with respect to the Securities of any series shall have happened which at the time is continuing,

(A)    the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties with respect to the Securities of that series as are specifically set out in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee, whose duties and obligations shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture; and

(B)    the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, in the absence of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, upon certificates and opinions furnished to it pursuant to the express provisions of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which, by the provisions of this Indenture, are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts, statements, opinions or conclusions stated therein);

(ii)    the Trustee shall not be liable to any Holder of Securities or to any other Person for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

(iii)    the Trustee shall not be liable to any Holder of Securities or to any other Person with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in

 

50


good faith, in accordance with the direction of Securityholders given as provided in Section 7.06, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to it or exercising any trust or power conferred upon it by this Indenture.

(c)    None of the provisions of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise to incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(d)    Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 11.02.

Section 11.03    Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence thereof, and if known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall give to the Holders of the Securities of a series notice of each Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series, by transmitting such notice to Holders at their addresses as the same shall then appear on the Register of the Company, unless such Default shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice (the term “Default” being hereby defined to be the events specified in Section 7.01, which are, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, Events of Default as defined in said Section). Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of such series when and as the same shall become payable, or to make any sinking fund payment as to Securities of the same series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice, if and so long as a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities of such series.

Section 11.04    Eligibility; Disqualification.

(a)    The Trustee shall at all times satisfy the requirements of TIA Section 310(a). The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition, and shall have a Corporate Trust Office. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11.04, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

(b)    The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b); provided, however, that there shall be excluded from the operation of TIA Section 310(b)(i) any indenture or indentures under which other securities or certificates of interest or participation in other securities of the Company are outstanding if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in TIA Section 310(b)(i) are met. If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. If Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act is amended any time after the date of this Indenture to change the circumstances under which a

 

51


Trustee shall be deemed to have a conflicting interest with respect to the Securities of any series or to change any of the definitions in connection therewith, this Section 11.04 shall be automatically amended to incorporate such changes.

Section 11.05    Resignation and Notice; Removal. The Trustee, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may at any time resign and be discharged of the trusts hereby created with respect to any one or more or all series of Securities by giving to the Company notice in writing. Such resignation shall take effect upon the appointment of a successor Trustee and the acceptance of such appointment by such successor Trustee. Any Trustee hereunder may be removed with respect to any series of Securities at any time by the filing with such Trustee and the delivery to the Company of an instrument or instruments in writing signed by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding, specifying such removal and the date when it shall become effective.

If at any time:

(1)     the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of TIA Section 310(b) after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months (or, if it is a shorter period, the period since the initial issuance of the Securities of such series), or

(2)    the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 11.04 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months (or, if it is a shorter period, the period since the initial issuance of the Securities of such series), or

(3)    the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (i) the Company by written notice to the Trustee may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to TIA Section 315(e), any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months (or, if it is a shorter period, the period since the initial issuance of the Securities of such series) may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

In addition, the Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of any series without cause if the Company gives written notice to the Trustee of such proposed removal at least three months in advance of the proposed effective date of such removal.

Upon its resignation or removal, any Trustee shall be entitled to the payment of reasonable and documented compensation for the services rendered hereunder by such Trustee and to the payment of all reasonable and documented expenses incurred hereunder and all moneys then due to it hereunder. The Trustee’s rights to indemnification provided in Section 11.01(a) shall survive its resignation or removal.

 

52


Section 11.06    Successor Trustee by Appointment.

(a)    In case at any time the Trustee shall resign, or shall be removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of the Trustee for any reason, with respect to Securities of any or all series, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. However, if all or substantially all the assets of the Company shall be in the possession of one or more custodians or receivers lawfully appointed, or of trustees in bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings (including a trustee or trustees appointed under the provisions of the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted), or of assignees for the benefit of creditors, such receivers, custodians, trustees or assignees, as the case may be, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any or all series. Subject to the provisions of Sections 11.04 and 11.05, upon the appointment as aforesaid of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series shall cease to be Trustee hereunder. After any such appointment other than by the Holders of Securities of any such series, the Person making such appointment shall forthwith cause notice thereof to be mailed to the Holders of Securities of such series at their addresses as the same shall then appear on the Register of the Company. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of such appointment.

(b)    If any Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall resign or be removed and a successor Trustee shall not have been appointed by the Company or, if any successor Trustee so appointed shall not have accepted its appointment within 30 days after such appointment shall have been made, the resigning Trustee at the expense of the Company may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee. If in any other case a successor Trustee shall not be appointed pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.06 within three months after such appointment might have been made hereunder, the Holder of any Security of the applicable series or any retiring Trustee at the expense of the Company may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction to appoint a successor Trustee. Such court may thereupon, in any such case, after such notice, if any, as such court may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor Trustee.

(c)    Any successor Trustee appointed hereunder with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to its predecessor Trustee and to the Company, or to the receivers, trustees, assignees or court appointing it, as the case may be, an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the authority, rights, powers, trusts, immunities, duties and obligations with respect to such series of such predecessor Trustee with like effect as if originally named as Trustee hereunder, and such predecessor Trustee, upon payment of its charges and disbursements then unpaid, shall thereupon become obligated to pay over, and such successor Trustee shall be entitled to receive, all moneys and properties held by such predecessor Trustee as Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of such series, subject nevertheless to its lien provided for in Section 11.01(a). Nevertheless, on the written request of the Company or of the successor Trustee or of the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Securities of any such series then Outstanding, such predecessor Trustee, upon payment of its said charges and disbursements, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee upon the trusts herein expressed all the rights, powers and trusts of such predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such

 

53


series and shall assign, transfer and deliver to the successor Trustee all moneys and properties held by such predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, subject nevertheless to its lien provided for in Section 11.01(a); and, upon request of any such successor Trustee or the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such authority, rights, powers, trusts, immunities, duties and obligations.

Section 11.07    Successor Trustee by Merger. Any Person into which the Trustee or any successor to it in the trusts created by this Indenture shall be merged or converted, or any Person with which it or any successor to it shall be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee or any such successor to it shall be a party, or any Person to which the Trustee or any successor to it shall sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor Trustee under this Indenture without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto; provided that such Person shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article. In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture with respect to one or more series of Securities, any of such Securities shall have been authenticated but not delivered by the Trustee then in office, any successor to such Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee, and deliver such Securities so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Securities shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Securities either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Securities or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided, however, that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee or authenticate Securities in the name of any predecessor Trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.

Section 11.08    Right to Rely on Officer’s Certificate. Whenever in the administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto delivered to the Trustee, and such Officer’s Certificate, in the absence of negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

Section 11.09    Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint an agent (the “Authenticating Agent”) acceptable to the Company to authenticate the Securities, and the Trustee shall give written notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, any such Authenticating Agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by the Authenticating Agent. Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder.

 

54


Each Authenticating Agent shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business and in good standing under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Article XI, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Article XI, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Article XI.

Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Article XI, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11.09, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give written notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section 11.09.

The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable and documented compensation for its services under this Section 11.09.

Section 11.10    Communications by Securityholders with Other Securityholders. Holders of Securities may communicate pursuant to Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to such communications.

 

55


ARTICLE XII

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

Section 12.01    Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the Securities of all series issued pursuant to this Indenture, except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01.

Section 12.02    Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture, with respect to the Securities of any series (if all series issued under this Indenture are not to be affected), shall, upon Company Order, cease to be of further effect (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of such Securities herein expressly provided for and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series to receive, the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable and except as otherwise provided in the last paragraph of this Section 12.02), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, when,

(a)    either:

(i)    all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.07 and (B) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 6.03(e)) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii)    all Securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation,

(A)    have become due and payable, or

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

(C)    if redeemable at the option of the Company (including, without limitation, by operation of any mandatory sinking fund), are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee funds in trust for the purpose an amount in cash in the Currency in which such Securities are payable (subject to Section 12.08) sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities for principal and premium, if any, and interest to the date of such

 

56


deposit (in the case of Securities that have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity thereof or, in the case of Securities of such series which are to be called for redemption as contemplated by (C) above, the applicable Redemption Date, as the case may be, and including any mandatory sinking fund payments as and when the same shall become due and payable;

(b)    the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Securities of such series; and

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of any series, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 11.01, the provisions of Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 3.07, 3.10, 6.02 and 6.03 and this Article XII, and, if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity (including, without limitation, pursuant to a mandatory sinking fund), the provisions of Article IV hereof, and, if the Securities of such series are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, the rights of the Holders of such Securities to convert or exchange, and the obligations of the Company to convert or exchange, such Securities into other securities or property, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 12.07 and Section 6.03(e) shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 12.03    Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations. At the Company’s option, either (x) the Company shall be deemed to have been Discharged (as defined below) from its obligations with respect to Securities of any series on the first day after the applicable conditions set forth below have been satisfied or (y) the Company shall cease to be under any obligation to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 6.04 and Section 10.02 with respect to Securities of any series (and, if so specified pursuant to Section 3.01, any other restrictive covenant added for the benefit of such series pursuant to Section 3.01) (“covenant defeasance”) upon the satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth below:

(a)    the Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited irrevocably with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series (i) money in the Currency in which

 

57


such Securities are payable in an amount, or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations (as defined below) that, through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide, not later than one calendar day before the due date of any payment, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest) to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including any mandatory sinking fund payments) of and premium, if any, and interest on, the Outstanding Securities of such series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and premium are due and, if the Securities of such series are to be called for redemption as described in clause (d) below, to pay and discharge the Redemption Price on the Securities called for redemption on the applicable Redemption Date;

(b)    no Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default resulting from the borrowing of funds and the grant of any related liens to be applied to such deposit);

(c)    the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company’s exercise of its option under this Section and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such option had not been exercised and, in the case of the Securities of such series being Discharged pursuant to clause (x) of the first paragraph of this Section 12.03, such Opinion of Counsel shall be based upon and accompanied by a ruling to that effect received by the Company from or published by the Internal Revenue Service;

(d)    if the monies or U.S. Government Obligations or combination thereof, as the case may be, deposited under clause (a) above are sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of such series (including, without limitation, any mandatory sinking fund payment) or any portion thereof to be redeemed on a particular Redemption Date (including, without limitation, pursuant to a mandatory sinking fund), the Company shall have given to the Trustee irrevocable instructions to redeem such Securities on such date and shall have made arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of such redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company; and

(e)    the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to such action under this Indenture have been complied with.

“Discharged” means, with respect to the Securities of any series, that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by, and obligations under, the Securities of such series and to have satisfied all the obligations under this Indenture relating to the Securities of such series (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following, all of which shall survive such Discharge and remain in full force and effect with respect to the Securities of such series: (A) the rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, from the trust fund described in clause (a) above, payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Securities when such payments are due, (B) Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 3.07, 3.10, 6.02 and

 

58


6.03, (C) if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity, the provisions of Article IV hereof, (D) if the Securities of such series are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, the rights of the Holders of such Securities to convert or exchange, and the obligations of the Company to convert or exchange, such Securities into such other securities or property, (E) the provisions of this Article XII and (F) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder.

“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that are (i) direct obligations of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States the timely of payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States, that, in either case under clauses (i) or (ii) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depositary receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.

Section 12.04    Repayment to Company. The Trustee and any Paying Agent shall promptly pay to the Company (or to its designee) upon delivery of a Company Order any moneys or U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 12.02 and 12.03 with respect to the Securities of any series and held by them that are in excess of the monies and/or U.S. Government Obligations that were required to effect the satisfaction and discharge, covenant defeasance or Discharge, as applicable, with respect to the Securities of such series, including any such moneys or obligations held by the Trustee under any escrow trust agreement entered into pursuant to Section 12.06. The provisions of Section 6.03(e) shall apply to any money held by the Trustee or any Paying Agent under this Article.

Section 12.05    Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations. The Company shall indemnify the Trustee against and pay any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the deposited U.S. Government Obligations or the principal or interest received on such U.S. Government Obligations.

Section 12.06    Deposits to Be Held in Escrow. Any deposits with the Trustee referred to in Section 12.03 above shall be irrevocable (except to the extent provided in Sections 12.04 and 6.03(e)) and shall be made under the terms of an escrow trust agreement. If any Outstanding Securities of a series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity, whether pursuant to any optional redemption provisions or in accordance with any mandatory or optional sinking fund requirement, the applicable escrow trust agreement shall provide therefor and the Company shall make such arrangements as are satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company.

If Securities of a series with respect to which such deposits are made may be subject to later redemption at the option of the Company or pursuant to optional sinking fund payments, the

 

59


applicable escrow trust agreement may, at the option of the Company, provide therefor. In the case of an optional redemption in whole or in part, such agreement shall require the Company to deposit with the Trustee on or before the date notice of redemption is given funds sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of the Securities to be redeemed together with all unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date. Upon such deposit of funds, the Trustee shall pay or deliver over to the Company as excess funds pursuant to Section 12.04 all funds or obligations then held under such agreement and allocable to the Securities to be redeemed. In the case of exercise of optional sinking fund payment rights by the Company, such agreement shall, at the option of the Company, provide that upon deposit by the Company with the Trustee of funds pursuant to such exercise the Trustee shall pay or deliver over to the Company as excess funds pursuant to Section 12.04 all funds or obligations then held under such agreement for such series and allocable to the Securities to be redeemed.

Section 12.07    Application of Trust Money.

(a)    Neither the Trustee nor any other Paying Agent shall be required to pay interest on any moneys deposited pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, except such as it shall agree with the Company in writing to pay thereon.

(b)    Subject to Section 6.03(e), any monies and U.S. Government Obligations which at any time shall be deposited by the Company or on its behalf with the Trustee or any other Paying Agent for the purpose of paying the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on any of the Securities shall be and are hereby assigned, transferred and set over to the Trustee or such other Paying Agent in trust for the respective Holders of the Securities for the purpose for which such moneys shall have been deposited, and such funds shall be applied by the Trustee or Paying Agent in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture to the payment of all sums due and to become due on such Securities in respect of principal and premium, if any, and interest; but such moneys need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective Affiliates may act as Paying Agent for any Securities in respect of which money or U.S. Government Obligations have been deposited pursuant to this Article XII.

Section 12.08    Deposits of Non-U.S. Currencies. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article, if the Securities of any series are payable in a Currency other than U.S. Dollars, the Currency or the nature of the government obligations to be deposited with the Trustee under the foregoing provisions of this Article shall be as set forth in the Officer’s Certificate or established in the supplemental indenture under which the Securities of such series are issued.

ARTICLE XIII

IMMUNITY OF CERTAIN PERSONS

Section 13.01    No Personal Liability. No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, or the premium, if any, or interest on, any Security or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof or of the Indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation,

 

60


covenant or agreement of this Indenture, against any incorporator, stockholder, employee, officer, director or agent, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitutional provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that this Indenture and the Securities are solely corporate obligations, and that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, any incorporator, stockholder, employee, officer, director or agent, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any successor corporation, because of the creating or incurring of the Indebtedness hereby authorized or under or by reason of any of the obligations, covenants, promises or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities, or to be implied herefrom or therefrom, and that all liability, if any, of that name or character, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such incorporator, stockholder, employee, officer, director or agent, as such, is, by the acceptance of the Securities and as a condition of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the Securities expressly waived and released.

ARTICLE XIV

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 14.01    Without Consent of Securityholders. Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Securities, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any one or more of or all the following purposes:

(a)    to add to the covenants and agreements of the Company, to be observed thereafter and during the period, if any, in such supplemental indenture or indentures expressed, and to add Events of Default, in each case for the protection or benefit of the Holders of all or any series of the Securities (and if such covenants, agreements and Events of Default are to be for the benefit of fewer than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants, agreements and Events of Default are expressly being included for the benefit of such series as shall be identified therein), or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;

(b)    to delete or modify any Events of Default with respect to any series of the Securities, the form and terms of which are being first established pursuant to such supplemental indenture as permitted in Section 3.01 (and, if any such Event of Default is applicable to fewer than all such series of the Securities, specifying the series to which such Event of Default is applicable), and to specify the rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders of such Securities in connection therewith;

(c)    to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide, change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on Securities; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect;

 

61


(d)    to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture; provided that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no Outstanding Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision and as to which such supplemental indenture would apply;

(e)    to evidence the succession of another entity to the Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by such successor of the covenants and obligations of the Company contained in the Securities of one or more series and in this Indenture or any supplemental indenture;

(f)    to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to one or more series of Securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 11.06(c);

(g)    to secure any series of Securities;

(h)    to evidence any changes to this Indenture pursuant to Sections 11.05, 11.06 or 11.07 hereof as permitted by the terms thereof;

(i)    to cure any ambiguity or inconsistency or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein or in any indenture supplemental hereto which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture or to conform the terms hereof, as amended and supplemented, that are applicable to the Securities of any series to the description of the terms of such Securities in the offering memorandum, prospectus supplement or other offering document applicable to such Securities at the time of initial sale thereof;

(j)    to add to or change or eliminate any provision of this Indenture as shall be necessary or desirable in accordance with any amendments to the Trust Indenture Act;

(k)    to add guarantors or co-obligors with respect to any series of Securities or to release guarantors from their guarantees of Securities in accordance with the terms of the applicable series of Securities;

(l)    to make any change in any series of Securities that does not adversely affect in any material respect the rights of the Holders of such Securities;

(m)    to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to certificated securities;

(n)    to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or any other series of Securities in any material respect;

 

62


(o)    to prohibit the authentication and delivery of additional series of Securities; or

(p)     to establish the form and terms of Securities of any series as permitted in Section 3.01, or to authorize the issuance of additional Securities of a series previously authorized or to add to the conditions, limitations or restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issue, authentication or delivery of the Securities of any series, as herein set forth, or other conditions, limitations or restrictions thereafter to be observed.

Subject to the provisions of Section 14.03, the Trustee is authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make the further agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer, assignment, mortgage or pledge of any property or assets thereunder.

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 14.01 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the Holders of any of the Securities at the time Outstanding.

Section 14.02    With Consent of Securityholders; Limitations.

(a)    With the consent of the Holders (evidenced as provided in Article VIII) of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture voting separately, the Company and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series to be affected; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of each such series affected thereby,

(i)    extend the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the interest thereon or any premium payable thereon, or extend the Stated Maturity of, or change the place of payment where, or the Currency in which the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on such Security is denominated or payable, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 7.02, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), or materially adversely affect the economic terms of any right to convert or exchange any Security as may be provided pursuant to Section 3.01; or

(ii)    reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain Defaults hereunder and their consequences provided for in this Indenture; or

 

63


(iii)    modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 7.06 or Section 6.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section and Section 6.06, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 11.06 and 14.01(e); or

(iv)    modify, without the written consent of the Trustee, the rights, duties or immunities of the Trustee.

(b)    A supplemental indenture that changes or eliminates any provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

(c)    It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Securityholders under this Section 14.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

(d)    The Company may set a record date for purposes of determining the identity of the Holders of each series of Securities entitled to give a written consent or waive compliance by the Company as authorized or permitted by this Section. Such record date shall not be more than 30 calendar days prior to the first solicitation of such consent or waiver or the date of the most recent list of Holders furnished to the Trustee prior to such solicitation pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

(e)    Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section 14.02, the Company shall deliver a notice, setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture, to the Holders of Securities at their addresses as the same shall then appear in the Register of the Company. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

Section 14.03    Trustee Protected. Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by the Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required by Section 16.01 (provided, however, that such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel need not be provided in connection with the execution of a supplemental indenture that establishes the terms of a series of Securities pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof) and evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee of consent of the Holders if the supplemental indenture is to be executed pursuant to Section 14.02, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of said supplemental indenture unless said supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into said supplemental indenture. The Trustee shall be fully protected in relying upon such Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel.

 

64


Section 14.04    Effect of Execution of Supplemental Indenture. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article XIV, this Indenture shall be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders of all of the Securities or of the Securities of any series affected, as the case may be, shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

Section 14.05    Notation on or Exchange of Securities. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article may bear a notation in the form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company or the Trustee shall so determine, new Securities so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Board of Directors of the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for the Securities then Outstanding in equal aggregate principal amounts, and such exchange shall be made without cost to the Holders of the Securities.

Section 14.06    Conformity with TIA. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to the provisions of this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

ARTICLE XV

SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

Section 15.01    Agreement to Subordinate. In the event a series of Securities is designated as subordinated pursuant to Section 3.01, and except as otherwise provided in a Company Order or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, the Company, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities of such series by his, her or its acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on each and all of the Securities of such series is hereby expressly subordinated, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness. In the event a series of Securities is not designated as subordinated pursuant to Section 3.01(s), this Article XV shall have no effect upon the Securities.

Section 15.02    Distribution on Dissolution, Liquidation and Reorganization; Subrogation of Securities. Subject to Section 15.01, upon any distribution of assets of the Company upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization of the Company, whether in bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or receivership proceedings or upon an assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of the assets and liabilities of the Company or otherwise (subject to the power of a court of competent jurisdiction to make other equitable provision reflecting the rights conferred in this Indenture upon the Senior Indebtedness and the holders

 

65


thereof with respect to the Securities and the holders thereof by a lawful plan of reorganization under applicable bankruptcy law):

(a)    the holders of all Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full of the principal thereof (and premium, if any) and interest due thereon before the Holders of the Securities are entitled to receive any payment upon the principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on Indebtedness evidenced by the Securities; and

(b)    any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article XV shall be paid by the liquidation trustee or agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, whether a trustee in bankruptcy, a receiver or liquidating trustee or otherwise, directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture under which any instruments evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably according to the aggregate amounts remaining unpaid on account of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Senior Indebtedness held or represented by each, to the extent necessary to make payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness; and

(c)    in the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, such payment or distribution shall be paid over, upon written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, to the holder of such Senior Indebtedness or his, her or its representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture under which any instrument evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably as aforesaid, as calculated by the Company, for application to payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all such Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

(d)    Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness (to the extent that distributions otherwise payable to such holder have been applied to the payment of Senior Indebtedness) to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to Senior Indebtedness until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Securities shall be paid in full and no such payments or distributions to the Holders of the Securities of cash, property or securities otherwise distributable to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of the Securities. It is understood that the provisions of this Article XV are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand. Nothing contained in this Article XV or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the

 

66


Holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is unconditional and absolute, to pay to the Holders of the Securities the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or to affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or in the Securities prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article XV of the holders of Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy. Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article XV, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 15.06, shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon a certificate of the liquidating trustee or agent or other person making any distribution to the Trustee for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereof and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XV.

Section 15.03    No Payment on Securities in Event of Default on Senior Indebtedness. Subject to Section 15.01, no payment by the Company on account of principal (or premium, if any), sinking funds or interest, if any, on the Securities shall be made at any time if: (i) a default on Senior Indebtedness exists that permits the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to accelerate its maturity and (ii) the default is the subject of judicial proceedings or the Company has received notice of such default. The Company may resume payments on the Securities when full payment of amounts then due for principal (premium, if any), sinking funds and interest on Senior Indebtedness has been made or duly provided for in money or money’s worth.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraph of this Section 15.03, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, but only to the extent that the holders of such Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 15.04    Payments on Securities Permitted. Subject to Section 15.01, nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall (a) affect the obligation of the Company to make, or prevent the Company from making, at any time except as provided in Sections 15.02 and 15.03, payments of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Securities or (b) prevent the application by the Trustee of any moneys or assets deposited with it hereunder to the payment of or on account of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Securities, unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received at its Corporate Trust Office written notice of any fact prohibiting the making of such payment from the Company or from the holder of any Senior Indebtedness or from the trustee for any such holder, together with proof satisfactory to the Trustee of such holding of Senior Indebtedness or of the authority of such trustee more than two Business Days prior to the date fixed for such payment.

 

67


Section 15.05    Authorization of Securityholders to Trustee to Effect Subordination. Subject to Section 15.01, each Holder of Securities by his acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on his, her or its behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in this Article XV and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Section 15.06    Notices to Trustee. The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment of monies or assets to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities of any series pursuant to the provisions of this Article XV. Subject to Section 15.01, notwithstanding the provisions of this Article XV or any other provisions of this Indenture, neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent (other than the Company) shall be charged with knowledge of the existence of any Senior Indebtedness or of any fact which would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys or assets to or by the Trustee or such Paying Agent, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall have received (in the case of a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee) written notice thereof from the Company or from the holder of any Senior Indebtedness or from the trustee for any such holder, together with proof satisfactory to the Trustee of such holding of Senior Indebtedness or of the authority of such trustee and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee shall be entitled in all respects conclusively to presume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any such moneys or assets may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of either the principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any Security) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall not have received with respect to such moneys or assets the notice provided for in this Section 15.06, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such moneys or assets and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such a notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article XV, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article XV and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Section 15.07    Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness. Subject to Section 15.01, the Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article XV in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it to the same extent as any other holder

 

68


of Senior Indebtedness and nothing in this Indenture shall be construed to deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder. Nothing in this Article XV shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Sections 7.05 or 11.01.

Section 15.08    Modifications of Terms of Senior Indebtedness. Subject to Section 15.01, any renewal or extension of the time of payment of any Senior Indebtedness or the exercise by the holders of Senior Indebtedness of any of their rights under any instrument creating or evidencing Senior Indebtedness, including, without limitation, the waiver of default thereunder, may be made or done all without notice to or assent from the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee. To the extent permitted by applicable law, no compromise, alteration, amendment, modification, extension, renewal or other change of, or waiver, consent or other action in respect of, any liability or obligation under or in respect of, or of any of the terms, covenants or conditions of any indenture or other instrument under which any Senior Indebtedness is outstanding or of such Senior Indebtedness, whether or not such release is in accordance with the provisions of any applicable document, shall in any way alter or affect any of the provisions of this Article XV or of the Securities relating to the subordination thereof.

Section 15.09    Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent. Subject to Section 15.01, upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article XV, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian, receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XV.

Section 15.10    Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance. Subject to Section 15.01, amounts and U.S. Government Obligations deposited in trust with the Trustee pursuant to and in accordance with Article XII and not, at the time of such deposit, prohibited to be deposited under Sections 15.02 or 15.03 shall not be subject to this Article XV.

Section 15.11    Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness. With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee undertakes to perform or observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article XV, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee shall not be liable to any such holder if it shall pay over or distribute to or on behalf of Holders of Securities or the Company, or any other Person, moneys or assets to which any holder of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article XV or otherwise.

 

69


ARTICLE XVI

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 16.01    Certificates and Opinions as to Conditions Precedent.

(a)    Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such document is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

(b)    Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include (i) a statement that the Person giving such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition; (ii) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based; (iii) a statement that, in the view or opinion of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such Person to express an informed view or opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (iv) a statement as to whether or not, in the view or opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

(c)    Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care, but without investigation, should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his or her certificate, statement or opinion is based are erroneous. Any certificate, statement or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate, statement or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care, but without investigation, should know, that the certificate, statement or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

(d)    Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Company or of counsel to the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to accounting matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an accountant or firm of accountants, unless such officer or counsel, as the case may be, knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care, but without investigation, should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the accounting matters upon which his or her certificate, statement or opinion may be based are erroneous. Any certificate or opinion of any firm of independent registered public accountants filed with the Trustee shall contain a statement that such firm is independent.

 

70


(e)    In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

(f)    Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 16.02    Trust Indenture Act Controls. If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by, or another provision included in this Indenture which is required to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of Sections 310 to 318, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties or incorporated provision shall control, provided, however, that except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Securities, the Company shall not be required to comply with all or any portion of Trust Indenture Act § 314(d).

Section 16.03    Notices to the Company and Trustee. Any notice or demand authorized by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, the Company or the Trustee shall be sufficiently made, given, furnished or filed for all purposes if it shall be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to:

(a)    the Company, at [address], Attention: [Name/Title], email: [                    ], Facsimile No.: [    ] or at such other address or email or facsimile number as may have been furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

(b)    the Trustee, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, Attention: Trust Administrator, email: [                    ].

Any such notice, demand or other document shall be in the English language.

Section 16.04    Notices to Securityholders; Waiver. Any notice required or permitted to be given to Securityholders shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided),

(a)    if to Holders, if given in writing by first class mail, postage prepaid, to such Holders at their addresses as the same shall appear on the Register of the Company; provided, that in the event of suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give notice by mail, then such notification as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice for every purpose hereunder; or

(b)    If a series of Securities has been issued in the form of one or more Global Securities through DTC as Depositary, notice may be provided with respect to such series of Securities by delivery of such notice to DTC for posting through its “Legal Notice Service” (LENS) or a successor system thereof.

 

71


Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance on such waiver. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail; neither the failure to mail such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders, and any notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given. In any case where notice to Holders is given by publication, any defect in any notice so published as to any particular Holder shall not affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders, and any notice that is published in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given.

Section 16.05    Legal Holiday. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 3.01, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Maturity of any Security of any series shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment for the Securities of that series, then payment of principal and premium, if any, or interest need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Maturity and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Maturity, as the case may be, to such Business Day if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business Day.

Section 16.06    Effects of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 16.07    Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the parties hereto shall bind their respective successors and assigns and inure to the benefit of their permitted successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 16.08    Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 16.09    Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or to give to, any Person or corporation other than the parties hereto and their successors and the Holders of the Securities any benefit or any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Indenture or any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise or agreement hereof, and all covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture contained shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and of the Holders of the Securities.

Section 16.10    Counterparts Originals. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

72


Section 16.11    Governing Law; Waiver of Trial by Jury. This Indenture and the Securities shall be deemed to be contracts made under the law of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of said State.

EACH PARTY HERETO, AND EACH HOLDER OF A SECURITY BY ACCEPTANCE THEREOF, HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS INDENTURE.

 

73


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

 

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc., as Issuer
By:  

                     

Name:  
Title:  
[                    ],  
as Trustee  
By:  

                     

Name:  
Title:  

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

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

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE [DEPOSITARY] TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF [NOMINEE OF DEPOSITARY]. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO [NOMINEE OF DEPOSITARY] OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF [DEPOSITARY]), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, [NOMINEE OF DEPOSITARY], HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.


CUSIP No.                     

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

                    NOTES DUE 20    

 

No.         $        
   As revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto

Interest. Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc., a Delaware 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                      or registered assigns, the principal sum of      million dollars ($        ), as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto, on            , 20     and to pay interest thereon from             , 20     or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on                      and                      in each year, commencing             , 20     at the rate of     % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

Method of Payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Record Date for such interest, which shall be                      or                     , as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice thereof having been given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

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

 

76


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:             , 20    

 

DEL FRISCO’S RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.
By:  

                     

  Name:  

                     

  Title:  

                     

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

Date of authentication:                         [TRUSTEE],
    as Trustee
    By:  

 

      Authorized Signatory

 

77


[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

Indenture. This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of             , 20    , [as supplemented by a      Supplemental Indenture dated             , 20    ] (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and [Trustee], as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $        .

Optional Redemption. The Securities of this series are subject to redemption at the Company’s option, at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to                     .

For purposes of determining the optional redemption price, the following definitions are applicable:

 

                    

Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date (unless a shorter period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) to each registered Holder of the Securities to be redeemed. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities or portions of the Securities called for redemption. If fewer than all of the Securities are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, not more than __ days prior to the Redemption Date, the particular Securities or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding Securities not previously called by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

Except as set forth above, the Securities will not be redeemable by the Company prior to maturity and will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

Defaults and Remedies. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

Amendment, Modification and Waiver. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences.

 

78


Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture does not limit unsecured debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

Denominations, Transfer and Exchange. The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the Registrar accompanied by a written request for transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

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.

Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Miscellaneous. The Indenture and this Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of law rules of said State.

All terms used in this Security and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

79


SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

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

 

Date of

Exchange

   Amount of increase in
Principal Amount of
this Global Security
     Amount of decrease
in Principal Amount
of this Global
Security
     Principal Amount of
this Global Security
following each
decrease or increase
     Signature of
authorized signatory
of Trustee
 
           

 

80

Exhibit 5.1

[Letterhead of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP]

June 27, 2018

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

2900 Ranch Trail,

Irving, TX 75063

 

  Re: Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.
       Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed on the date hereof by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Registration Statement relates to the issuance and sale by the Company from time to time, pursuant to Rule 415 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated under the Securities Act (the “Rules and Regulations”), of (i) shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”), (ii) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Preferred Stock”), which may be issued in one or more series, (iii) debt securities of the Company (“Debt Securities”), which may be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the “Indenture”) proposed to be entered into by the Company and the trustee to be named therein, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, (iv) warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock, shares of Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (“Warrants”), which may be issued pursuant to one or more warrant agreements (each, a “Warrant Agreement”) proposed to be entered into by the Company and one or more warrant agents to be named therein, (v) subscription rights to purchase shares of Common Stock, shares of Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (“Subscription Rights”), which may be issued under one or more subscription rights certificates (each, a “Subscription Rights Certificate”) and/or pursuant to one or more subscription rights agreements (each, a “Subscription Rights Agreement”) proposed to be entered into by the Company and one or more subscription agents to be named therein, (vi) purchase contracts (“Purchase Contracts”) obligating the holders thereof to purchase from the Company, and the Company to sell to such holders, shares of Common Stock, shares of Preferred Stock or Debt Securities at a future date or dates, which may be issued pursuant to one or more purchase contract agreements (each, a “Purchase Contract Agreement”) proposed to be entered into by the Company and one or more purchase contract agents to be named therein, (vii) purchase units of the Company (“Purchase Units”), each consisting of a Purchase Contract and debt securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities, or any other securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or any combination of the foregoing, which may be issued pursuant to


one or more agreements (each, a “Purchase Unit Agreement”) proposed to be entered into by the Company and one or more purchase unit agents to be named therein, (viii) units of the Company (“Units”), each consisting of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants, Purchase Contracts, Purchase Units or any combination of those securities, which may be issued pursuant to one or more agreements (each, a “Unit Agreement”) proposed to be entered into by the Company and one or more unit agents to be named therein and (ix) such indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock and indeterminate amount of Debt Securities as may be issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise, as applicable, of any Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants or Subscription Rights or settlement of any Purchase Contracts, Purchase Units or Units, including such shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock as may be issued pursuant to anti-dilution adjustments determined at the time of offering (collectively, “Indeterminate Securities”). The Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants, Subscription Rights, Purchase Contracts, Purchase Units, Units and Indeterminate Securities offered pursuant to the Registration Statement are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.”

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

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

(a) the Registration Statement;

(b) the form of Indenture filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement;

(c) an executed copy of a certificate of William S. Martens, III, Secretary of the Company, dated the date hereof (the “Secretary’s Certificate”);

(d) a copy of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as of June 27, 2018, and certified pursuant to the Secretary’s Certificate;

(e) a copy of the Company’s Bylaws, in effect as of the date hereof and certified pursuant to the Secretary’s Certificate; and

(f) a copy of certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company, adopted on June 25, 2018, certified pursuant to the Secretary’s Certificate.

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Company and such agreements, certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions stated below.

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, including endorsements, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all


documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. As to any facts relevant to the opinions stated herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials, including those in the Secretary’s Certificate.

We do not express any opinion with respect to the laws of any jurisdiction other than (i) the laws of the State of New York, and (ii) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) (all of the foregoing being referred to as “Opined-on Law”).

As used herein, “Transaction Agreements” means the Indenture and the supplemental indentures thereto, the Warrant Agreements, the Subscription Rights Agreements, the Purchase Contract Agreements, the Purchase Unit Agreements, the Unit Agreements and any applicable underwriting or purchase agreement.

The opinions stated in paragraphs 1 through 8 below presume that all of the following (collectively, the “general conditions”) shall have occurred prior to the issuance of the Securities referred to therein: (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including all necessary post-effective amendments), has become effective under the Securities Act; (ii) an appropriate prospectus supplement or term sheet with respect to such Securities has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations; (iii) the applicable Transaction Agreements shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, including, if such Securities are to be sold or otherwise distributed pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement or purchase agreement with respect thereto; (iv) the Board of Directors of the Company, including any duly authorized committee thereof, shall have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and sale of such Securities and related matters and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all related action as directed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors of the Company; and (v) the terms of the applicable Transaction Agreements and the issuance and sale of such Securities have been duly established in conformity with the certificate of incorporation of the Company so as not to violate any applicable law, the certificate of incorporation of the Company or the bylaws of the Company, or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. With respect to any shares of Common Stock offered by the Company, including any Indeterminate Securities constituting Common Stock (the “Offered Common Stock”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) if the Offered Common Stock is to be certificated, certificates in the form required under the DGCL representing the shares of Offered Common Stock are duly executed and countersigned and (c) the shares of Offered Common Stock are registered in the Company’s share registry and delivered upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, the shares of Offered Common Stock, when


issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement, will be duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company under the DGCL and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, provided that the consideration therefor is not less than $0.001 per share of Common Stock.

2. With respect to the shares of any series of Preferred Stock offered by the Company, including any Indeterminate Securities constituting Preferred Stock of such series (the “Offered Preferred Stock”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) the Board of Directors of the Company, or a duly authorized committee thereof, has duly adopted a Certificate of Designations for the Offered Preferred Stock in accordance with the DGCL (the “Certificate”), (c) the filing of the Certificate with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware has duly occurred, (d) if the Offered Preferred Stock is to be certificated, certificates in the form required under the DGCL representing the shares of Offered Preferred Stock are duly executed and countersigned and (e) the shares of Offered Preferred Stock are registered in the Company’s share registry and delivered upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, the shares of Offered Preferred Stock, when issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement, will be duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company under the DGCL and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, provided that the consideration therefor is not less than $0.001 per share of Preferred Stock, and that if such shares of Preferred Stock are convertible into shares of Common Stock, the conversion price is not less than $0.001 per share of Common Stock.

3. With respect to any series of Debt Securities offered by the Company, including any Indeterminate Securities constituting Debt Securities of such series (the “Offered Debt Securities”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939; (c) the issuance, sale and terms of the Offered Debt Securities and related matters have been approved and established in conformity with the applicable Transaction Agreements and (d) the certificates evidencing the Offered Debt Securities have been issued in a form that complies with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreements and have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and any other applicable Transaction Agreements and issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, the Offered Debt Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms under the laws of the State of New York, provided that if such Debt Securities are convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, the applicable conversion price is not less than $0.001 per share.

4. With respect to any Warrants offered by the Company (the “Offered Warrants”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) the Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Debt Securities for which the Offered Warrants are exercisable have been duly authorized for issuance by the Company and (c) certificates evidencing the Offered Warrants have been duly executed, delivered and countersigned in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Warrant Agreement, the Offered Warrants, when issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, will constitute valid and binding


obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms under the laws of the State of New York, provided that if such Warrants are convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, the applicable conversion price is not less than $0.001 per share.

5. With respect to any Subscription Rights offered by the Company (the “Offered Subscription Rights”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) the Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Debt Securities relating to such Offered Subscription Rights have been duly authorized for issuance by the Company and (c) the Subscription Rights Certificates have been duly executed, delivered and countersigned in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Subscription Rights Agreement, the Offered Subscription Rights, when issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms under the laws of the State of New York.

6. With respect to any Purchase Contracts offered by the Company (the “Offered Purchase Contracts”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) the Common Stock, Preferred Stock and/or Debt Securities relating to such Offered Purchase Contracts have been duly authorized for issuance by the Company and (c) the Offered Purchase Contracts have been duly executed, delivered and countersigned in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Purchase Contract Agreement, the Offered Purchase Contracts, when issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms under the laws of the State of New York, provided that if such Purchase Contracts are convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, the applicable conversion price is not less than $0.001 per share.

7. With respect to any Purchase Units offered by the Company (the “Offered Purchase Units”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) the Purchase Contract and debt securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities, or any other securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement or any combination of the foregoing included in such Offered Purchase Units have been duly authorized for issuance or sale, as the case may be, by the Company and, if applicable, any third party and (c) certificates evidencing the Offered Purchase Units have been duly executed, delivered and countersigned in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Purchase Unit Agreement, the Offered Purchase Units, when issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms under the laws of the State of New York.

8. With respect to any Units offered by the Company (the “Offered Units”), when (a) the general conditions shall have been satisfied, (b) the securities described in the Registration Statement included in such Offered Units have been duly authorized for issuance or sale, as the case may be, by the Company and, if applicable, any third party and (c) certificates


evidencing the Offered Units have been duly executed, delivered and countersigned in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Unit Agreement, the Offered Units, when issued and sold or otherwise distributed in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Transaction Agreement upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms under the laws of the State of New York, provided that if such Units are convertible into shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, the applicable conversion price is not less than $0.001 per share.

The opinions stated herein are subject to the following qualifications:

(a) the opinions stated herein are limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer, preference and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);

(b) we do not express any opinion with respect to any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to any party to any of the Transaction Agreements or the transactions contemplated thereby solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any such party or any of its affiliates as a result of the specific assets or business operations of such party or such affiliates;

(c) except to the extent expressly stated in the opinions contained herein, we have assumed that each of the Transaction Agreements constitutes the valid and binding obligation of each party to such Transaction Agreement, and with respect to our opinions in paragraphs 7 and 8, constitutes the valid and binding obligation of any third party, as applicable, enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms;

(d) we do not express any opinion with respect to the enforceability of any provision contained in any Transaction Agreement relating to any indemnification, contribution, non-reliance, exculpation, release, limitation or exclusion of remedies, waiver, or other provisions having similar effect that may be contrary to public policy or violative of federal or state securities laws, rules or regulations;

(e) we do not express any opinion with respect to the enforceability of any provision of any Transaction Agreement to the extent that such section purports to bind the Company to the exclusive jurisdiction of any particular federal court or courts;

(f) we call to your attention that irrespective of the agreement of the parties to any Transaction Agreement, a court may decline to hear a case on grounds of forum non conveniens or other doctrine limiting the availability of such court as a forum for resolution of disputes; in addition, we call to your attention that we do not express any opinion with respect to the subject matter jurisdiction of the federal courts of the United States of America in any action arising out of or relating to any Transaction Agreement;

(g) we have assumed that any agent of service will have accepted appointment as agent to receive service of process and call to your attention that we do not express any


opinion if and to the extent such agent shall resign such appointment. Further, we do not express any opinion with respect to the irrevocability of the designation of such agent to receive service of process;

(h) we have assumed that the choice of New York law to govern the Indenture and any supplemental indenture thereto is a valid and legal provision;

(i) we have assumed that the laws of the State of New York will be chosen to govern any Warrant Agreements, Subscription Rights Agreements, Purchase Contract Agreements, Purchase Unit Agreements and Unit Agreements and that such choice is and will be a valid and legal provision;

(j) we have assumed that the Indenture will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the trustee in substantially the form reviewed by us, and that any Debt Securities, Warrants, Subscription Rights, Purchase Contracts, Purchase Units and Units that may be issued will be manually authenticated, signed or countersigned, as the case may be, by duly authorized officers of any trustee, warrant agent, subscription agent, purchase contract agent, purchase unit agent and unit agent, as the case may be;

(k) we do not express any opinion with respect to the enforceability of any provision contained in any Transaction Agreement providing for indemnity by any party thereto against any loss in obtaining the currency due to such party under any Transaction Agreement from a court judgment in another currency;

(l) we have assumed that the choice of a currency other than U.S. dollars as the currency in which any Securities may be denominated does not contravene any exchange control or other laws of the jurisdiction of any such currency, and further we call to your attention that a court may not award a judgment in any currency other than U.S. dollars; and

(m) to the extent that any opinion relates to the enforceability of the choice of New York law and choice of New York forum provisions contained in any Transaction Agreement, the opinions stated herein are subject to the qualification that such enforceability may be subject to, in each case, (i) the exceptions and limitations in New York General Obligations Law sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 and (ii) principles of comity and constitutionality.

In addition, in rendering the foregoing opinions we have assumed that:

(a) neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Agreements nor the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, including the issuance and sale of the applicable Securities: (i) constitutes or will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any lease, indenture, instrument or other agreement to which the Company or its property is subject, (ii) contravened or will contravene any order or decree of any governmental authority to which the Company or its property is subject, or (iii) violates or will violate any law, rule or regulation to which the Company or its property is subject (except that we do not make the assumption set forth in this clause (iii) with respect to the Opined-on Law); and


(b) neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Agreements nor the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, including the issuance and sale of the applicable Securities, requires or will require the consent, approval, licensing or authorization of, or any filing, recording or registration with, any governmental authority under any law, rule or regulation of any jurisdiction.

We hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement. We also hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Exhibit 12.1

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

Calculation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

(All Amounts In Thousands Except Ratios)

 

     Thirteen Weeks
Ended
March 27,
     Year Ended December  
     2018      26, 2017     27, 2016      29, 2015      30, 2014      31, 2013  

Earnings:

                

Unadjusted Pre-Tax Income

   $ 459      $ (24,391   $ 24,574      $ 21,505      $ 24,320      $ 17,768  

One-Time Events

     1,494        42,285       2,422        4,634        3,536        11,739  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted Pre-Tax Income

   $ 1,935      $ 17,894     $ 26,996      $ 26,139      $ 27,856      $ 29,507  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Fixed Charges:

                

Interest

   $ 303      $ 783     $ 70      $ 77      $ 113      $ 72  

Interest Allocable to Rental Expenses (1)

     2,704        10,192       9,414        8,500        7,199        5,977  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Fixed Charges

   $ 3,007      $ 10,975     $ 9,484      $ 8,577      $ 7,312      $ 6,049  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

     0.6x        1.6x       2.8x        3.0x        3.8x        4.9x  
  

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

(1) Portion of rent expense representing interest.

 

  

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc.:

We consent to the use of our reports dated March 27, 2018, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 26, 2017 and December 27, 2016, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive (loss) income, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 26, 2017, and the related notes (collectively, the “consolidated financial statements”), and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 26, 2017, incorporated herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

Our report dated March 27, 2018, on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 26, 2017, expresses our opinion that the Company did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 26, 2017 because of the effect of a material weakness on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria and contains an explanatory paragraph that states a material weakness has been identified and included in management’s assessment. The material weakness related to the operating effectiveness of the Company’s control over the accounting for a non-routine transaction, specifically for a sale leaseback transaction related to property and equipment.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Dallas, Texas

June 27, 2018

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Auditor

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc., filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 27, 2018, of our report dated April 13, 2018, except for certain restatement matters, as to which the date is May 31, 2018, on our audits of the consolidated financial statements of Barteca Holdings, LLC and Subsidiaries as of and for the years ended January 2, 2018, January 3, 2017 and December 29, 2015, which report is included in the Current Report on Form 8-K of Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, Inc. dated June 27, 2018. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the caption “Experts”.

/s/ CohnReznick LLP

Jericho, New York

June 27, 2018

Categories

SEC Filings