As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 6, 2012

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	13-4151777
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

345 East Main Street

Warsaw, Indiana 46580

(574) 267-6131

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Chad F. Phipps

Senior Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary

Zimmer Holdings, Inc.

345 East Main Street

Warsaw, Indiana 46580

(574) 267-6131

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

Copy to:

David C. Worrell

Janelle Blankenship

Faegre Baker Daniels LLP

600 East 96^th Street

Suite 600

Indianapolis, Indiana 46240

(317) 569-9600

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of the Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are to be 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 x

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. x

If this Form is a post-effective amendment 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	x	Accelerated filer	¨
Non-accelerated filer	¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	¨

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered(1)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Unit(1)	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)	Amount of Registration Fee(2)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Warrants to purchase Common Stock or Preferred Stock
Senior Debt Securities

(1) Omitted pursuant to General Instruction II.E. of Form S-3. An indeterminate aggregate initial offering price or number of securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered at indeterminate prices.

(2) The registrant will pay registration fees pursuant to Rule 456(b) and 457(r) in connection with offerings of securities hereunder, and will update this table by post-effective amendment or prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) to indicate the aggregate offering price of the securities offered and the amount of the registration fees paid.

PROSPECTUS

ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Senior Debt Securities

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities. The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and any other information relating to an offering, will be set forth in a supplement to this prospectus, in other offering material related to the securities or may be set forth in one or more documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

The preferred stock may be convertible into common stock or into preferred stock of another series. The debt securities may be convertible into common stock or preferred stock. The warrants may be exercisable for common stock or preferred stock. We may offer the securities separately or together, in separate series or classes and in amounts, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus and other offering material.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ZMH.”

You should read carefully this prospectus, the prospectus supplement and other offering material before you invest. This prospectus may be used to offer and sell securities only if accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors referred to on page 2 of this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus before investing in our securities.

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

The date of this prospectus is November 6, 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Page
About This Prospectus		1
Forward-Looking Statements		1
Zimmer Holdings, Inc.		1
Risk Factors		2
Use of Proceeds		2
Description of Equity Securities We May Offer		2
Description of Debt Securities We May Offer		5
Important Provisions of Our Governing Documents and Delaware Law		16
Legal Matters		18
Experts		18
Where You Can Find More Information		19

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered. Each time we offer or sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement and any other offering material may also add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus and, accordingly, to the extent inconsistent, information in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus is superseded by the information in the prospectus supplement and any other offering material related to such securities.

We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, our securities only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate at any date other than the date on the cover page of these documents.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus may contain or incorporate forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. You can identify these forward-looking statements by our use of the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “estimate,” “should,” “predict,” “potential,” “project, “target,” “forecast” and similar expressions, whether in the negative or affirmative. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained, and it is possible that our actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks and uncertainties.

These risks and uncertainties include those described under the heading “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus supplement and under the same heading in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC.

We are a global leader in the design, development, manufacture and marketing of orthopaedic reconstructive, spinal and trauma devices, biologics, dental implants and related surgical products. We also provide other health care-related services. We have operations in more than 25 countries and market products in more than 100 countries, with corporate headquarters in Warsaw, Indiana and more than 100 manufacturing, distribution and warehousing and/or office facilities worldwide.

Unless the context requires otherwise or unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the terms “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to Zimmer Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, including Zimmer, Inc.

We were formed as a Delaware corporation in 2001. Our history dates to 1927, when Zimmer Manufacturing Company, a predecessor, was founded in Warsaw, Indiana. On August 6, 2001, we were spun off from our former parent and became an independent public company.

Our principal executive offices are located at 345 East Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana 46580. Our telephone number is (574) 267-6131. Our Internet website address is www.zimmer.com. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

If you want to find more information about us, please see the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” in this prospectus.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Prior to making a decision about purchasing any securities, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and the risks and uncertainties incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including the information included under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2012, June 30, 2012, and September 30, 2012, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, as well as any modification, replacement or update to these risks and uncertainties that are reflected in any future filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, as described under “Where You Can Find More Information” below, which will also be incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of debt, share repurchases, financing capital commitments and financing future acquisitions.

DESCRIPTION OF EQUITY SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

Authorized Stock

Our authorized capital stock consists of one billion shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 173,502,118 shares were outstanding as of October 25, 2012, and 250 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which none were outstanding as of that date. All outstanding shares of common stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The following summary description of our capital stock is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Common Stock

The holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by stockholders. The holders of shares of common stock are not entitled to cumulate their votes in the election of directors, which means that holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock can elect all of our directors. The holders of shares of common stock are entitled to receive such dividends as our board of directors may from time to time, and in its discretion, declare from any assets legally available therefor.

The holders of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive, subscription or conversion rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The holders of common stock are not subject to further calls or assessments by us. Upon our liquidation, after payment or provision for payment of all of our obligations and any liquidation preference of any outstanding preferred stock, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in our remaining assets.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ZMH.”

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

Preferred Stock

We currently have no shares of preferred stock outstanding. This section is only a summary of the preferred stock that we may offer. We urge you to read carefully our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the

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designation we will file in relation to an issue of any particular series of preferred stock before you buy any preferred stock. This section describes the general terms and provisions of the preferred stock we may offer by this prospectus. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the series of the preferred stock then offered, and the terms and provisions described in this section will apply only to the extent not superseded by the terms of the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our board of directors may issue from time to time shares of preferred stock in one or more series and with the relative powers, rights and preferences and for the consideration our board of directors may determine.

Our board of directors may, without further action of the stockholders, determine and set forth in a designation, the following for each series of preferred stock:

• the serial designation and the number of shares in that series;

• the dividend rate or rates, whether dividends shall be cumulative and, if so, from what date, the payment date or dates for dividends, and any participating or other special rights with respect to dividends;

• any voting powers of the shares;

• whether the shares will be redeemable and, if so, the price or prices at which, and the terms and conditions on which the shares may be redeemed;

• the amount or amounts payable upon the shares in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us prior to any payment or distribution of our assets to any class or classes of our stock ranking junior to the preferred stock;

• whether the shares will be entitled to the benefit of a sinking or retirement fund and, if so entitled, the amount of the fund and the manner of its application, including the price or prices at which the shares may be redeemed or purchased through the application of the fund;

• whether the shares will be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or of any other series of the same or any other class of our stock or the stock of another issuer, and if so convertible or exchangeable, the conversion price or prices, or the rates of exchange, and any adjustments to the conversion price or rates of exchange at which the conversion or exchange may be made, and any other terms and conditions of the conversion or exchange; and

• any other preferences, privileges and powers, and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions, as our board of directors may deem advisable and as shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of our Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

Depending on the rights prescribed for a series of preferred stock, the issuance of preferred stock could have an adverse effect on the voting power of the holders of common stock and could adversely affect holders of common stock by delaying or preventing a change in control of us, making removal of our present management more difficult or imposing restrictions upon the payment of dividends and other distributions to the holders of common stock.

The preferred stock, when issued, will be fully paid and non-assessable. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, the preferred stock will have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any additional securities which may be issued by us in the future. The transfer agent and registrar for the preferred stock will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Warrants

This section describes the general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the warrants then offered, and the terms and provisions described in this section will apply only to the extent not superseded by the terms of the applicable prospectus supplement.

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We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock. Warrants may be issued alone or together with common stock or preferred stock offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from those securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under warrant agreements between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, which will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not act as an agent or trustee for any holders or beneficial holders of warrants.

This section summarizes the general terms and provisions of the forms of warrant agreements and warrant certificates. Because this is only a summary, it does not contain all of the details found in the full text of the warrant agreements and the warrant certificates. We urge you to read the applicable form of warrant agreement and the form of warrant certificate that we will file in relation to an issue of any warrants.

If warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock are offered, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of those warrants, including the following if applicable:

• the offering price;

• the total number of shares that can be purchased upon exercise and, in the case of warrants for preferred stock, the designation, total number and terms of the series of preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise;

• the designation and terms of the series of preferred stock with which the warrants are being offered and the number of warrants being offered with each share of common stock or preferred stock;

• the date on and after which the holder of the warrants can transfer them separately from the related common stock or series of preferred stock;

• the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock that can be purchased upon exercise and the price at which the common stock or preferred stock may be purchased upon exercise;

• the date on which the right to exercise the warrants begins and the date on which that right expires;

• U.S. federal income tax consequences; and

• any other terms of the warrants.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, warrants will be in registered form only. Until any warrants to purchase preferred stock or common stock are exercised, holders of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying preferred stock or common stock, including any right to receive dividends or to exercise any voting rights.

A holder of warrant certificates may:

• exchange them for new certificates of different denominations;

• present them for registration of transfer; and

• exercise them at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Each holder of a warrant is entitled to purchase the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock at the exercise price described in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the day when the right to exercise terminates, or a later date if we extend the time for exercise, unexercised warrants will become void.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, a holder of warrants may exercise them by following the general procedure outlined below:

• delivering to the warrant agent the payment required by the applicable prospectus supplement to purchase the underlying security;

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• properly completing and signing the reverse side of the warrant certificate representing the warrants; and

• delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to the warrant agent within five business days of the warrant agent receiving payment of the exercise price.

If you comply with the procedures described above, your warrants will be considered to have been exercised when the warrant agent receives payment of the exercise price. After you have completed those procedures, we will, as soon as practicable, issue and deliver to you preferred stock or common stock that you purchased upon exercise. If you exercise fewer than all of the warrants represented by a warrant certificate, a new warrant certificate will be issued to you for the unexercised amount of warrants. Holders of warrants will be required to pay any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with transferring the underlying securities in connection with the exercise of the warrants.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise, the following describes generally the provisions relating to amending and supplementing the warrant agreements. We may amend or supplement a warrant agreement without the consent of the holders of the applicable warrants if the changes are not inconsistent with the provisions of the warrants and do not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the warrants. We and the warrant agent may also modify or amend a warrant agreement and the terms of the warrants if a majority of the then outstanding unexercised warrants affected by the modification or amendment consent. However, no modification or amendment that accelerates the expiration date, increases the exercise price, reduces the majority consent requirement for any modification or amendment or otherwise materially adversely affects the rights of the holders of the warrants may be made without the consent of each holder affected by the modification or amendment.

The warrant certificate and the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the events requiring adjustment to the warrant exercise price or the number or principal amount of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrant.

Restrictions on Change in Control

See “Important Provisions of Our Governing Documents and Delaware Law” below for a description of certain provisions in our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

General

The description below of the general terms of the debt securities will be supplemented by the more specific terms in a prospectus supplement.

The debt securities offered by this prospectus will be our unsecured senior notes. We will issue the debt securities under an indenture dated as of November 17, 2009 (the “indenture”), between us and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, or the “trustee.” We have summarized material terms and provisions of the indenture below. The following summary is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all provisions of the indenture. A copy of the indenture is an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

The indenture provides that our debt securities may be issued in one or more series, with different terms, in each case as authorized from time to time by us. The indenture also gives us the ability to reopen a previous issue of a series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of that series. The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities or other unsecured debt which we may issue.

The debt securities will be unsecured and unsubordinated and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness outstanding from time to time.

The debt securities will not be secured by any of our property or assets. Thus, by owning a debt security, you are one of our unsecured creditors.

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The debt securities are our obligations, but our assets consist primarily of equity in our subsidiaries. We are a separate and distinct legal entity from our subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make payments on our debt securities depends on our receipt of dividends, loan payments and other funds from our subsidiaries. If any of our subsidiaries becomes insolvent, the direct creditors of that subsidiary will have a prior claim on its assets. Our rights and the rights of our creditors, including your rights as an owner of our debt securities, will be subject to that prior claim, unless we are also a direct creditor of that subsidiary. This subordination of creditors of a parent company to prior claims of creditors of its subsidiaries is commonly referred to as structural subordination.

In addition to the following description of the debt securities, you should refer to the detailed provisions of the indenture, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

A prospectus supplement will specify the following terms of any issue of debt securities we may offer:

• the designation or title, the aggregate principal amount and the authorized denominations if other than $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;

• the price(s) at which debt securities will be issued;

• whether the debt securities will be issued pursuant to a periodic offering program;

• the percentage of their principal amount at which the debt securities will be issued and, if applicable, the method of determining the price;

• if other than the principal amount, the portion of the principal amount, or the method by which the portion will be determined, of the debt securities that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities;

• the date or dates on which the debt securities will mature and any right to extend the date or dates;

• if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies in which payments on the debt securities will be payable and the manner of determining the U.S. dollar equivalent for purposes of determining outstanding debt securities of a series;

• the rate or rates at which the debt securities will bear interest, if any, or the method of determination (including indices) of the rate or rates;

• the date or dates from which interest, if any, will accrue, the dates on which the interest, if any, will be payable, the method of determining holders to whom any of the interest will be payable and any right to defer the payment of interest;

• any mandatory or optional sinking fund or analogous provisions;

• the prices, if any, at which, the dates at or after which and the terms upon which, we may or must repay, repurchase or redeem the debt securities;

• the date or dates, if any, after which the debt securities may be converted or exchanged into or for shares of our common stock or another company’s securities or property or settled for the cash value of securities issued by us or a third party and the terms for any conversion or exchange or settlement;

• the exchanges, if any, on which the debt securities may be listed;

• any special provisions for the payment of additional amounts with respect to the debt securities;

• whether the debt securities are to be issuable as registered securities or bearer securities or both, whether any of the debt securities are to be issuable initially in temporary global form and whether any of the debt securities are to be issuable in permanent global form;

• each office or agency where the principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities will be payable and each office or agency where the debt securities may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange;

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• whether the debt securities will be subject to defeasance or covenant defeasance;

• any changes to or additional events of default or covenants; and

• any other terms of the debt securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the indenture.

A series of debt securities may be issued as discounted debt securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. The prospectus supplement will contain any U.S. federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to discounted debt securities.

If the purchase price, or the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any additional amounts with respect to, any debt securities is payable in, or if any debt securities are denominated in, one or more foreign currencies, the restrictions, elections, U.S. federal income tax considerations, specific terms and other information will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, other than as described below under “— Covenants,” the indenture does not limit our ability to incur indebtedness or protect holders of the debt securities in the event of a sudden and significant decline in our credit quality or a takeover, recapitalization or highly leveraged or similar transaction involving us. Accordingly, we could in the future enter into transactions that could increase the amount of our outstanding indebtedness or otherwise affect our capital structure or credit rating.

Payment and Transfer

Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will issue debt securities only as registered securities, which means that the name of the holder will be entered in a register, which will be kept by the trustee or another agent of ours. Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will make principal and interest payments at the office of the paying agent or agents we name in the prospectus supplement or by delivering payment to you at the address we have for you in the register.

Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, you will be able to transfer registered debt securities at the office of the transfer agent or agents we name in the prospectus supplement. You may also exchange registered debt securities at the office of the transfer agent for an equal aggregate principal amount of registered debt securities of the same series having the same maturity date, interest rate and other terms as long as the debt securities are issued in authorized denominations.

Neither we nor the trustee will impose any service charge for any transfer or exchange of a debt security; however, we may require you to pay a sum sufficient to cover any taxes or other governmental charges in connection with a transfer or exchange of debt securities.

If the debt securities are redeemable and we redeem less than all of the debt securities of a particular series, we may block the transfer or exchange of debt securities during a specified period of time in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare and send the notice. The period begins 15 days before the day we send the notice of redemption and ends on the day it is sent. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of debt securities selected for redemption. However, we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security being partially redeemed.

Conversion and Exchange Rights

The debt securities of any series may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, preferred stock or our other securities or property or cash on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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Covenants

Limitation on Liens

The indenture contains a covenant that we will not, and we will not permit any of our restricted subsidiaries to, issue, assume or guarantee any indebtedness secured by any mortgage upon any of our principal properties or those of any of our restricted subsidiaries without securing the debt securities (and, if we so determine, any other indebtedness ranking equally with the debt securities) equally and ratably with such indebtedness.

This covenant will not prevent us or any of our restricted subsidiaries from issuing, assuming or guaranteeing:

• any purchase money mortgage on such property simultaneously with or within 180 days after the later of (1) the acquisition or completion of construction or completion of substantial reconstruction, renovation, remodeling, expansion or improvement (each, a “substantial improvement”) of such property, or (2) the placing in operation of such property after the acquisition or completion of any such construction or substantial improvement; or

• any mortgage on real property or on equipment used directly in the operation of, or the business conducted on, such mortgaged real property, which is the sole security for indebtedness:

• incurred within three years after the latest of (1) the date of issuance of the first series of debt securities under the indenture, (2) the date of the acquisition of the real property, or (3) the date of the completion of construction or substantial improvement on such real property;

• incurred for the purpose of reimbursing us or our restricted subsidiary for the cost of acquisition and/or the cost of improvement of such real property and equipment;

• the amount of which does not exceed the lesser of the aggregate cost of the real property, improvements and equipment or the fair market value of that real property, improvements and equipment; and

• the holder of which shall be entitled to enforce payment of such indebtedness solely by resorting to the security for such mortgage, without any liability on the part of us or a restricted subsidiary for any deficiency;

• an existing mortgage on property not previously owned by us or a restricted subsidiary, including in each case indebtedness incurred for reimbursement of funds previously expended for any substantial improvements to or acquisitions of property; however:

• the mortgage must be limited to any or all of (1) such acquired or constructed property or substantial improvement (including accretions thereto), (2) the real property on which any construction or substantial improvement occurs or (3) with respect to distribution centers, any equipment used directly in the operation of, or the business conducted on, the real property on which any construction or substantial improvement occurs; and

• the total amount of the indebtedness secured by the mortgage, together with all other indebtedness to persons other than us or a restricted subsidiary secured by mortgages on such property, shall not exceed the lesser of (1) the total cost of such mortgaged property, including any costs of construction or substantial improvement, or (2) the fair market value of the property immediately following the acquisition, construction or substantial improvement;

• mortgages existing on the date of the indenture, mortgages on assets of a restricted subsidiary existing on the date it became a subsidiary or mortgages on the assets of a subsidiary that is newly designated as a restricted subsidiary if the mortgage would have been permitted under the provisions of this paragraph if such mortgage was created while the subsidiary was a restricted subsidiary;

• mortgages in favor of us or a restricted subsidiary;

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• mortgages securing only the indebtedness issued under the indenture; and

• mortgages to secure indebtedness incurred to extend, renew, refinance or replace indebtedness secured by any mortgages referred to above, provided that the principal amount of the extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of indebtedness so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced, plus transaction costs and fees, and that any such mortgage applies only to the same property or assets subject to the prior permitted mortgage (and, in the case of real property, improvements).

Limitations on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

The indenture contains a covenant that we will not, and will not permit our restricted subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement with any person providing for the leasing by us or any restricted subsidiary of any principal property owned or acquired thereafter that has been or is to be sold or transferred by us or such restricted subsidiary to such person with the intention of taking back a lease of such property, a “sale and leaseback transaction,” without equally and ratably securing the debt securities (and, if we shall so determine, any other indebtedness ranking equally with the debt securities), unless the terms of such sale or transfer have been determined by our board of directors to be fair and arm’s-length and either:

• within 180 days after the receipt of the proceeds of the sale or transfer, we or such restricted subsidiary applies an amount equal to the greater of the net proceeds of the sale or transfer or the fair value of such principal property at the time of such sale or transfer to the prepayment or retirement (other than any mandatory prepayment or retirement) of our senior funded debt; or

• we or such restricted subsidiary would be entitled, at the effective date of the sale or transfer, to incur indebtedness secured by a mortgage on such principal property, in an amount at least equal to the attributable debt in respect of the sale and leaseback transaction, without equally and ratably securing the debt securities pursuant to “— Limitation on Liens” described above.

The foregoing restriction will not apply to:

• any sale and leaseback transaction for a term of not more than three years including renewals;

• any sale and leaseback transaction with respect to a principal property if a binding commitment with respect thereto is entered into within three years after the later of (1) the date of issuance of the first series of debt securities issued under the indenture, or (2) the date such principal property was acquired;

• any sale and leaseback transaction with respect to a principal property if a binding commitment with respect thereto is entered into within 180 days after the later of the date such property was acquired and, if applicable, the date such property was first placed in operation; or

• any sale and leaseback transaction between us and a restricted subsidiary or between restricted subsidiaries provided that the lessor shall be us or a wholly owned restricted subsidiary.

Exception to Limitations for Exempted Debt

Notwithstanding the limitations in the indenture on mortgages and sale and leaseback transactions, we or our restricted subsidiaries may, in addition to amounts permitted under such restrictions, create or assume and renew, extend or replace mortgages, or enter into sale and leaseback transactions without any obligation to retire any senior funded debt of us or any restricted subsidiary, provided that at the time of such creation, assumption, renewal, extension or replacement of a mortgage or at the time of entering into such sale and leaseback transactions, and after giving effect thereto, exempted debt does not exceed 15% of our consolidated net tangible assets.

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Definitions

For purposes of the indenture:

“Attributable debt” in respect of a sale and leaseback transaction means, at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the imputed rate of interest of such transaction determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) of the obligation of the lessee for net rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such sale and leaseback transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended). The term “net rental payments” under any lease for any period means the sum of the rental and other payments required to be paid in such period by the lessee thereunder, not including any amounts required to be paid by such lessee (whether or not designated as rental or additional rent) on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges required to be paid by such lessee thereunder or any amount required to be paid by lessee thereunder contingent upon the amount of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges.

“Consolidated net tangible assets” means the total amounts of assets (less depreciation and valuation reserves and other reserves and items deductible from gross book value of specific asset accounts under generally accepted accounting principles) which under generally accepted accounting principles would be included on a consolidated balance sheet of us and our consolidated restricted subsidiaries after deducting (1) all current liabilities, excluding current liabilities that could be classified as long-term debt under generally accepted accounting principles and current liabilities that are by their terms extendable or renewable at the obligor’s option to a time more than 12 months after the time as of which the amount of current liabilities is being computed; (2) investments in unrestricted subsidiaries; and (3) all trade names, trademarks, licenses, patents, copyrights and goodwill, organizational and development costs, deferred charges, other than prepaid items such as insurance, taxes, interest, commissions, rents and similar items and tangible assets being amortized, and amortized debt discount and expense, less unamortized premium.

“Exempted debt” means the sum of the following items outstanding as of the date exempted debt is being determined (1) indebtedness of us and our restricted subsidiaries secured by a mortgage and not permitted to exist under the indenture and (2) attributable debt of us and our restricted subsidiaries in respect of all sale and leaseback transactions not permitted under the indenture.

“Funded debt” means indebtedness which matures more than one year from the date of creation, or which is extendable or renewable at the sole option of the obligor so that it may become payable more than one year from such date. Funded debt does not include (1) obligations created pursuant to leases, (2) any indebtedness or portion thereof maturing by its terms within one year from the time of any computation of the amount of outstanding funded debt unless such indebtedness shall be extendable or renewable at the sole option of the obligor in such manner that it may become payable more than one year from such time, or (3) any indebtedness for the payment or redemption of which money in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust either at or before the maturity date thereof.

“Indebtedness” means indebtedness for borrowed money and indebtedness under purchase money mortgages or other purchase money liens or conditional sales or similar title retention agreements, in each case where such indebtedness has been created, incurred, or assumed by such person to the extent such indebtedness would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of such person prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, guarantees by such person of such indebtedness, and indebtedness for borrowed money secured by any mortgage, pledge or other lien or encumbrance upon property owned by such person, even though such person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness.

“Investment” means any investment in stock, evidences of indebtedness, loans or advances, however made or acquired, but does not include our account receivable or the accounts receivable of any restricted subsidiary arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, or any evidences of indebtedness, loans or advance

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made in connection with the sale to any subsidiary of our accounts receivable or the accounts receivable of any restricted subsidiary arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business.

“Mortgage” means any mortgage, security interest, pledge, lien or other encumbrance.

“Principal property” means all real property and improvements thereon owned by us or a restricted subsidiary, including, without limitation, any manufacturing, warehouse, distribution or research facility having a gross book value in excess of 1% of our consolidated net tangible assets and located within the United States, excluding its territories and possessions and Puerto Rico. This term does not include any facility that our board of directors declares by resolution not to be of material importance to our business. As of the date of this prospectus, our research and manufacturing center in Warsaw, Indiana is our only principal property.

“Restricted subsidiary” means Zimmer, Inc. and any other subsidiary so designated by our board of directors or one of our duly authorized officers in accordance with the indenture; provided that (1) the board of directors or duly authorized officers may, subject to certain limitations, designate any unrestricted subsidiary as a restricted subsidiary and any restricted subsidiary (other than Zimmer, Inc.) as an unrestricted subsidiary and (2) any subsidiary of which the majority of the voting stock is owned directly or indirectly by one or more unrestricted subsidiaries shall be an unrestricted subsidiary. As of the date of this prospectus, Zimmer, Inc. is the only restricted subsidiary.

“Senior funded debt” means all funded debt (except funded debt, the payment of which is subordinated to the payment of the debt securities).

“Subsidiary” means any corporation of which at least a majority of the outstanding stock having voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect a majority of the board of directors of said corporation or business entity is at the time owned or controlled by us, or by us and one or more subsidiaries, or by any one or more subsidiaries.

“Unrestricted subsidiary” means any subsidiary other than a restricted subsidiary.

“Wholly owned restricted subsidiary” means any restricted subsidiary all of the outstanding funded debt and capital stock of which, other than directors’ qualifying shares, is owned by us and our other wholly owned restricted subsidiaries.

Mergers and Similar Events

We are generally permitted to consolidate with or merge into any other person. In this section, “person” refers to any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision of a government or governmental agency. We are also permitted to sell substantially all of our assets to any other person, or to buy substantially all of the assets of any other person. However, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions are met:

• Where we merge out of existence or sell all or substantially all of our assets, the other person may not be organized under a foreign country’s laws (that is, it must be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust organized under the laws of a state or the District of Columbia or under federal law) and it must agree to be legally responsible for the outstanding debt securities issued under the indenture. Upon assumption of our obligations by such a person in such circumstances, we shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the indenture and the debt securities.

• The merger, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other transaction must not cause a default on the debt securities, and we must not already be in default unless the merger or other transaction would cure the default. For purposes of this no-default test, a default would include an Event of Default that has occurred and not been cured, as described below under “Events of Default.” A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an Event of Default if we received the required notice of our default or if under the indenture the default would become an Event of Default after existing for a specified period of time.

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Modification and Waiver

There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities.

Changes Requiring Your Approval. First, there are changes that cannot be made to your debt securities without your specific approval. Following is a list of those types of changes:

• change the stated maturity of the principal or interest on a debt security;

• reduce any amounts due on a debt security;

• reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of a note following an Event of Default;

• change the place or currency of payment for a debt security;

• impair your right to sue for payment;

• reduce the percentage in principal amount of the debt securities, the approval of whose holders is needed to modify or amend the indenture or the debt securities;

• reduce the percentage in principal amount of the debt securities, the approval of whose holders is needed to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or to waive certain defaults; and

• modify any other aspect of the provisions dealing with modification and waiver of the indenture, except to increase the percentage required for any modification or to provide that other provisions of the indenture may not be modified or waived without your consent.

Changes Not Requiring Approval. The second type of change does not require any vote by holders of the debt securities. This type is limited to corrections and clarifications and certain other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the debt securities. Nor do we need any approval to make changes that affect only debt securities to be issued under the indenture after the changes take effect. We may also make changes or obtain waivers that do not adversely affect a particular debt security, even if they affect other debt securities issued under the indenture. In those cases, we need only obtain any required approvals from the holders of the affected debt securities.

Changes Requiring a Majority Vote. Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities would require the following approval:

• If the change affects only debt securities of one series, it must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series.

• If the change affects the debt securities of one series as well as the debt securities of one or more other series issued under the indenture, it must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of each series affected by the change. In each case, the required approval must be given by written consent. Most changes fall into this category.

The same vote would be required for us to obtain a waiver of a past default. However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or any other aspect of the indenture or the debt securities listed in the first category described previously under “Changes Requiring Your Approval” unless we obtain your individual consent to the waiver.

Further Details Concerning Voting. Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust for you money for their payment or redemption. Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described below in “Defeasance — Full Defeasance.”

We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding debt securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indenture. In certain limited

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circumstances, the trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by holders. If we or the trustee set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of debt securities, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding debt securities on the record date and must be taken within 180 days following the record date or another period that we may specify (or as the trustee may specify, if it set the record date). We may shorten or lengthen (but not beyond 180 days) this period from time to time.

Defeasance

The following discussion of full defeasance and discharge will apply to any series of debt securities unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to the debt securities of a series.

Full Defeasance. If there is a change in U.S. federal tax law, as described below, we can legally release ourselves from any payment or other obligations on the debt securities (called “full defeasance”) if we put in place the following other arrangements for you to be repaid:

• We must deposit in trust for your benefit and the benefit of all other direct holders of the debt securities of the same series a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal, any premium and any other payments on the debt securities of that series on their various due dates.

• There must be a change in current U.S. federal tax law or an Internal Revenue Service ruling that lets us make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and instead repaid the debt securities ourselves when due. Under current U.S. federal tax law, the deposit and our legal release from the debt securities would be treated as though we took back your debt securities and gave you your share of the cash and debt securities or bonds deposited in trust. In that event, you could recognize gain or loss on the debt securities you give back to us.

• We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming the tax law change described above.

If we ever did accomplish full defeasance, as described above, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment of the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected from claims of our lenders and other creditors if we ever become bankrupt or insolvent.

However, even if we make the deposit in trust and opinion delivery arrangements discussed above, a number of our obligations relating to the debt securities will remain. These include our obligations:

• to register the transfer and exchange of debt securities;

• to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities;

• to maintain paying agencies; and

• to hold money for payment in trust.

Covenant Defeasance. Under current U.S. federal tax law, we can make the same type of deposit described above and be released from some of the covenants in the debt securities. This is called “covenant defeasance.” In that event, you would lose the protection of those covenants but would gain the protection of having money and securities set aside in trust to repay the debt securities. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following:

• We must deposit in trust for your benefit and the benefit of all other direct holders of the debt securities of the same series a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to make interest, principal, any premium and any other payments on the debt securities of that series on their various due dates.

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• We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that under current U.S. federal income tax law we may make the above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the deposit and instead repaid the debt securities ourselves when due.

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit. In fact, if one of the Events of Default occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities become immediately due and payable, there may be such a shortfall. Depending on the event causing the default, you may not be able to obtain payment of the shortfall.

Satisfaction and Discharge

The indenture will cease to be of further effect and the trustee, upon our demand and at our expense, will execute appropriate instruments acknowledging the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture upon compliance with certain conditions, including:

• Our having paid all sums payable by us under the indenture, as and when the same shall be due and payable;

• Our having delivered to the trustee for cancellation all debt securities theretofore authenticated under the indenture; or

• All debt securities of any series outstanding under the indenture not theretofore delivered to the trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year and we shall have deposited with the trustee sufficient cash or U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds that will generate enough cash to pay, at maturity or upon redemption, all such debt securities of any series outstanding under the indenture.

Events of Default

The indenture defines an Event of Default with respect to any series of debt securities. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, Events of Default are any of the following:

• We do not pay the principal or any premium on the debt securities of that series on its due date.

• We do not pay interest on the debt securities of that series within 30 days of its due date.

• We do not pay any sinking fund payment with respect to the debt securities of that series on its due date.

• We remain in breach of any other term of the indenture for 60 days after we receive a notice of default stating we are in breach. The notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of 25% of the principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series.

• We file for bankruptcy or certain other events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur.

• Any other event of default provided with respect to the debt securities of that series.

An Event of Default under one series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default under any other series of debt securities. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of any series of debt securities issued thereunder of any default if the trustee considers it in the interest of such holders to do so provided the trustee may not withhold notice of default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the debt securities of that series or in the making of any sinking fund installment or analogous obligation with respect to that series.

Remedies If an Event of Default Occurs. The indenture provides that if an Event of Default has occurred and has not been cured (other than an Event of Default because of certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or

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reorganizations), the trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. If an Event of Default occurs because of certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal amount of all the debt securities will be automatically accelerated, without any action by the trustee or any holder. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be cancelled by the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series if certain conditions are satisfied.

If an Event of Default with respect to any series of debt securities has occurred and is continuing, the trustee shall exercise with respect to the debt securities of that series the rights and power vested in it by the indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs. The trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request or direction of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee protection from expenses and liability (called an “indemnity”). If indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities outstanding of the affected series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. Subject to certain exceptions contained in the indenture, these majority holders may also direct the trustee in performing any other action under the indenture.

Before you bypass the trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the following must occur:

• You must give the trustee written notice that an Event of Default has occurred and remains uncured.

• The holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the affected series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the Event of Default, and must offer satisfactory indemnity to the trustee against the cost and other liabilities of taking that action.

• The trustee must have not taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice and offer of indemnity.

However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt security on or after the due date of that payment.

We will furnish to the trustee every year a written statement of one of our officers certifying that to his or her knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities, or else specifying any default or Event of Default, its status and what action we are taking or proposing to take with respect thereto.

Global Securities

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 of, a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such series. Global securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or permanent form. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to a series of global securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to that series.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Concerning the Trustee

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association is the trustee under the indenture. Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and its affiliates maintain normal banking relations with us.

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IMPORTANT PROVISIONS OF OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND DELAWARE LAW

Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws and certain provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law may have an anti-takeover effect. These provisions may delay, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder would consider in its best interest. This includes an attempt that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by stockholders. These provisions are expected to discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. They are also expected to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of these provisions outweigh the potential disadvantages of discouraging takeover proposals because, among other things, negotiation of takeover proposals might result in an improvement of their terms.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Law

We are a Delaware corporation and are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for three years after the time at which the person became an interested stockholder unless:

• prior to that time, the board of directors approved either the business combination or transaction in which the stockholder became an interested stockholder; or

• upon becoming an interested stockholder, the stockholder owned at least 85% of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock other than shares held by directors who are also officers and certain employee benefit plans; or

• the business combination is approved by both the board of directors and by holders of at least 66 2/3% of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock at a meeting and not by written consent, excluding shares owned by the interested stockholder.

For these purposes, the term “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales and other similar transactions with an “interested stockholder.” “Interested stockholder” means a person who, together with its affiliates and associates, owns, or under certain circumstances has owned within the prior three years, more than 15% of the outstanding voting stock. Although Section 203 permits a corporation to elect not to be governed by its provisions, we have not made this election.

Advance Notice Provisions For Stockholder Nominations and Stockholder Proposals

Our by-laws establish an advance notice procedure for stockholders to make nominations of candidates for election as directors or bring other business before an annual meeting of stockholders. This procedure provides that

• the only persons who will be eligible for election as directors are persons who are nominated by or at the direction of the board of directors, or by a stockholder who has given timely written notice containing specified information to the Secretary prior to the meeting at which directors are to be elected, and

• the only business that may be conducted at an annual meeting is business that has been brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the chairman of the board of directors or by a stockholder who has given timely written notice to the Secretary of the stockholder’s intention to bring the business before the meeting.

In general, we must receive written notice of stockholder nominations to be made or business to be brought at an annual meeting no later than the 90th calendar day nor earlier than the 120th calendar day prior to the first anniversary of the date for the previous year’s annual meeting, in order for the notice to be timely. The notice must contain information concerning the person or persons to be nominated or the matters to be brought before the meeting and concerning the stockholder submitting the proposal.

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The purposes of requiring stockholders to give us advance notice of nominations and other business include the following:

• to afford the board of directors a meaningful opportunity to consider the qualifications of the proposed nominees or the advisability of the other proposed business;

• to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by the board of directors, to inform stockholders and make recommendations about such qualifications or business; and

• to provide a more orderly procedure for conducting meetings of stockholders.

Our by-laws do not give our board of directors any power to disapprove stockholder nominations for the election of directors or proposals for action. However, they may have the effect of precluding a contest for the election of directors or the consideration of stockholder proposals if the proper procedures are not followed. Our by-laws may also discourage or deter a third party from soliciting proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its own proposal, without regard to whether consideration of the nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to us and our stockholders.

Director Action

Our by-laws and the Delaware General Corporation Law generally require that a majority of a quorum is necessary to approve any matter to come before the board of directors.

Director Liability Limitation and Indemnification

Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that no director will be personally liable to us or to our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. This will not, however, eliminate or limit the liability of a director for the following:

• any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us and our stockholders;

• acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

• any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit; or

• any matter in respect of which the director would be liable under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

These provisions may discourage stockholders’ actions against directors. Directors’ personal liability for violating the federal securities laws is not limited or otherwise affected. In addition, these provisions do not affect the ability of stockholders to obtain injunctive or other equitable relief from the courts with respect to a transaction involving gross negligence on the part of a director.

Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that we shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative by reason of the fact that

• he is or was our director or officer, or

• he is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, employee or agent of, or in any other capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans.

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We will indemnify such persons against the expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if the following standards are met:

• the person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to our best interests, and,

• with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that indemnification is mandatory where a director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any proceeding covered by the indemnification statute.

The Delaware General Corporation Law generally permits indemnification for expenses incurred in the defense or settlement of third-party actions or action by or in right of the corporation, and for judgments in third-party actions, provided the following determination is made:

• the person seeking indemnification acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, or

• in a criminal proceeding, the person had no reason to believe his or her conduct to be unlawful.

The determination must be made by directors who were not parties to the action, or if directed by such directors, by independent legal counsel or by a majority vote of a quorum of the stockholders. Without court approval, however, no indemnification may be made in respect of any action by or in right of the corporation in which such person is adjudged liable.

Under Delaware law, the indemnification provided by statute shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights under any by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. In addition, the liability of officers may not be eliminated or limited under Delaware law.

The right of indemnification, including the right to receive payment in advance of expenses, conferred by our Restated Certificate of Incorporation is not exclusive of any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification may otherwise be entitled.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers providing for mandatory indemnification and advancement of expenses to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Indianapolis, Indiana.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements, financial statement schedule and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These SEC filings are also available over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document filed with the SEC by visiting the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. The SEC’s address in Washington, D.C. is 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. You may also inspect our SEC reports and other information at the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

We have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC covering the securities that may be sold under this prospectus. For further information concerning us and the securities being offered, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits. This prospectus summarizes material provisions of contracts and other documents that we refer you to. Because the prospectus may not contain all the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of these documents. We have included copies of these documents as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with them, which means:

• incorporated documents are considered part of the prospectus;

• we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

• information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus and any information that was previously incorporated in this prospectus.

Our Exchange Act filing number is 001-16407.

The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. Until we have sold all of the securities to which this prospectus relates or the offering is otherwise terminated, we incorporate by reference the following documents and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, unless expressly provided otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we do not incorporate by reference any Form SD or any documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the SEC rules:

• Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011;

• Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2012, June 30, 2012 and September 30, 2012;

• Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed May 14, 2012, May 15, 2012, May 31, 2012, July 17, 2012 and October 1, 2012; and

• The description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 10-12B, filed under the Exchange Act (File No. 001-16407), including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

To receive a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the document), call or write us at the following address: Zimmer Holdings, Inc., 345 East Main Street, Warsaw, Indiana, 46580, Attention: Corporate Secretary (574) 267-6131. We also make available, free of charge, on or through our Internet website (http://www.zimmer.com) our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statements on Schedule 14A and, if applicable, amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Please note, however, that we have not incorporated any other information by reference from our Internet website, other than the documents listed in the preceding paragraph.

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item. 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth all expenses in connection with the distribution of the securities being registered. All amounts shown below are estimates:

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee	$	*
Accountants’ fees and expenses	$	**
Legal fees and expenses	$	**
Printing	$	**
Miscellaneous	$	**
Total	$	**

* To be deferred pursuant to Rule 456(b) and calculated in connection with the offering of securities under this registration statement pursuant to Rule 457(r).

** These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) provides that a corporation may indemnify any current or former director, officer or employee or other individual against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with civil, criminal, administrative or investigative actions or proceedings, other than a derivative action by or in the right of the corporation, if the director, officer, employee or other individual acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, if he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification only extends to expenses incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such actions, and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation. The statute provides that it is not exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation’s by-laws, disinterested director vote, stockholder vote, agreement or otherwise.

The registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation provides that each person who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party to any action or proceeding by reason of the fact that such person, or a person of whom such person is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the registrant or is or was serving at the request of the registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, will be indemnified and held harmless by the registrant to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended to provide broader indemnification rights than authorized prior to such amendment. Such rights are not exclusive of any other right which any person may have or thereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the restated certificate of incorporation, by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. The registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation also specifically authorized the registrant to maintain insurance and to grant similar indemnification rights to its employees or agents.

The registrant has provided, consistent with the DGCL, in its restated certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:

• any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders;

• acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

• payments of unlawful dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; or

• any transactions from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

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Neither the amendment nor repeal of such provision will eliminate or reduce the effect of such provision in respect of any matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for such provision, would accrue or arise prior to such amendment or repeal.

The registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors and executive officers providing for mandatory indemnification and advancement of expenses to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

In addition, the registrant has a directors’ and officers’ liability and company reimbursement policy that insures against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, subject to applicable retentions.

We expect that the underwriting agreement with respect to each offering of securities under this registration statement will contain provisions providing that the underwriters are obligated, under certain circumstances, to indemnify our directors, officers and controlling persons against certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

Item 16. Exhibits.

The list of exhibits is incorporated by reference to the Exhibit Index on page E-1.

Item 17. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(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;

(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 a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the 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;

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.

(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 of 1933 to any purchaser:

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(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 of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date it 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 a 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 the 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 of 1933 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 to 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 the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of its annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this 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 of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 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 of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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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 of 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 Warsaw, State of Indiana, on November 5, 2012.

ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC.
By:	/s/ David C. Dvorak
	David C. Dvorak
	President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in their respective capacities and on the respective dates indicated opposite their names. Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes each of David C. Dvorak, James T. Crines and Chad F. Phipps, each with full power of substitution, to execute in the name and on behalf of such person any post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, making such changes in this Registration Statement as the Registrant deems appropriate, and appoints each of David C. Dvorak, James T. Crines and Chad F. Phipps, each with full power of substitution, attorney-in-fact to sign any amendment and any post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith.

Signature	Title	Date
/s/ David C. Dvorak David C. Dvorak	President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)	November 5, 2012
/s/ James T. Crines James T. Crines	Executive Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)	November 5, 2012
/s/ Derek M. Davis Derek M. Davis	Vice President, Finance, and Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)	November 5, 2012
/s/ Christopher B. Begley Christopher B. Begley	Director	November 5, 2012
/s/ Betsy J. Bernard Betsy J. Bernard	Director	November 5, 2012
/s/ Marc N. Casper Marc N. Casper	Director	November 5, 2012
/s/ Larry C. Glasscock Larry C. Glasscock	Director	November 5, 2012

Signature	Title	Date
/s/ Robert A. Hagemann Robert A. Hagemann	Director	November 5, 2012
/s/ Arthur J. Higgins Arthur J. Higgins	Director	November 5, 2012
/s/ John L. McGoldrick John L. McGoldrick	Director	November 5, 2012
/s/ Cecil B. Pickett, Ph.D. Cecil B. Pickett, Ph.D.	Director	November 5, 2012

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.	Description of Exhibit
1.1*	Form of underwriting or purchase agreement for equity securities.
1.2*	Form of underwriting or purchase agreement for debt securities.
4.1	Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Zimmer Holdings, Inc. dated May 13, 2008 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 6, 2008).
4.2	Restated By-Laws of Zimmer Holdings, Inc. effective May 8, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 14, 2012).
4.3	Specimen Common Stock certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed November 6, 2012).
4.4*	Form of Designation for Preferred Stock.
4.5*	Form of Preferred Stock Certificate.
4.6*	Form of Warrant Agreement.
4.7*	Form of Warrant Certificate.
4.8	Indenture dated as of November 17, 2009, by and between Zimmer Holdings, Inc., as issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to the form filed as Exhibit 4.8 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-163043, filed November 12, 2009).
5	Opinion of Faegre Baker Daniels LLP.
23.1	Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.2	Consent of Faegre Baker Daniels LLP (contained in their opinion filed as Exhibit 5).
24	Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement).
25	Statement of Eligibility of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association on Form T-1 for Debt Securities.

* To be filed by post-effective amendment or as an exhibit to a document incorporated by reference herein.