0001193125-20-152317.txt : 20200527 0001193125-20-152317.hdr.sgml : 20200527 20200527081035 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-20-152317 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3ASR PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 6 FILED AS OF DATE: 20200527 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20200527 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20200527 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001115055 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021] IRS NUMBER: 621812853 STATE OF INCORPORATION: TN FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3ASR SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-238707 FILM NUMBER: 20912799 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 150 THIRD AVENUE SOUTH STREET 2: SUITE 900 CITY: NASHVILLE STATE: TN ZIP: 37201 BUSINESS PHONE: 6157443700 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 150 THIRD AVENUE SOUTH STREET 2: SUITE 900 CITY: NASHVILLE STATE: TN ZIP: 37201 S-3ASR 1 d901414ds3asr.htm FORM S-3ASR Form S-3ASR
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 27, 2020

Registration No. 333-        

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Tennessee

 

62-1812853

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employee
Identification Number)

150 Third Avenue South

Suite 900

Nashville, Tennessee 37201

(615) 744-3700

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

 

 

M. Terry Turner

President and Chief Executive Officer

Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc.

150 Third Avenue South

Suite 900

Nashville, Tennessee 37201

(615) 744-3700

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

 

 

Copy to:

D. Scott Holley

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

150 Third Avenue South, Suite 2800

Nashville, Tennessee 37201

(615) 742-6200

 

 

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

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

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

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

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


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

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration 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, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer        Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer       (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller Reporting Company  
       Emerging Growth Company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B).    ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

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

Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share (4)

               

Preferred Stock, no par value per share (4)

               

Debt Securities

               

Warrants

               

Depositary Shares (4)(5)

               

Units (6)

               

Stock Purchase Contracts

               

 

 

(1)

The securities of each class may be offered and sold by the Registrant and/or may be offered and sold from time to time by one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future. The selling securityholders may purchase the securities directly from the Registrant, or from one or more underwriters, dealers or agents.

(2)

An indeterminate aggregate initial offering price or number of the securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered at indeterminate prices. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are issuable on exercise, conversion or exchange of other securities or that are issued in units or represented by depositary shares. In accordance with General Instruction II.E. to Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), information as to each class of securities to be registered is not specified. The securities covered by this Registration Statement may be sold or otherwise distributed separately or together with any other securities covered by this Registration Statement.

(3)

In accordance with Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) of the Securities Act, the registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee.

(4)

Shares of preferred stock, common stock and depositary shares of the Registrant may be issuable for separate consideration or upon conversion of other securities registered hereunder.

(5)

In the event that Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. elects to offer to the public fractional interests in shares of preferred stock registered hereunder, depositary shares, evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to a deposit agreement, will be distributed to those persons purchasing such fractional interests, and the shares of preferred stock will be issued to the depositary under any such agreement.

(6)

Any securities registered hereunder may be sold as units with other securities registered hereunder. Each unit will be issued under a unit agreement or indenture and will represent an interest in two or more securities, which may or may not be separable from one another.

 

 

 


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PROSPECTUS

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Depositary Shares

Units

Stock Purchase Contracts

 

 

Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., or one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future, may offer, issue and sell from time to time, together or separately, in one or more offerings any combination of (i) our common stock, (ii) our preferred stock, which we may issue in one or more series, (iii) senior or subordinated debt securities, (iv) warrants, (v) depositary shares, (vi) units and (vii) stock purchase contracts. The debt securities may consist of debentures, notes, or other types of debt. The debt securities, preferred stock and warrants may be convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for common or preferred stock or other securities of ours. The preferred stock may be represented by depositary shares. The units may consist of any combination of the securities listed above.

We, or the selling securityholders, may offer and sell these securities in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time of the offering. We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of securities by any such selling securityholders.

We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, as well as the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, carefully before you make your investment decision. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with any offering pursuant to this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and trades on that exchange under the symbol “PNFP.” On May 26, 2020, the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market was $40.81 per share. You are urged to obtain current market quotations of the common stock. Each prospectus supplement will indicate if the securities offered thereby will be listed on any securities exchange.

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

The securities described herein may be sold on a continuous or delayed basis, through agents, dealers or underwriters, or directly to purchasers. The prospectus supplement for each offering of securities will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering. If our agents or any dealers or underwriters are involved in the sale of the securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the names of the agents, dealers or underwriters and any applicable commissions or discounts. Our net proceeds from the sale of securities will also be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. For general information about the distribution of securities offered, please see “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors beginning on page v of this prospectus and set forth in the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference herein together with any information set forth in a “Risk Factors” section of any applicable prospectus supplement before making any decision to invest in our securities.

THE SECURITIES THAT MAY BE ISSUED AND SOLD PURSUANT TO THIS PROSPECTUS WILL BE EQUITY SECURITIES IN OR UNSECURED OBLIGATIONS OF PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC. AND WILL NOT BE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, DEPOSITS OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF ANY BANK OR NONBANK SUBSIDIARY OF PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC. AND WILL NOT BE INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE DEPOSIT INSURANCE FUND OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. THE DEBT SECURITIES THAT MAY BE ISSUED UNDER THIS PROSPECTUS WILL NOT BE NOT BANK DEPOSITS AND WILL NOT BE INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY, NOR ARE THEY OBLIGATIONS OF, OR GUARANTEED BY, A BANK.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION, THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM NOR ANY OTHER REGULATORY BODY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is May 27, 2020.


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IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

We may provide information to you about the securities we are offering in three separate documents that progressively provide more detail:

 

   

this prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to your securities;

 

   

the accompanying prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of the securities, some of which may not apply to your securities; and

 

   

if necessary, a pricing supplement, which describes the specific terms of your securities.

If the terms of your securities vary among the pricing supplement, the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in the following order of priority:

 

   

the pricing supplement, if any;

 

   

the prospectus supplement; and

 

   

this prospectus.

We include cross-references in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement to captions in these materials where you can find further related discussions. The following table of contents and the table of contents included in the accompanying prospectus supplement provide the pages on which these captions are located.

Unless indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we have not taken any action that would permit us to publicly sell these securities in any jurisdiction outside the United States. If you are an investor outside the United States, you should inform yourself about and comply with any restrictions as to the offering of the securities and the distribution of this prospectus.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     i  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     ii  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     ii  

SPECIAL NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     iii  

RISK FACTORS

     v  

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.

     1  

PINNACLE BANK

     1  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     1  

DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

     1  

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

     3  

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

     9  

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     22  

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

     23  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     26  

DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS

     27  

DESCRIPTION OF GLOBAL SECURITIES

     28  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     30  

SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS

     33  

EXPERTS

     33  

LEGAL MATTERS

     34  


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is a part of an automatic shelf registration statement filed by Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which we refer to as the Securities Act. Under this shelf registration process, we, or any selling securityholder, may, from time to time, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

The registration statement containing this prospectus, including the exhibits to the registration statement, provides additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. The registration statement, including the exhibits and the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated herein by reference, can be read on the SEC website or at the SEC offices as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Each time we offer and sell, or one of the selling securityholders offers and sells, securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of a particular offering. The prospectus supplement may add, update or change information in this prospectus. We may also prepare free writing prospectuses that describe particular securities. Any free writing prospectus should also be read in connection with this prospectus and with any prospectus supplement referred to therein. If the information in the prospectus is inconsistent with a prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus. You should read carefully both this prospectus and, if applicable, any prospectus supplement together with the documents we have incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. For purposes of this prospectus, any reference to an applicable prospectus supplement may also refer to a free writing prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires.

The distribution of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement and the offering of the securities in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement come should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.

You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of such document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.

Unless this prospectus indicates otherwise or the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “our,” “us,” “Pinnacle Financial” or the “Company” as used in this prospectus refer to Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including Pinnacle Bank, which we sometimes refer to as “Pinnacle Bank,” the “bank,” our “bank subsidiary” or our “bank,” except that such terms refer to only Pinnacle Financial and not its subsidiaries in the sections entitled “Description of Common Stock,” “Description of Preferred Stock,” “Description of Warrants,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Depositary Shares,” “Description of Units,” and “Description of Stock Purchase Contracts.”

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and other reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements, registration statements and other information, including our filings with the SEC. The SEC website address is www.sec.gov. We make available free of charge through our web site most of the filings we make with the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our website address is www.pnfp.com. Please note that our website address is provided as an inactive textual reference only. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and is therefore not incorporated by reference herein unless such information is otherwise specifically referenced or incorporated by reference elsewhere in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act for the securities being offered under this prospectus. This prospectus, which is part of that registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and accompanying exhibits. This prospectus contains descriptions of certain agreements or documents that are exhibits to the registration statement. The statements as to the contents of such exhibits, however, are brief descriptions and are not necessarily complete, and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to such agreement or document.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information in documents we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference, by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in all cases, if you are considering whether to rely on information contained in this prospectus or information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to be furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules), which are considered to be a part of this prospectus:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on February  25, 2020 (including the portions of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on March 12, 2020, specifically incorporated by reference therein);

 

   

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on May 8, 2020;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January  7, 2020, January  24, 2020, March  9, 2020 and April 24, 2020; and

 

   

the description of our common stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A, filed on January 12, 2009, including all amendments and reports filed for purposes of updating such description.

All reports and other documents we subsequently file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, until our offering is completed will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part hereof (other than any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, unless expressly stated otherwise therein). The most recent information that we file with the SEC automatically updates and supersedes older information. The information contained in any such filing will be deemed to be a part of this prospectus commencing on the date on which the document is filed.

 

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You may request a copy of these filings (other than an exhibit to a filing unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that filing), at no cost, by writing to us at the following address or calling us at the following telephone number:

Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc.

150 Third Avenue South, Suite 900

Nashville, Tennessee 37201

Attention: Investor Relations

Telephone: (615) 744-3700

We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. We will provide this information upon written or oral request at no cost to the requester. You should direct your requests to us at the address or telephone number above.

SPECIAL NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference herein, any related prospectus supplement and any other written or oral statements made by us from time to time may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts.

Forward-looking information can be identified through the use of words such as “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “continue,” “seek,” “aim,” “potential,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “contemplate,” “possible,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “would” and “could.” Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts, are premised on many factors and assumptions, and represent only management’s expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Similarly, these statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, like the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and which may include, but are not limited to, those listed below and the risk factors discussed under Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as supplemented by the risk factors discussed under Part II, Item 1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, as well as other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in our other filings with the SEC.

We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are including this statement for purposes of invoking these safe harbor provisions. Such forward-looking statements may be deemed to include, among other things, statements relating to our future financial performance, the performance of our loan portfolio, the performance of Bankers Healthcare Group, LLC, or BHG, the expected amount of future credit reserves and charge-offs, delinquency trends, growth plans, regulatory developments, securities that we may offer from time to time, and management’s long-term performance goals, as well as statements relating to the anticipated effects on financial condition and results of operations from expected developments or events, our business and growth strategies, including future acquisitions of banks, specialty finance or wealth management businesses, internal growth and plans to form additional de novo branch offices. Actual results could differ materially from those addressed in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, including the following:

 

   

deterioration in the financial condition of borrowers of ours or BHG resulting in significant increases in credit losses and provisions for those losses and, in the case of BHG, substitutions;

 

   

the effects of the emergence of widespread health emergencies or pandemics, including the magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on general economic and financial market conditions and on our and our customers’ business, results of operations, asset quality and financial condition;

 

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the ability to grow and retain low-cost core deposits and retain large, uninsured deposits, including during times when we are seeking to lower rates we pay on deposits;

 

   

our inability, or the inability of entities in which we have significant investments, like BHG, to maintain the historical growth rate of our, or such entities’, loan portfolio;

 

   

changes in loan underwriting, credit review or loss reserve policies associated with economic conditions, examination conclusions, or regulatory developments;

 

   

effectiveness of our asset management activities in improving, resolving or liquidating lower-quality assets;

 

   

the impact of competition with other financial institutions, including pricing pressures and the resulting impact on our results, including as a result of compression to net interest margin;

 

   

adverse conditions in the national or local economies in our markets, including those throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia, particularly in commercial and residential real estate markets;

 

   

fluctuations or differences in interest rates on loans or deposits from those that we are modeling or anticipating, including as a result of our inability to better match deposit rates with the changes in the short-term rate environment, or that affect the yield curve or changes to the interest rate at which commercial banks borrow and lend their excess reserves to each other overnight to include a possible negative interest rate environment;

 

   

the results of regulatory examinations;

 

   

our ability to identify potential candidates for, consummate, and achieve synergies from, potential future acquisitions;

 

   

difficulties and delays in integrating acquired businesses or fully realizing costs savings and other benefits from acquisitions;

 

   

BHG’s ability to profitably grow its business and successfully execute on its business plans;

 

   

risks of expansion into new geographic or product markets including the recent expansion into the Atlanta, Georgia metro market;

 

   

any matter or development, including those resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, that would cause us to conclude that there was impairment of any asset, including goodwill or other intangible assets;

 

   

reduced ability to attract additional financial advisors (or failure of those advisors to cause their clients to switch to us), to retain financial advisors (including as a result of the competitive environment for associates) or otherwise to attract customers from other financial institutions;

 

   

deterioration in the valuation of other real estate owned and increased expenses associated therewith;

 

   

inability to comply with regulatory capital requirements, including those resulting from changes to capital calculation methodologies, required capital maintenance levels or regulatory requests or directives, particularly if our level of applicable commercial real estate loans were to exceed percentage levels of total capital in guidelines recommended by its regulators;

 

   

approval of the declaration of any dividend by our board of directors;

 

   

the vulnerability of our network and online banking portals, and the systems of parties with whom we contract, to unauthorized access, computer viruses, phishing schemes, spam attacks, human error, natural disasters, power loss and other security breaches;

 

   

the possibility of increased compliance and operational costs as a result of increased regulatory oversight (including by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), including oversight of companies in which we have significant investments, like BHG, and the development of additional banking products for our corporate and consumer clients;

 

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the risks associated with our being a minority investor in BHG, including the risk that the owners of a majority of the equity interests in BHG decide to sell the company if not prohibited from doing so by us;

 

   

changes in state and federal legislation, regulations or policies applicable to banks and other financial service providers, like BHG, including regulatory or legislative developments;

 

   

the availability of and access to capital;

 

   

adverse results (including costs, fines, reputational harm, inability to obtain necessary approvals and/or other negative effects) from current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other legal and/or regulatory actions, including as a result of our participation in and execution of government programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Paycheck Protection Program;

 

   

general competitive, economic, political and market conditions; and

 

   

the other factors and information contained in this prospectus and in the other reports and filings that we make with the SEC, including those described in “Item 1A Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and “Part II, Item 1A Risk Factors” of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, which risks may be heightened by the disruption and uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We urge investors to consider all of these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, any related free-writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements included in this filing are made only as of the date of this filing. We assume no obligation and do not intend to revise or update any forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, any related free-writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein, except as required by law.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves significant risks. You should read and carefully consider the risks and uncertainties and the risk factors contained in Item 1A under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (filed with the SEC on February 25, 2020) and under Part II, Item 1A and elsewhere in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 (filed with the SEC on May 8, 2020), which are incorporated into this prospectus by reference, as updated by our annual and quarterly reports for subsequent fiscal years or fiscal quarters, that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information about how to obtain a copy of these documents. You should also carefully consider the risks and other information that may be contained in, or incorporated by reference into, any applicable prospectus supplement, before you make an investment decision regarding the securities. See “Special Note on Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

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PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.

Pinnacle Financial is a Tennessee corporation that was incorporated on February 28, 2000 and is a bank holding company and financial holding company. Pinnacle Financial is the parent company of Pinnacle Bank and owns 100% of Pinnacle Bank’s capital stock. The primary business of Pinnacle Financial is conducted by Pinnacle Bank. Pinnacle Financial and Pinnacle Bank also collectively hold a 49% interest in BHG. BHG is engaged in the origination of commercial and consumer loans primarily to healthcare providers and other professionals throughout the United States. As of March 31, 2020, Pinnacle Financial had total consolidated assets of approximately $29.264 billion, total deposits of approximately $21.333 billion, total liabilities of approximately $24.879 billion and shareholders’ equity of approximately $4.385 billion.

Our principal executive offices are located at 150 Third Avenue South, Suite 900, Nashville, Tennessee 37201 and our telephone number at these offices is (615) 744-3700. Our internet address is www.pnfp.com. Please note that our website address is provided as an inactive textual reference and the information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

PINNACLE BANK

Pinnacle Bank is a Tennessee state-chartered non-member bank that is regulated and examined by the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, or the TDFI, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the FDIC. Pinnacle Bank started operations on October 27, 2000, in Nashville, Tennessee, and has since grown through a combination of acquisitions and organic growth to 111 offices. Pinnacle Bank offers commercial and private banking products and services. It and its subsidiaries also offer asset management, private wealth management and other investment and insurance agency services. Prior to September 4, 2012, when it converted from a national bank to a state bank, Pinnacle Bank was known as Pinnacle National Bank.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will not receive any proceeds from any sales of securities by a selling securityholder.

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus used to offer specific securities, we expect to use the net proceeds from any offering of securities by us for general corporate purposes, which may include funding the cash portion of the purchase price or providing capital for acquisitions, capital expenditures, investments, working capital, capitalizing Pinnacle Bank and the repayment, redemption or refinancing of all or a portion of any of our or Pinnacle Bank’s indebtedness or other securities outstanding at a particular time. Pending such use, we may temporarily invest the net proceeds in short-term securities or reduce our short-term indebtedness, or we may hold the net proceeds in deposit accounts in our subsidiary bank.

DESCRIPTIONS OF SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

This prospectus contains summary descriptions of the common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, depositary shares, units and stock purchase contracts that we, or any selling securityholders, may offer and sell from time to time. We may issue the debt securities as exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of common stock or preferred stock. The preferred stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of common stock or another series of preferred stock. When one or more of these securities are offered in the future, a prospectus supplement will explain the particular terms of the securities and the extent to which these general provisions may apply. These summary descriptions and any summary descriptions in the applicable prospectus supplement, or free writing prospectus, as applicable, do not purport to be complete descriptions of the terms and conditions of each security and are qualified in their entirety by reference to our amended and restated charter, as amended and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, the Tennessee Business Corporation

 

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Act, or TBCA, and any other documents referenced in such summary descriptions and from which such summary descriptions are derived. If any particular terms of a security described in the applicable prospectus supplement, or free writing prospectus, as applicable, differ from any of the terms described herein, then the terms described herein will be deemed superseded by the terms set forth in that prospectus supplement, or free writing prospectus, as applicable.

We may issue securities in book-entry form through one or more depositaries, such as The Depository Trust Company, Euroclear or Clearstream, named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each sale of a security in book-entry form will settle in immediately available funds through the applicable depositary, unless otherwise stated. We will issue the securities only in registered form, without coupons, although we may issue the securities in bearer form if so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. If any securities are to be listed or quoted on a securities exchange or quotation system, the applicable prospectus supplement will say so.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following is a description of our common stock and certain provisions of our amended and restated charter, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, and certain provisions of applicable law. The following is only a summary and is qualified by applicable law and by the provisions of our amended and restated charter, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, which are incorporated by reference as exhibits into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and copies of which have been filed with the SEC and are also available upon request from us. You should read the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular issuance of securities, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 180 million shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, and 10 million shares of preferred stock, no par value. As of May 26, 2020, 75,848,356 shares of our common stock were outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock were outstanding.

Our outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders. Holders of our common stock do not have pre-emptive rights and are not entitled to cumulative voting rights with respect to the election of directors. Our common stock is neither redeemable nor convertible into other securities, and there are no sinking fund provisions with respect to the common stock.

Subject to the preferences applicable to any shares of our preferred stock outstanding at the time, holders of our common stock are entitled to, in the event of liquidation, share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities.

Election of Directors

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, provide that each member of our board of directors is elected annually to a one year term. As a result of our adopting a majority voting standard for directors at the 2015 annual meeting of shareholders, should a nominee to serve as a director that is nominated in an uncontested election fail to receive an affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the meeting at which the nominee is up for election, in person or by proxy, then that nominee, if that individual is an incumbent director, must tender his or her resignation to the chairman of our board of directors following the shareholder vote pursuant to our corporate governance guidelines. Subsequently, the nominating and corporate governance committee of our board of directors will consider the relevant facts and circumstances, including the factors that may have given rise to the resulting shareholder vote and the service and qualifications of the impacted director(s), and recommend to the board of directors within ninety days of the shareholder vote as to whether to accept or reject the resignation of the impacted director(s). Our board of directors will also consider the relevant facts and circumstances when considering whether to accept or reject the nominating and corporate governance committee’s recommendation. Subsequently, we will describe a full explanation of the above process and the decisions regarding the impacted director(s) continued service on the board of directors in a Form 8-K filing with the SEC. Any director who tenders his resignation in the manner described in this paragraph will not participate in any discussion or recommendation related to the above process.

Our amended and restated bylaws, as amended, also grant our board of directors the power to increase or decrease the number of directors and to fill vacancies. The overall effect of this provision may be to prevent a person or entity from seeking to acquire control of us through an increase in the number of directors on our board of directors and the election of designated nominees to fill newly created vacancies.

 

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Dividends

Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. In order to pay any dividends, we will need to receive dividends from Pinnacle Bank or have other sources of funds. Under Tennessee banking law, Pinnacle Bank is subject to restrictions on the payment of dividends to us. Pursuant to these laws, Pinnacle Bank may not, without the prior consent of the Commissioner of the TDFI pay any dividends to us in a year in excess of the total of Pinnacle Bank’s net income for that year plus the retained net income for the preceding two years.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, we paid $50.2 million in dividends to common shareholders. Our ability to pay dividends to our shareholders in the future will depend on our and Pinnacle Bank’s earnings and financial condition, liquidity and capital requirements, the general economic and regulatory climate, our ability to service any equity or debt obligations senior to our common stock and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.

Corporate Transactions

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, with exceptions, requires that any merger or similar transaction involving us or any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of our assets will require the affirmative vote of a majority of our directors then in office and the affirmative vote of a majority of the holders of the outstanding shares of our stock entitled to vote on the transaction.

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, describes the factors that our board of directors must consider in evaluating whether an acquisition proposal made by another party is in our shareholders’ best interests. The term “acquisition proposal” refers to any offer of another party to:

 

   

make a tender offer or exchange offer for our common stock or any other equity security of ours;

 

   

merge or consolidate us with another corporation; or

 

   

purchase or otherwise acquire all or substantially all of the properties and assets owned by us.

The board of directors, in determining what is in our and our shareholders’ best interests, is required to give due consideration to all relevant factors, including, without limitation:

 

   

the short-term and long-term social and economic effects of the transaction on our and our subsidiaries’ employees, clients, shareholders and other constituents;

 

   

the consideration being offered by the other corporation in relation to (1) our current value at the time of the proposal as determined in a freely negotiated transaction and (2) the board of directors’ estimate of our future value as an independent company at the time of the proposal; and

 

   

the short-term and long-term social and economic effects on the communities within which we operate.

We have included this provision in our amended and restated charter, as amended, because serving our community was, and remains, one of the reasons for organizing Pinnacle Bank. As a result, the board of directors believes its obligation in evaluating an acquisition proposal extends beyond evaluating merely the payment being offered in relation to the market or book value of our common stock at the time of the proposal.

While the value of what is being offered to shareholders in exchange for their stock is the main factor when weighing the benefits of an acquisition proposal, our board of directors believes it is appropriate to also consider all other relevant factors. For example, the board will evaluate what is being offered in relation to our current value at the time of the proposal as determined in a freely negotiated transaction and in relation to the board’s estimate of our future value as an independent concern at the time of the proposal. A takeover bid often places the target corporation virtually in the position of making a forced sale, sometimes when the market price of its

 

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stock may be depressed. Our board of directors believes that frequently the payment offered in such a situation, even though it may exceed the value at which shares are then trading, is less than that which could be obtained in a freely negotiated transaction. In a freely negotiated transaction, management would have the opportunity to seek a suitable partner at a time of its choosing and to negotiate for the most favorable price and terms that would reflect not only on our current value, but also our future value.

One effect of the provision requiring our board of directors to take into account specific factors when considering an acquisition proposal may be to discourage a tender offer in advance. Often an offeror consults the board of a target corporation before or after beginning a tender offer in an attempt to prevent a contest from developing. In our board’s opinion, this provision will strengthen its position in dealing with any potential offeror that might attempt to acquire the company through a hostile tender offer. Another effect of this provision may be to dissuade shareholders who might be displeased with the board’s response to an acquisition proposal from engaging us in costly litigation.

The applicable charter provisions would not make an acquisition proposal regarded by our board of directors as being in our best interests more difficult to accomplish. It would, however, permit the board to determine that an acquisition proposal was not in our best interests, and thus to oppose it, on the basis of the various factors that the board deems relevant. In some cases, opposition by the board might have the effect of maintaining incumbent management.

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, provides that all extraordinary corporate transactions to which we are a party must be approved by a majority of the directors and a majority of the shares entitled to vote.

Anti-Takeover Statutes

The Tennessee Control Share Acquisition Act generally provides that, except as stated below, “control shares” will not have any voting rights. Control shares are shares acquired by a person under certain circumstances which, when added to other shares owned, would give such person effective control over one-fifth, one-third, or a majority of all voting power in the election of a Tennessee corporation’s directors. Shares acquired by such person that causes it to exceed each of these thresholds will be deemed to be control shares. However, voting rights will be restored to control shares by resolution approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the corporation’s voting stock, other than shares held by the owner of the control shares. If voting rights are granted to control shares which give the holder a majority of all voting power in the election of the corporation’s directors, then the corporation’s other shareholders may require the corporation to redeem their shares at fair value.

The Tennessee Control Share Acquisition Act is not applicable to us because our amended and restated charter, as amended, does not contain a specific provision “opting in” to the act as is required under the act.

The Tennessee Investor Protection Act, or TIPA, provides that unless a Tennessee corporation’s board of directors has recommended a takeover offer to shareholders, no offeror beneficially owning 5% or more of any class of equity securities of the offeree company, any of which was purchased within the preceding year, may make a takeover offer for any class of equity security of the offeree company if after completion the offeror would be a beneficial owner of more than 10% of any class of outstanding equity securities of the company unless the offeror, before making such purchase: (1) makes a public announcement of his or her intention with respect to changing or influencing the management or control of the offeree company; (2) makes a full, fair and effective disclosure of such intention to the person from whom he or she intends to acquire such securities; and (3) files with the Tennessee Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance, or the Commissioner, and the offeree company a statement signifying such intentions and containing such additional information as may be prescribed by the Commissioner.

The offeror must provide that any equity securities of an offeree company deposited or tendered pursuant to a takeover offer may be withdrawn by an offeree at any time within seven days from the date the offer has

 

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become effective following filing with the Commissioner and the offeree company and public announcement of the terms or after 60 days from the date the offer has become effective. If the takeover offer is for less than all the outstanding equity securities of any class, such an offer must also provide for acceptance of securities pro rata if the number of securities tendered is greater than the number the offeror has offered to accept and pay for. If such an offeror varies the terms of the takeover offer before its expiration date by increasing the consideration offered to offerees, the offeror must pay the increased consideration for all equity securities accepted, whether accepted before or after the variation in the terms of the offer.

The TIPA does not apply to us, as it does not apply to bank holding companies subject to regulation by a federal agency.

The TBCA generally prohibits a “business combination” by us or a subsidiary with an “interested shareholder” within five years after such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder. We or a subsidiary of ours can, however, enter into a business combination within that period if, before the interested shareholder became such, our board of directors approved the business combination or the transaction in which the interested shareholder became an interested shareholder. After that five-year moratorium, the business combination with the interested shareholder can be consummated only if it satisfies certain fair price criteria or is approved by two-thirds of the other shareholders.

For purposes of the TBCA, a “business combination” includes mergers, share exchanges, sales and leases of assets, issuances of securities, and similar transactions. An “interested shareholder” is generally any person or entity that beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of any outstanding class or series of our stock. Our charter does not have special requirements for transactions with interested parties; however all business combinations, as defined above, must be approved by a majority of our directors and a majority of the shares entitled to vote.

The Tennessee Greenmail Act applies to a Tennessee corporation that has a class of voting stock registered or traded on a national securities exchange or registered with the SEC pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. Under the Tennessee Greenmail Act, we may not purchase any of our shares at a price above the market value of such shares from any person who holds more than 3% of the class of securities to be purchased if such person has held such shares for less than two years, unless the purchase has been approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of each class of voting stock issued by us or we make an offer, of at least equal value per share, to all shareholders of such class.

Indemnification

The TBCA provides that a corporation may indemnify any of its directors and officers against liability incurred in connection with a proceeding if: (a) such person acted in good faith; (b) in the case of conduct in an official capacity with the corporation, the person reasonably believed such conduct was in the corporation’s best interests; (c) in all other cases, the person reasonably believed that the person’s conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and (d) in connection with any criminal proceeding, such person had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. In actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, however, the TBCA provides that no indemnification may be made if the director or officer was adjudged to be liable to the corporation. The TBCA also provides that in connection with any proceeding charging improper personal benefit to an officer or director, no indemnification may be made if such officer or director is adjudged liable on the basis that such personal benefit was improperly received. In cases where the director or officer is wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding instigated because of his or her status as a director or officer of a corporation, the TBCA mandates that the corporation indemnify the director or officer against reasonable expenses incurred in the proceeding. The TBCA provides that a court of competent jurisdiction, unless the corporation’s charter provides otherwise, upon application, may order that an officer or director be indemnified for reasonable expenses if, in consideration of all relevant circumstances, the court determines that such individual is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification,

 

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notwithstanding the fact that (a) such officer or director was adjudged liable to the corporation in a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation; (b) such officer or director was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by the officer or director; or (c) such officer or director breached the officer’s or director’s duty of care to the corporation.

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, provides that we will indemnify our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by the TBCA. Our amended and restated bylaws, as amended, provide that we shall indemnify our directors and officers that are made a party to a proceeding because they were a director or officer of ours for reasonable expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with the proceeding if he or she acted in a manner believed in good faith to be in or not opposed to our best interests, and in the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In addition, our amended and restated bylaws, as amended, provide that we shall pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by a director or officer who is a party to a proceeding in advance of final disposition of the proceeding if he or she furnishes us with (1) a written affirmation of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct that would entitle him or her to indemnification and (2) a written statement that he or she will repay any advances if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification.

Under our amended and restated bylaws, as amended, the termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, is not, of itself, determinative of whether the director or officer met the standard of conduct required in order for him or her to be entitled to indemnification. Our board of directors, shareholders or independent legal counsel determines whether the director or officer has met the applicable standard of conduct in each specific case.

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, also provide that the indemnification rights contained therein do not exclude other indemnification rights to which a director or officer may be entitled under any bylaw, resolution or agreement, either specifically or in general terms approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote. We can also provide for greater indemnification than is provided for in the amended and restated bylaws, as amended, if we choose to do so, subject to approval by our shareholders and the limitations provided in our amended and restated charter, as amended, as discussed in the subsequent paragraph.

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, eliminates, with exceptions, the potential personal liability of a director for monetary damages to us and our shareholders for breach of a duty as a director. There is, however, no elimination of liability for:

 

   

a breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to our shareholders;

 

   

an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; or

 

   

any payment of a dividend or approval of a stock repurchase that is illegal under the TBCA.

Our amended and restated charter, as amended, does not eliminate or limit our right or the right of our shareholders to seek injunctive or other equitable relief not involving monetary damages.

The indemnification provisions of the amended and restated bylaws, as amended, specifically provide that we may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any director or officer against any liability asserted against and incurred by him or her in his or her capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent whether or not we would have had the power to indemnify him or her against such liability.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us 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.

 

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Transfer Agent

Computershare Trust Company, N.A. serves as the registrar and transfer agent for our common stock.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

We summarize below some of the provisions that will apply to the preferred stock that we may issue pursuant to this prospectus unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the preferred stock will be contained in the prospectus supplement applicable to the particular series of preferred stock that we issue. You should read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

General

We have authority to issue 10 million shares of preferred stock, no par value per share. Currently, there are no shares of our preferred stock outstanding.

Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by the shareholders, to issue preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the number of shares, dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, redemption rights, liquidation preferences, sinking funds, and any other rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions applicable to each such series of preferred stock.

Prior to the issuance of a new series of preferred stock, we will amend our amended and restated charter, as amended, designating the stock of that series and the terms of that series. Each series of preferred stock that we issue will constitute a separate class of stock. The issuance of any preferred stock could adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock and, therefore, reduce the value of the common stock. The ability of our board of directors to issue preferred stock could discourage, delay or prevent a takeover or other corporate action.

The terms of any particular series of preferred stock will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to that particular series of preferred stock, including, where applicable:

 

   

the designation, stated value and liquidation preference of such preferred stock and the amount of stock offered;

 

   

the offering price;

 

   

the dividend rate or rates (or method of calculation), the date or dates from which dividends shall accrue, the priority as to payment of dividends with respect to other classes or series of our shares of capital stock, and whether such dividends shall be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the dates from which dividends shall commence to cumulate;

 

   

any redemption or sinking fund provisions;

 

   

the amount that shares of such series shall be entitled to receive in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up;

 

   

the terms and conditions, if any, on which shares of such series shall be convertible or exchangeable for shares of our stock of any other class or classes, or other series of the same class;

 

   

the voting rights, if any, of shares of such series;

 

   

the status as to reissuance or sale of shares of such series redeemed, purchased or otherwise reacquired, or surrendered to us on conversion or exchange;

 

   

the conditions and restrictions, if any, on the payment of dividends or on the making of other distributions on, or the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by us or any subsidiary of ours, of the common stock or of any other class of our shares ranking junior to the shares of such series as to dividends or upon liquidation;

 

   

whether the preferred stock of such series will be listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system;

 

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the conditions and restrictions, if any, on the creation of indebtedness of us or of any subsidiary, or on the issuance of any additional stock ranking on a parity with or prior to the shares of such series as to dividends or upon liquidation; and

 

   

any additional dividend, liquidation, redemption, sinking or retirement fund and other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions of such preferred stock.

The description of the terms of a particular series of preferred stock in the applicable prospectus supplement will not be complete. You should refer to the applicable amendment to our amended and restated charter, as amended, creating a particular series of preferred stock for complete information regarding a series of preferred stock.

The preferred stock will, when issued against payment of the consideration payable therefor, be fully paid and nonassessable. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of preferred stock will, upon issuance, rank senior to our common stock and on a parity in all respects with each other outstanding series of preferred stock. The rights of the holders of our preferred stock will be subordinate to those of our general creditors.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

We may issue senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. Senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture, referred to as the “senior indenture,” between us and a senior indenture trustee to be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Subordinated debt securities will be issued under a separate indenture, referred to as the “subordinated indenture,” between us and a subordinated indenture trustee to be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. The senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are sometimes collectively referred to in this prospectus as the “indentures.” The indentures will be subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. A copy of the form of each of these indentures is included as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

The following briefly describes the general terms and provisions of the debt securities which may be offered and the indentures governing them. The particular terms of the debt securities offered, and the extent, if any, to which these general provisions may apply to the debt securities so offered, will be described in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to those securities. The following descriptions of the indentures are not complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the respective indentures.

General

We will issue any senior notes under a senior indenture which we will enter into with the trustee named in the senior indenture. We will issue any subordinated notes under a subordinated indenture which we will enter into with the trustee named in the subordinated indenture. We have filed forms of these indentures as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We use the term “indentures” to refer to both the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture. The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. We use the term “trustee” to refer to either the senior trustee or the subordinated trustee, as applicable.

The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt securities, the subordinated debt securities and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities and any supplemental indenture applicable thereto. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement that is related to the debt securities that we sell under this prospectus, as well as the complete indenture, and any supplements thereto, that contain the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are identical.

We may issue, from time to time, debt securities, in one or more series, that will consist of either our senior debt (“senior debt securities”) or our subordinated debt (“subordinated debt securities”). Debt securities, whether senior or subordinated, may be issued as convertible debt securities or exchangeable debt securities.

The indentures do not limit, or otherwise restrict, the amount of debt securities that we may issue, and do not limit us from issuing any other debt, including secured and unsecured debt. We may issue debt securities up to an aggregate principal amount as we may authorize from time to time, which securities may be in any currency or currency unit designated by us.

The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a supplemental indenture. The prospectus supplement relating to any particular debt securities will contain, where applicable, the following terms of and other information relating to any offered debt securities:

 

   

the title and series designation of the debt securities;

 

   

the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount or issue price of the debt securities of a series;

 

   

the classification of such debt securities as senior or subordinated debt securities and the specific designation;

 

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the price or prices at which the debt securities will be issued, which may be expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount of those debt securities;

 

   

the designation, aggregate principal amount and authorized denominations of the debt securities;

 

   

the issue date or dates of the series and the maturity date or dates of the series;

 

   

whether the securities will be issued at par or at a premium over or a discount from their face amount;

 

   

any fixed or variable interest rate or rates per annum or the method or formula for calculating the interest rate and basis upon which interest shall be calculated;

 

   

the right, if any, to extend interest payment periods and the duration of the extension;

 

   

the interest payment dates and the record dates for the interest payments;

 

   

the date from which interest will accrue;

 

   

any repayment, redemption, prepayment, repurchase or sinking fund provisions, including any redemption notice provisions;

 

   

the terms on which holders of the debt securities may convert or exchange these securities into or for common or preferred stock or other securities of ours offered hereby, into or for common or preferred stock or other securities of an entity affiliated with us or debt or equity or other securities of an entity not affiliated with us, or for the cash value of our stock or any of the above securities, the terms on which conversion or exchange may occur, including whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option, the period during which conversion or exchange may occur, the initial conversion or exchange price or rate and the circumstances or manner in which the amount of common or preferred stock or other securities issuable upon conversion or exchange may be adjusted;

 

   

the currency of denomination of the securities;

 

   

the place where we will pay principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, and the place where the debt securities may be presented for transfer;

 

   

the principal amount payable, whether at maturity or upon earlier acceleration;

 

   

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

 

   

the currency or currencies, if other than the currency of the United States, in which principal and interest will be paid;

 

   

if other than denominations of $1,000 or multiples of $1,000, the denominations the debt securities will be issued in;

 

   

whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of global securities or certificates;

 

   

the applicability of and additional provisions, if any, relating to the defeasance of the debt securities;

 

   

the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount;

 

   

the dates on which premium, if any, will be paid;

 

   

any agents for the debt securities, including trustees, depositories, authentication or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars;

 

   

any addition to, or modification or deletion of, any events of default or covenants contained in the applicable indenture relating to the debt securities;

 

   

a discussion of any material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the debt securities;

 

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our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of this deferral period; and

 

   

other specific terms, including any additional events of default or covenants.

We may issue debt securities as original issue discount securities, which are securities that are offered and sold at a discount to their stated principal amount or as payment-in-kind securities which may constitute original issue discount securities for U.S. federal income tax purpose. Even if we do not issue the debt securities below their stated principal amount, for United States federal income tax purposes the debt securities may be deemed to have been issued with a discount because of certain interest payment characteristics. We will describe in any applicable prospectus supplement the material United States federal income tax considerations applicable to debt securities issued at a discount or deemed to be issued at a discount, and will describe any special United States federal income tax considerations that may be applicable to the particular debt securities.

The debt securities will represent our general obligations. We are a non-operating holding company and almost all of our operating assets are owned by our subsidiaries. We rely primarily on dividends from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations. We are a legal entity separate and distinct from our banking and non-banking affiliates. The principal sources of our income are dividends and interest from Pinnacle Bank.

Pinnacle Bank is subject to restrictions imposed by state and federal law on any extensions of credit to, and certain other transactions with, us and certain other affiliates, and on investments in stock or other securities thereof. In addition, payment of dividends to us by Pinnacle Bank is subject to ongoing review by banking regulators. Because we are a holding company, our right to participate in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon the subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization or otherwise is subject to the prior claims of creditors of the subsidiary, except to the extent we may ourselves be recognized as a creditor of that subsidiary.

Ranking of Debt Securities; Holding Company Structure

Senior Debt Securities. Payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on senior debt securities will rank on a parity with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt.

Subordinated Debt Securities. Payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on subordinated debt securities will be junior in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness, including senior debt securities. We will state in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any subordinated debt securities the subordination terms of the securities as well as the aggregate amount of outstanding indebtedness, as of the most recent practicable date, that by its terms would be senior to those subordinated debt securities. We will also state in that prospectus supplement limitations, if any, on the issuance of additional senior indebtedness.

Holding Company Structure. The debt securities will be our exclusive obligations. We are a holding company and substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by our subsidiaries. Accordingly, our cash flows and our ability to service our debt, including the debt securities, are dependent upon the results of operations of our subsidiaries and the distribution of funds by our subsidiaries to us. Various statutory and regulatory restrictions, however, limit directly or indirectly the amount of dividends our subsidiaries can pay, and also restrict certain subsidiaries from making investments in or loans to us.

Because we are a holding company, the debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities, including indebtedness, customer deposits, trade payables, guarantees and lease obligations, of our subsidiaries. Therefore, our rights and the rights of our creditors, including the holders of the debt securities, to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon that subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors and, if applicable, its depositors, except to the extent that we may ourselves be a creditor with recognized claims against the subsidiary, in which case our claims would still be effectively subordinate to any security interest in, or mortgages or other liens on, the assets of the subsidiary and would be subordinate to any indebtedness of the subsidiary senior to that held by us. If a receiver or conservator were appointed for Pinnacle Bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act recognizes a priority in favor of the holders

 

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of withdrawable deposits (including the FDIC as subrogee or transferee) over general creditors. Claims for customer deposits would have a priority over any claims that we may ourselves have as a creditor of Pinnacle Bank. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indentures will not limit the amount of indebtedness or other liabilities that we and our subsidiaries may incur.

We may structure one or more series of subordinated debt securities so that they qualify as capital under federal regulations applicable to bank holding companies. We may adopt this structure whether or not those regulations may be applicable to us at the time of issuance.

Registration and Transfer

Holders may present debt securities in registered form for transfer or exchange for other debt securities of the same series at the offices of the applicable indenture trustee according to the terms of the applicable indenture and the debt securities.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued in fully registered form, and in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

No service charge will be required for any transfer or exchange of the debt securities but we generally may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with any transfer or exchange.

Payment and Place of Payment

We will pay or deliver principal and any premium and interest, if any, in the manner, at the places and subject to the restrictions set forth in the applicable indenture, the debt securities and the applicable prospectus supplement. However, at our option, we may pay any interest by check mailed or wire transfer to the holders of registered debt securities.

Global Securities

Each indenture provides that we may issue debt securities in global form. If any series of debt securities is issued in global form, the prospectus supplement will describe any circumstances under which beneficial owners of interests in any of those global debt securities may exchange their interests for debt securities of that series and of like tenor and principal amount in any authorized form and denomination. See “Description of Global Securities.”

Redemption and Repurchase

The debt securities of any series may be redeemable at our option, may be subject to mandatory redemption pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise, or may be subject to repurchase by us at the option of the holders, in each case upon the terms, at the times and at the prices set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and pricing supplement, if any.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

Debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities or property. The terms and conditions of conversion or exchange will be set forth in the supplemental indenture related to that series of debt securities and will be described in the relevant prospectus supplement. The terms will include, among others, the following:

 

   

the conversion or exchange price;

 

   

the conversion or exchange period;

 

   

provisions regarding our or the holders’ ability to convert or exchange the debt securities, including whether the conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option;

 

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events requiring adjustment to the conversion or exchange price;

 

   

provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of our redemption of the debt securities; and

 

   

any anti-dilution provisions, if applicable.

Absence of Limitation on Indebtedness and Liens; Absence of Event Risk Protection

Unless otherwise stated in the prospectus supplement relating to a series of debt securities, the indentures will not limit the amount of indebtedness, guarantees or other liabilities that we and our subsidiaries may incur and will not prohibit us or our subsidiaries from creating or assuming liens on our properties, including the capital stock of our subsidiaries. Unless otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement, the indentures will not require us to maintain any financial ratios or specified levels of net worth, revenues, income, cash flow or liquidity, and will not contain provisions which would give holders of the debt securities the right to require us to repurchase their debt securities in the event we undergo a takeover, recapitalization or similar restructuring or change in control.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets

The indentures provide that we may consolidate with or merger with or into, or sell, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets to any person or entity; provided that:

 

   

the resulting person, if other than Pinnacle Financial, is a corporation organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia, and expressly assumes the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the debt securities and the performance of every covenant of the indenture to be performed or observed by us, by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the trustee, executed and delivered to the trustee by such corporation;

 

   

immediately after giving effect to such transactions, no event of default, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an event of default under the indenture, shall have happened and be continuing; and

 

   

we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel each stating that such transaction and such supplemental indenture comply with the indenture provisions relating to a merger, consolidation and sale of assets.

Upon any such consolidation or merger, or any sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of Pinnacle Financial, the successor person formed by such consolidation or into which Pinnacle Financial is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, Pinnacle Financial under the applicable indenture with the same effect as if such successor person had been named as the company in such indenture and thereafter the predecessor person, except in the case of a lease, shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the applicable indenture and the debt securities.

The indentures do not provide for any right of acceleration in the event of a consolidation, merger, sale of all or substantially all of the assets, recapitalization or change in our stock ownership. In addition, the indentures do not contain any provision which would protect the holders of debt securities against a sudden and dramatic decline in credit quality resulting from takeovers, recapitalizations or similar restructurings.

Subordination of the Subordinated Debt Securities

The subordinated indenture will provide that the subordinated debt securities are subordinated and junior in right of payment to our obligations to the holders of senior indebtedness (as defined below) to the extent specified in the subordinated indenture. This means that in the case of any insolvency, liquidation or other certain specified events of or relating to Pinnacle Financial as a whole, whether voluntary or involuntary, all obligations

 

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to holders of senior indebtedness shall be entitled to be paid in full before any payment shall be made on account of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities. In the event of any such proceeding, after payment in full of all sums owing with respect to senior indebtedness, the holders of the subordinated debt securities, together with the holders of any obligations of Pinnacle Financial ranking on a parity with the subordinated debt securities, shall be entitled to be paid from the remaining assets of Pinnacle Financial the amounts at the time due and owing on account of unpaid principal of and interest on the subordinated debt securities before any payment or other distribution, whether in cash, property or otherwise, shall be made on account of any capital stock or any obligations of Pinnacle Financial ranking junior to the subordinated debt securities.

In addition, if there shall have occurred and be continuing a default in any payment with respect to any senior indebtedness or an event of default with respect to any senior indebtedness as a result of which the maturity thereof is accelerated, unless and until such payment default or event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist, no payments shall be made by us with respect to the principal or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

The term “senior indebtedness” means the following, whether now outstanding or subsequently created, assumed or incurred:

 

   

all obligations of Pinnacle Financial for borrowed money;

 

   

all obligations of Pinnacle Financial evidenced by debentures, notes, debt securities or other similar instruments;

 

   

all obligations of Pinnacle Financial in respect of letters of credit, security purchase facilities or bankers acceptances or similar instruments (or reimbursement obligations with respect thereto);

 

   

all obligations of Pinnacle Financial to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, except trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

   

indebtedness of Pinnacle Financial secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by Pinnacle Financial but excluding any obligations of Pinnacle Financial which are treated as capitalized leases under generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP;

 

   

Pinnacle Financial’s obligations associated with derivative products including, but not limited to, interest rate and currency future or exchange contracts, foreign exchange contracts, swap agreements (including interest rate and foreign exchange rate swap agreements), cap agreements, floor agreements, collar agreements, options, interest rate future or option contracts, commodity contracts, and similar arrangements;

 

   

purchase money and similar obligations (including any obligations of Pinnacle Financial which are treated as capitalized leases under GAAP);

 

   

obligations to general creditors of Pinnacle Financial;

 

   

a deferred obligation of, or any such obligation, directly or indirectly guaranteed by, Pinnacle Financial which obligation is incurred in connection with the acquisition of any business, properties or assets not evidenced by a note or similar instrument given in connection therewith;

 

   

all obligations of the type referred to in the foregoing bullet points above of other persons or entities for the payment of which Pinnacle Financial is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, whether or not classified as a liability on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP;

 

   

all obligations of the type referred to in the foregoing bullet points above of other persons or entities secured by any lien on any property or assets of Pinnacle Financial, whether or not such obligation is assumed by Pinnacle Financial; and

 

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any renewals, amendments, deferrals, supplements, extensions, refundings or replacements of any of the foregoing;

provided, however, senior indebtedness excludes:

 

   

any such indebtedness, obligation or liability referred to above as to which, in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such indebtedness, obligation or liability is not superior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities, or ranks pari passu with the subordinated debt securities;

 

   

any such indebtedness, obligation or liability which is subordinated to indebtedness of Pinnacle Financial to substantially the same extent as or to a greater extent than the subordinated debt securities are subordinated;

 

   

any indebtedness to a subsidiary of Pinnacle Financial;

 

   

any trade account payables in the ordinary course of business; and

 

   

the subordinated debt securities.

The subordinated debt securities will rank senior to all of Pinnacle Financial’s equity securities, including its preferred stock, whether now outstanding or subsequently created.

The indentures do not limit the aggregate amount of senior indebtedness that may be issued by Pinnacle Financial.

Events of Default

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following are events of default under the senior indenture, with respect to the senior debt securities and under the subordinated indenture with respect to the subordinated debt securities:

 

   

default in the payment of interest on the debt securities when due and the default continues for a period of 30 days or more;

 

   

default in the payment of the principal amount, or premium, if any, on the debt securities when due either at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise;

 

   

default in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due, and such default continues for 30 days or more;

 

   

default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement in the indenture and the default or breach continues for a period of 90 days or more after we receive written notice of such default from the trustee or we and the trustee receive notice from the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series;

 

   

specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, administration or similar proceedings with respect to us or Pinnacle Bank have occurred; or

 

   

any other event of default provided with respect to the debt securities of a series.

Except as provided for otherwise in a supplemental indenture, no event of default with respect to a particular series of debt securities necessarily constitutes an event of default with respect to any other series of debt securities. Unless otherwise provided by the terms of an applicable series of debt securities, if an event of default under the indentures occurs with respect to the debt securities of any series and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 51% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may by written notice require us to repay immediately the entire principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series (or such lesser amount as may be provided in the terms of the securities), together with all

 

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accrued and unpaid interest and premium, if any. In the case of an event of default resulting from specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities may become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities.

After a declaration of acceleration and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind this accelerated payment requirement if all existing events of default, except for nonpayment of the principal on the debt securities of that series that has become due solely as a result of the accelerated payment requirement, have been cured or waived and if the rescission of acceleration would not conflict with any judgment or decree. The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series also have the right to waive past defaults, except a default in paying principal, premium, if any, or interest on any outstanding debt security, a default in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation with respect to the debt securities of such series or in respect of a covenant or a provision that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of all holders of the debt securities of that series.

A holder of any debt security of any series will have the right to institute a proceeding with respect to the applicable indenture or for any remedy under the indenture, if:

 

   

such holder has previously given written notice to the trustee of a continuing event of default;

 

   

the holders of not less than 51% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series have made a written request to the trustee to institute proceedings in respect of the event of default,

 

   

the holder or holders have offered reasonable indemnity to the trustee and the trustee has failed to institute such proceeding within 60 days after it received this notice, and

 

   

the indenture trustee has not received from the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with the request;

provided, however, the holder of any debt security has the right to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on, and any additional amounts in respect of, such debt security on the respective due dates (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment.

The indentures require us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to any default in the performance of any of our covenants, conditions, or agreements contained in the indenture.

Modification and Waiver

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, Pinnacle Financial and the applicable indenture trustee may amend and modify each indenture or debt securities under that indenture with the consent of holders of at least a majority in principal amount of each series of all outstanding debt securities then outstanding under the indenture affected. However, without the consent of each holder of any debt security issued under the applicable indenture, we may not amend or modify that indenture to:

 

   

change the maturity date or the stated payment date of any payment of premium or interest payable on the debt securities;

 

   

reduce the principal amount on the debt securities;

 

   

change the method of computing the amount of principal or any interest of any debt security;

 

   

change or waive the redemption or repayment provisions of the debt securities;

 

   

change the currency in which principal, any premium or interest is paid or the place of payment;

 

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reduce the percentage in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series which must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver or consent to take any action;

 

   

impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on the debt securities;

 

   

waive a payment default with respect to the debt securities;

 

   

reduce the interest rate or extend the time for payment of interest on the debt securities;

 

   

adversely affect the ranking or priority of the debt securities of any series; or

 

   

release any guarantor or co-obligor from any of its obligations under its guarantee or the indenture, except in compliance with the terms of the indenture.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we and the applicable indenture trustee may also amend and modify each indenture without the consent of any holder for any of the following purposes:

 

   

to evidence a successor to Pinnacle Financial;

 

   

to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision in the applicable indenture, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under that indenture, so long as the interests of holders of debt securities of any series are not adversely affected in any material respect by the actions taken to cure, correct or supplement a provision in an indenture;

 

   

to add to our covenants for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities;

 

   

to add events of default for the benefits of the holders of all or any series of debt securities;

 

   

to add guarantors or co-obligors with respect to any series of debt securities;

 

   

to secure any series of debt securities;

 

   

to establish the form or terms of any series of debt securities;

 

   

to add additional events of default with respect to all or any series of debt securities;

 

   

to add additional provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

to comply with the requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor indenture trustee; or

 

   

to make any change that does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any holder of the debt securities of a series.

Satisfaction, Discharge and Covenant Defeasance

The indentures provide that we may terminate our obligations under the indenture with respect to any series of debt securities, when:

 

   

either:

 

   

all debt securities of any series issued that have been authenticated and delivered have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or

 

   

all the debt securities of any series issued that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable, will become due and payable within one year, or are to be called for redemption within one year and we have made arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by such trustee in our name and at our expense, and in each case, we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee sufficient funds to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the series of debt securities; and

 

   

we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums then due and payable under such indenture; and

 

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we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent under such indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of such indenture have been complied with.

The indentures also provide that we may elect to have our obligations under the indenture discharged with respect to the outstanding debt securities of any series (“legal defeasance”). Legal defeasance means that we will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the outstanding debt securities of such series under the indenture, except for:

 

   

the rights of holders of the debt securities to receive principal, interest and any premium when due;

 

   

our obligations with respect to the debt securities concerning issuing temporary debt securities, registration of transfer of debt securities, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment for security payments held in trust;

 

   

the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the trustee; and

 

   

the defeasance provisions of the indenture.

In addition, the indentures provide that we may elect to have our obligations released with respect to certain covenants in the indentures (“covenant defeasance”). If we so elect, any failure to comply with these obligations will not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities of such series. In the event covenant defeasance occurs, certain events, not including non-payment, bankruptcy and insolvency events, described under “Events of Default” will no longer constitute an event of default for that series.

In order to exercise either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to outstanding debt securities of any series:

 

   

we must irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to the benefits of the holders of the debt securities of a series:

 

   

money in an amount; or

 

   

U.S. government obligations (or equivalent government obligations in the case of debt securities denominated in other than U.S. dollars or a specified currency) that will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount; or

 

   

a combination of money and U.S. government obligations (or equivalent government obligations, as applicable),

in each case sufficient, in the written opinion (with respect to U.S. or equivalent government obligations or a combination of money and U.S. or equivalent government obligations, as applicable) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the trustee to pay and discharge, all of the principal (including mandatory sinking fund payments), interest and any premium at due date or maturity;

 

   

in the case of legal defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that, under then applicable Federal income tax law, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge to be effected and will be subject to the same Federal income tax as would be the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge did not occur;

 

   

in the case of covenant defeasance, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and covenant defeasance to be effected and will be subject to the same Federal income tax as would be the case if the deposit and covenant defeasance did not occur;

 

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no event of default or default with respect to the outstanding debt securities of that series has occurred and is continuing at the time of such deposit after giving effect to the deposit or, in the case of legal defeasance, no default relating to bankruptcy or insolvency has occurred and is continuing at any time on or before the 91st day after the date of such deposit, it being understood that this condition is not deemed satisfied until after the 91st day;

 

   

the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not cause the trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, assuming all debt securities of a series were in default within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act;

 

   

the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which we are a party;

 

   

if prior to the stated maturity date, notice shall have been given in accordance with the provisions of the indenture;

 

   

the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless the trust is registered under that Act or exempt from registration; and

 

   

we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that all conditions precedent with respect to the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with.

Restrictive Covenants

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants applicable to any issue of debt securities.

Governing Law

Unless indicated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We summarize below some of the provisions that will apply to the warrants that we may issue pursuant to this prospectus unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the warrants will be contained in the applicable warrant certificate and warrant agreement. These documents have been or will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the warrant certificate and the warrant agreement. You should also read the prospectus supplement, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

We may issue, together with other securities or separately, warrants to purchase debt securities, common stock, preferred stock or other securities. We may issue the warrants under warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent would act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of the series being offered and would not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms, where applicable, of warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

 

   

the title of the warrants;

 

   

the designation, amount and terms of the securities for which the warrants are exercisable and the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of such warrants;

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

the aggregate number of warrants;

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

if applicable, the maximum or minimum number of warrants which may be exercised at any time;

 

   

the identity of the warrant agent;

 

   

any mandatory or optional redemption provision;

 

   

whether the warrants are to be issued in registered or bearer form;

 

   

whether the warrants are extendible and the period or periods of such extendibility;

 

   

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

 

   

any other terms of the warrants.

Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

We summarize below some of the provisions that will apply to depositary shares unless the applicable prospectus supplement provides otherwise. This summary may not contain all information that is important to you. The complete terms of the depositary shares will be contained in the depositary agreement and depositary receipt applicable to any depositary shares. These documents will be included or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You should read the depositary agreement and the depositary receipt. You should also read the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular issuance of depositary shares, which will contain additional information and which may update or change some of the information below.

General

We may, at our option, offer fractional shares of preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we do so, we may issue receipts for depositary shares that each represent a fraction of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. The prospectus supplement will indicate that fraction. The shares of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a depositary agreement between us and a bank or trust company that meets certain requirements and is selected by us, which we refer to as the “bank depositary.” Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by the depositary share, including any dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights described in a prospectus supplement, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by such depositary share. The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the depositary agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the offering.

The following summary description of certain common provisions of a depositary agreement and the related depositary receipts and any summary description of the depositary agreement and depositary receipts in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to all of the provisions of such depositary agreement and depositary receipts. The forms of the depositary agreement and the depositary receipts relating to any particular issue of depositary shares will be filed with the SEC each time we issue depositary shares, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you.

Dividends and Other Distributions

If we pay a cash distribution or dividend on a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will distribute such dividends to the record holders of such depositary shares in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by such holders on the relevant record date. If the distributions are in property other than cash, the bank depositary will distribute the property to the record holders of the depositary shares in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by such holders on the relevant record date. However, if the bank depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution of property, the bank depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to the record holders of the depositary shares.

Redemption of Depositary Shares

If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will redeem the depositary shares from the proceeds received by the bank depositary in connection with the redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will equal the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share of the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as the bank depositary may determine.

 

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Voting Deposited Preferred Stock

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock represented by depositary shares are entitled to vote, the bank depositary will mail the notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to such preferred stock. Each record holder of these depositary shares on the record date, which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock, may instruct the bank depositary as to how to vote the preferred stock represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The bank depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will take all action that the bank depositary deems necessary in order to enable the bank depositary to do so. The bank depositary will abstain from voting shares of the preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing such preferred stock.

Amendment and Termination of the Depositary Agreement

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement or required by law, the form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the depositary agreement may be amended by agreement between the bank depositary and us. The depositary agreement may be terminated by the bank depositary or us only if:

 

   

all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed;

 

   

there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of our company, and such distribution has been distributed to the holders of depositary shares; or

 

   

consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the depositary shares outstanding is obtained.

Charges of Bank Depositary

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the bank depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges, including a fee for the withdrawal of shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts, as are expressly provided in the depositary agreement for their accounts.

Withdrawal of Preferred Stock

Except as may be provided otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement and unless the related depositary shares have been called for redemption, upon surrender of depositary receipts at the principal office of the bank depositary, subject to the terms of the depositary agreement, the owner of the depositary shares may demand delivery of the number of whole shares of preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by those depositary shares. Partial shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the bank depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Holders of preferred stock thus withdrawn may not thereafter deposit those shares under the depositary agreement or receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares therefor.

Miscellaneous

The bank depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all reports and communications from us that are delivered to the bank depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.

 

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Neither the bank depositary nor we will be liable if we are prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing our obligations under the depositary agreement. The obligations of the bank depositary and us under the depositary agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of our duties thereunder, and we will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

Resignation and Removal of Bank Depositary

The bank depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the bank depositary. Any such resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor bank depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. The successor bank depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company meeting the requirements of the depositary agreement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

the terms of the unit agreement governing the units;

 

   

material United States federal income tax considerations relevant to the units; and

 

   

whether the units will be issued in fully registered global form.

This summary of certain general terms of units and any summary description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to all provisions of the applicable unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units. The forms of the unit agreements and other documents relating to a particular issue of units will be filed with the SEC each time we issue units, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS

We may issue stock purchase contracts for the purchase or sale of:

 

   

debt or equity securities issued by us or securities of third parties, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement;

 

   

currencies; or

 

   

commodities.

Each stock purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities, currencies or commodities at a specified purchase price, which may be based on a formula, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any stock purchase contract by delivering the cash value of such stock purchase contract or the cash value of the property otherwise deliverable or, in the case of stock purchase contracts on underlying currencies, by delivering the underlying currencies, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, currencies or commodities and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a stock purchase contract.

The stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, which payments may be deferred to the extent set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The stock purchase contracts may require the holders thereof to secure their obligations in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, stock purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the stock purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such prepaid stock purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, pre-paid stock purchase contracts will be issued under either the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF GLOBAL SECURITIES

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue the securities in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depository or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depository or its nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depository for the registered global security, the nominees of the depository or any successors of the depository or those nominees.

If not described below, any specific terms of the depository arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depository arrangements.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depository or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depository will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depository, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.

So long as the depository, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depository or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depository for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take, the depository for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

Payments of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to other securities represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depository or its nominee will be made to the depository or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of Pinnacle Financial, the trustees, the warrant agents or any preferred stock depositary, as applicable, will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or the payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

 

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We expect that the depository for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depository. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.

If the depository for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depository or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depository registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depository. In addition, under the terms of the indenture, we may at any time and in our sole discretion decide not to have any of the securities represented by one or more registered global securities. We understand, however, that, under current industry practices, the depository would notify its participants of our request, but will only withdraw beneficial interests from a global security at the request of each participant. We would issue definitive certificates in exchange for any such interests withdrawn. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depository gives to the applicable trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depository’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depository from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depository.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We and/or the selling securityholders may offer and sell the securities being offered hereby in one or more of the following ways from time to time:

 

   

to or through underwriters, brokers or dealers;

 

   

directly to one or more other purchasers;

 

   

through a block trade in which the broker or dealer engaged to handle the block trade will attempt to sell the common stock as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

   

through agents on a best-efforts basis; or

 

   

otherwise through a combination of any of the above methods of sale.

The selling securityholders may also sell shares of common stock under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, or any other available exemption, rather than under this prospectus.

In addition, we and/or the selling securityholders may enter into option, share lending or other types of transactions that require us and/or the selling securityholders to deliver shares of common stock to an underwriter, broker or dealer, who will then resell or transfer the shares of common stock under this prospectus. We and/or the selling securityholders may enter into hedging transactions with respect to our securities. For example, we and/or the selling securityholders may:

 

   

enter into transactions involving short sales of the shares of common stock by underwriters, brokers or dealers;

 

   

sell shares of common stock short and deliver the shares to close out short positions;

 

   

enter into option or other types of transactions that require us to deliver shares of common stock to an underwriter, broker or dealer, who will then resell or transfer the shares of common stock under this prospectus; or

 

   

loan or pledge the shares of common stock to an underwriter, broker or dealer, who may sell the loaned shares or, in the event of default, sell the pledged shares.

Each time that we and/or the selling securityholders use this prospectus to sell our securities, we will also provide a prospectus supplement that contains the specific terms of the offering. The prospectus supplement will set forth the terms of the offering of such securities, including:

 

   

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

 

   

the public offering price of the securities and the proceeds to us and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

Sales of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions:

 

   

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

 

   

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

   

at prices related to prevailing market prices; or

 

   

at negotiated prices.

Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

 

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If underwriters are used in the sale of any securities, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The securities may be either offered to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters, or directly by underwriters. Generally, the underwriters’ obligations to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities if they purchase any of the securities.

We and/or the selling securityholders may sell the securities through agents from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of our securities and any commissions we pay to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We and/or the selling securityholders may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase our securities at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions or discounts we pay for solicitation of these contracts.

In connection with the sale of any of the securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us and/or the selling securityholders in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive compensation from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Discounts, concessions and commissions may be changed from time to time. Dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act, and any discounts, concessions or commissions they receive from us and any profit on the resale of securities they realize may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under applicable federal and state securities laws.

Pursuant to a requirement by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the maximum commission or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer may not be greater than 8% of the gross proceeds received by us from the sale of any securities registered pursuant to SEC Rule 415.

Agents and underwriters may be entitled to indemnification by us and/or the selling securityholders against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the agents or underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof. Agents and underwriters may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us and/or the selling securityholders in the ordinary course of business.

Unless otherwise specified in the related prospectus supplement, each series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than our common stock, which is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. We expect that any common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, subject to official notice of issuance. We may elect to list any series of debt securities or preferred stock on an exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, any offered securities.

We and/or the selling securityholders may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement so indicates in connection with those derivatives, then the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. In that event, the third party may use securities pledged by us and/or the selling securityholders or borrowed from us

 

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and/or the selling securityholders or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of securities. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part).

Until the distribution of the securities is completed, rules of the SEC may limit the ability of any underwriters and selling group members to bid for and purchase the securities. As an exception to these rules, underwriters are permitted to engage in some transactions that stabilize the price of the securities. Such transactions consist of bids or purchases for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the securities.

Underwriters may engage in overallotment. If any underwriters create a short position in the securities in an offering in which they sell more securities than are set forth on the cover page of the applicable prospectus supplement, the underwriters may reduce that short position by purchasing the securities in the open market.

The lead underwriters may also impose a penalty bid on other underwriters and selling group members participating in an offering. This means that if the lead underwriters purchase securities in the open market to reduce the underwriters’ short position or to stabilize the price of the securities, they may reclaim the amount of any selling concession from the underwriters and selling group members who sold those securities as part of the offering.

In general, purchases of a security for the purpose of stabilization or to reduce a short position could cause the price of the security to be higher than it might be in the absence of such purchases. The imposition of a penalty bid might also have an effect on the price of a security to the extent that it were to discourage resales of the security before the distribution is completed.

We and/or the selling securityholders do not make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above might have on the price of the securities. In addition, we and/or the selling securityholders do not make any representation that underwriters will engage in such transactions or that such transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

If we and/or the selling securityholders offer securities in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders, we and/or the selling securityholders may enter into a standby underwriting agreement with dealers, acting as standby underwriters. We and/or the selling securityholders may pay the standby underwriters a commitment fee for the securities they commit to purchase on a standby basis. If we and/or the selling securityholders do not enter into a standby underwriting arrangement, we and/or the selling securityholders may retain a dealer-manager to manage a subscription rights offering for us and/or the selling securityholders.

Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us and/or the selling securityholders or perform services for us and/or the selling securityholders in the ordinary course of business.

If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we and/or the selling securityholders will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by particular institutions to purchase securities from us and/or the selling securityholders at the public offering price set forth in such prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in such prospectus supplement. Each delayed delivery contract will be for an amount no less than, and the aggregate amounts of securities sold under delayed delivery contracts shall be not less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Institutions with which such contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others, but will in all cases be subject to our and/or the selling securityholders’ approval. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the conditions that (a) the purchase of the securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of

 

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any jurisdiction in the United States to which the purchaser is subject, and (b) if the securities are being sold to underwriters, we and/or the selling securityholders shall have sold to the underwriters the total amount of the securities less the amount thereof covered by the contracts. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.

To comply with applicable state securities laws, the securities offered by this prospectus will be sold, if necessary, in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, securities may not be sold in some states unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.

SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS

Selling securityholders are persons or entities that, directly or indirectly, have acquired or will from time to time acquire from us, securities in various private transactions. Such selling securityholders may be parties to registration rights agreements with us, or we otherwise may have agreed or will agree to register their securities for resale. The initial purchasers of our securities, as well as their transferees, pledges, donees or successors, all of whom we refer to as “selling securityholders,” may from time to time offer and sell the securities pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

Information about selling securityholders, where applicable, will be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to which this prospectus is a part, and in filings we make with the SEC, which we incorporate by reference into this registration statement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Pinnacle Financial as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2019 and the effectiveness of Pinnacle Financial’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, have been audited by Crowe LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in its reports appearing in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Pinnacle Financial’s consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2019 are incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part in reliance on Crowe LLP’s reports, given on the authority of such firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Bass, Berry & Sims PLC, Nashville, Tennessee. If the matters in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel for the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, such counsel will be named in the prospectus supplement relating to such offering.

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses payable by Pinnacle Financial in connection with the registration of the securities being registered under this Registration Statement. All amounts shown are estimates except the SEC registration fee:

 

Securities and Exchange Commission Fee

                  (1) 

Listing Fees

                  (2) 

FINRA Filing Fee

                  (2) 

Legal Fees and Expenses

                  (2) 

Accounting Fees and Expenses

                  (2) 

Transfer agent, registrar and trustee fees

                  (2) 

Printing Fees

                  (2) 

Miscellaneous

                  (2) 
  

 

 

 

Total

                  (2) 

 

(1)

The Registrant is registering an indeterminate amount of securities under this Registration Statement and, in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the Registrant is deferring payment of the registration fee until the time the securities are sold under this Registration Statement pursuant to a prospectus supplement.

(2)

The calculation of these fees and expenses is dependent on the number of issuances and amount of securities offered and, accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time. An estimate of the aggregate amount of these expenses will be reflected in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The TBCA provides that a corporation may indemnify any of its directors and officers against liability incurred in connection with a proceeding if: (a) such person acted in good faith; (b) in the case of conduct in an official capacity with the corporation, the person reasonably believed such conduct was in the corporation’s best interests; (c) in all other cases, the person reasonably believed that the person’s conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and (d) in connection with any criminal proceeding, such person had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. In actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, however, the TBCA provides that no indemnification may be made if the director or officer was adjudged to be liable to the corporation. The TBCA also provides that in connection with any proceeding charging improper personal benefit to an officer or director, no indemnification may be made if such officer or director is adjudged liable on the basis that such personal benefit was improperly received. In cases where the director or officer is wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding instigated because of his or her status as a director or officer of a corporation, the TBCA mandates that the corporation indemnify the director or officer against reasonable expenses incurred in the proceeding. The TBCA provides that a court of competent jurisdiction, unless the corporation’s charter provides otherwise, upon application, may order that an officer or director be indemnified for reasonable expenses if, in consideration of all relevant circumstances, the court determines that such individual is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, notwithstanding the fact that (a) such officer or director was adjudged liable to the corporation in a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation; (b) such officer or director was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by the officer or director; or (c) such officer or director breached the officer’s or director’s duty of care to the corporation.

Pinnacle Financial’s amended and restated charter, as amended, provides that it will indemnify its directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by the TBCA. Pinnacle Financial’s amended and restated bylaws, as amended, provide that it shall indemnify its directors and officers that are made a party to a proceeding

 

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because they were a director or officer of Pinnacle Financial for reasonable expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with the proceeding if he or she acted in a manner believed in good faith to be in or not opposed to Pinnacle Financial’s best interests, and in the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In addition, Pinnacle Financial’s amended and restated bylaws, as amended, provide that it shall pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by a director or officer who is a party to a proceeding in advance of final disposition of the proceeding if he or she furnishes Pinnacle Financial with (1) a written affirmation of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct that would entitle him or her to indemnification and (2) a written statement that he or she will repay any advances if it is ultimately determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification.

Under Pinnacle Financial’s amended and restated bylaws, as amended, the termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, is not, of itself, determinative of whether the director or officer met the standard of conduct required in order for him or her to be entitled to indemnification. Pinnacle Financial’s board of directors, shareholders or independent legal counsel determines whether the director or officer has met the applicable standard of conduct in each specific case.

Pinnacle Financial’s amended and restated charter, as amended, and amended and restated bylaws, as amended, also provide that the indemnification rights contained therein do not exclude other indemnification rights to which a director or officer may be entitled under any bylaw, resolution or agreement, either specifically or in general terms approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote. Pinnacle Financial can also provide for greater indemnification than is provided for in its amended and restated bylaws, as amended, if Pinnacle Financial chooses to do so, subject to approval by its shareholders and the limitations provided in its amended and restated charter, as amended, as discussed in the subsequent paragraph.

Pinnacle Financial’s amended and restated charter, as amended, eliminates, with exceptions, the potential personal liability of a director for monetary damages to Pinnacle Financial and its shareholders for breach of a duty as a director. There is, however, no elimination of liability for:

 

   

a breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to Pinnacle Financial or its shareholders;

 

   

an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; or

 

   

any payment of a dividend or approval of a stock repurchase that is illegal under the TBCA.

Pinnacle Financial’s amended and restated charter, as amended, does not eliminate or limit Pinnacle Financial’s right or the right of its shareholders to seek injunctive or other equitable relief not involving monetary damages.

The indemnification provisions of its amended and restated bylaws, as amended, specifically provide that Pinnacle Financial may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any director or officer against any liability asserted against and incurred by him or her in his or her capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent whether or not Pinnacle Financial would have had the power to indemnify against such liability.

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  1.1    Form of Underwriting Agreement for any offering of securities*
  3.1    Amended and Restated Charter of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., as amended (Restated for SEC filing purposes only) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 18, 2018)

 

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Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  3.2    Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., as amended (Restated for SEC filing purposes only) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 20, 2017)
  4.1    See Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 for provisions of the Amended and Restated Charter of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., as amended, and Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., as amended, which define the rights of securityholders
  4.2    Form of certificate of amendment of the Charter with respect to any preferred stock issued hereunder*
  4.3    Specimen of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form SB-2, as amended (File No. 333-38018))
  4.4    Form of Warrant Agreement*
  4.5    Form of Warrant Certificate (included in Exhibit 4.4)*
  4.6    Specimen of Preferred Stock Certificate*
  4.7    Form of Debt Security*
  4.8    Form of Subordinated Debt Security*
  4.9    Form of Indenture for Senior Indebtedness**
  4.10    Form of Indenture for Subordinated Indebtedness**
  4.11    Form of Depositary Agreement*
  4.12    Form of Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.11)
  4.13    Form of Unit Agreement*
  5.1    Opinion of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC**
23.1    Consent of Crowe LLP**
23.2    Consent of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC (included in Exhibit 5.1 filed herewith)
24.1    Power of Attorney (See page II-6 of this Registration Statement)
25.1    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, to act as Trustee under the Senior Indenture*
25.2    Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, to act as Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture*

 

*

To be filed subsequently by an amendment to the Registration Statement or by a Current Report of the Company on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference therein.

**

Filed herewith.

Item 17. Undertakings.

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-3


Table of Contents

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

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

provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) above do not apply if 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) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended that is 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 purposes of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

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

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of a 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 purchase, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

II-4


Table of Contents

(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.

(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 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 the registration statement will be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time will be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the 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.

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

 

II-5


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, 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 Nashville, State of Tennessee, on May 27, 2020.

 

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.
By:  

/s/ M. Terry Turner

  M. Terry Turner
  President and Chief Executive Officer

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints M. Terry Turner and Harold R. Carpenter and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments and amendment pursuant to Section 462 of the Securities Act) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney may be executed in counterparts.

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

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Robert A. McCabe, Jr.

Robert A. McCabe, Jr.

   Chairman of the Board   May 27, 2020

/s/ M. Terry Turner

M. Terry Turner

   Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   May 27, 2020

/s/ Harold R. Carpenter

Harold R. Carpenter

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   May 27, 2020

/s/ Richard D. Callicutt, II

Richard D. Callicutt, II

  

Director, Chairman of the Carolinas and Virginia

 

May 27, 2020

/s/ Abney S. Boxley

Abney S. Boxley

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Charles E. Brock

Charles E. Brock

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Renda J. Burkhart

Renda J. Burkhart

   Director   May 27, 2020

 

II-6


Table of Contents

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Gregory L. Burns

Gregory L. Burns

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Marty G. Dickens

Marty G. Dickens

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Thomas C. Farnsworth, III

Thomas C. Farnsworth, III

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Joseph C. Galante

Joseph C. Galante

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Glenda Baskin Glover

Glenda Baskin Glover

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ David B. Ingram

David B. Ingram

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Ronald L. Samuels

Ronald L. Samuels

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Gary L. Scott

Gary L. Scott

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ Reese L. Smith, III

Reese L. Smith, III

   Director   May 27, 2020

/s/ G. Kennedy Thompson

G. Kennedy Thompson

   Director   May 27, 2020

 

II-7

EX-4.9 2 d901414dex49.htm EX-4.9 EX-4.9

Exhibit 4.9

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.

and

                    , as Trustee

SENIOR INDENTURE

Dated as of                     

Providing for the Issuance of Senior Debt Securities


CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*

 

Trust Indenture

Act Section

  

Indenture Section

310(a)(1)

   6.09

 (a)(2)

   6.09

 (a)(3)

   N.A.

 (a)(4)

   N.A.

 (a)(5)

   6.08

 (b)

   6.08

 (c)

   N.A.

311(a)

   6.13

 (b)

   6.13

 (c)

   N.A.

312(a)

   7.01

 (b)

   7.02

 (c)

   7.02

313(a)

   7.03

 (b)(2)

   7.03

 (c)

   7.03

 (d)

   7.03

314(a)

   7.04; 1.02

 (c)(1)

   1.02

 (c)(2)

   1.02

 (c)(3)

   N.A.

 (e)

   1.02

 (f)

   N.A.

315(a)

   6.01

 (b)

   6.02; 1.06

 (c)

   6.01

 (d)

   6.01

 (e)

   5.14

316(a)(last sentence)

   1.01

 (a)(1)(A)

   5.12

 (a)(1)(B)

   5.02

 (a)(2)

   N.A.

 (b)

   5.08

 (c)

   3.07

317(a)(1)

   5.03

 (a)(2)

   5.04

 (b)

   4.06

318(a)

   1.07

 (b)

   N.A.

 (c)

   1.07

 

N.A means not applicable.

*

This Cross Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

     1  

Section 1.01

    

Definitions

     1  

Section 1.02

    

Officers’ Certificates and Opinions

     8  

Section 1.03

    

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

     8  

Section 1.04

    

Acts of Securityholders

     8  

Section 1.05

    

Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company

     10  

Section 1.06

    

Notice To Securityholders; Waiver

     10  

Section 1.07

    

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

     11  

Section 1.08

    

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

     11  

Section 1.09

    

Successors and Assigns

     11  

Section 1.10

    

Separability Clause

     11  

Section 1.11

    

Benefits Of Indenture

     11  

Section 1.12

    

Governing Law

     11  

Section 1.13

    

Counterparts

     11  

Section 1.14

    

Judgment Currency

     11  

Section 1.15

    

Legal Holidays

     12  

ARTICLE II SECURITY FORMS

     12  

Section 2.01

    

Forms Generally

     12  

Section 2.02

    

Forms of Securities

     12  

Section 2.03

    

Securities in Global Form

     12  

Section 2.04

    

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

     13  

ARTICLE III THE SECURITIES

     14  

Section 3.01

    

General Title; General Limitations; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series

     14  

Section 3.02

    

Denominations and Currency

     17  

Section 3.03

    

Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating

     17  

Section 3.04

    

Temporary Securities

     19  

Section 3.05

    

Registration, Transfer and Exchange

     20  

Section 3.06

    

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

     22  

Section 3.07

    

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

     23  

Section 3.08

    

Persons Deemed Owners

     24  

Section 3.09

    

Cancellation

     25  

Section 3.10

    

Computation of Interest

     25  

ARTICLE IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

     25  

Section 4.01

    

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     25  

Section 4.02

    

Discharge and Defeasance

     26  

Section 4.03

    

Covenant Defeasance

     27  

Section 4.04

    

Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance

     28  

Section 4.05

    

Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds

     29  

Section 4.06

    

Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held

     30  

Section 4.07

    

Return of Unclaimed Amounts

     30  

ARTICLE V REMEDIES

     31  

Section 5.01

    

Events of Default

     31  

Section 5.02

    

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment

     32  

Section 5.03

    

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     33  

Section 5.04

    

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     34  

 

i


Section 5.05

    

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

     34  

Section 5.06

    

Application of Money Collected

     35  

Section 5.07

    

Limitation on Suits

     35  

Section 5.08

    

Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest

     36  

Section 5.09

    

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     36  

Section 5.10

    

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     36  

Section 5.11

    

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     36  

Section 5.12

    

Control by Securityholders

     36  

Section 5.13

    

Waiver of Past Defaults

     37  

Section 5.14

    

Undertaking for Costs

     37  

Section 5.15

    

Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

     37  

ARTICLE VI THE TRUSTEE

     37  

Section 6.01

    

Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee

     37  

Section 6.02

    

Notice of Defaults

     38  

Section 6.03

    

Certain Rights of Trustee

     39  

Section 6.04

    

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

     40  

Section 6.05

    

May Hold Securities

     40  

Section 6.06

    

Money Held in Trust

     40  

Section 6.07

    

Compensation and Reimbursement

     41  

Section 6.08

    

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

     41  

Section 6.09

    

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

     41  

Section 6.10

    

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     42  

Section 6.11

    

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

     43  

Section 6.12

    

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

     44  

Section 6.13

    

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

     45  

Section 6.14

    

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

     45  

ARTICLE VII SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

     46  

Section 7.01

    

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders

     46  

Section 7.02

    

Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders

     47  

Section 7.03

    

Reports by Trustee

     48  

Section 7.04

    

Reports by Company

     48  

ARTICLE VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

     49  

Section 8.01

    

Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms

     49  

Section 8.02

    

Successor Corporation Substituted

     49  

ARTICLE IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

     50  

Section 9.01

    

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders

     50  

Section 9.02

    

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders

     51  

Section 9.03

    

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

     52  

Section 9.04

    

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

     53  

Section 9.05

    

Conformity With Trust Indenture Act

     53  

Section 9.06

    

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

     53  

ARTICLE X COVENANTS

     53  

Section 10.01

    

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

     53  

Section 10.02

    

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     53  

Section 10.03

    

Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust

     53  

Section 10.04

    

Certificate to Trustee

     55  

Section 10.05

    

Corporate Existence

     55  

 

ii


ARTICLE XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

     55  

Section 11.01

    

Applicability of Article

     55  

Section 11.02

    

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

     55  

Section 11.03

    

Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed

     56  

Section 11.04

    

Notice of Redemption

     56  

Section 11.05

    

Deposit of Redemption Price

     57  

Section 11.06

    

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

     57  

Section 11.07

    

Securities Redeemed in Part

     57  

Section 11.08

    

Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds

     57  

ARTICLE XII REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS

     59  

Section 12.01

    

Applicability of Article

     59  

Section 12.02

    

Repayment of Securities

     59  

Section 12.03

    

Exercise of Option

     59  

Section 12.04

    

When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable

     60  

Section 12.05

    

Securities Repaid in Part

     60  

 

iii


THIS SENIOR INDENTURE, between Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (hereinafter called the “Company”) having its principal office at 150 Third Avenue South, Suite 900, Nashville, Tennessee 37201 and,                     , a                     , as trustee (hereinafter called the “Trustee”), is made and entered into as of this      day of                     .

Recitals of the Company

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of its unsecured debentures, notes, bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness, to be issued in one or more fully registered series.

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

Agreements of the Parties

To set forth or to provide for the establishment of the terms and conditions upon which the Securities (as hereinafter defined) are and are to be authenticated, issued, and delivered, and in consideration of the premises thereof, and the purchase of Securities by the Holders (as hereinafter defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders from time to time of the Securities or of any series thereof, as the case may be:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 1.01 Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

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

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act (as hereinafter defined), either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date of such computation; and

(d) all references in this instrument to designated “Articles”, “Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated Articles, Sections and other subdivisions of this instrument as originally executed. The words “herein”, “hereof”, and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, or other subdivision.


(e) the following terms will have the meanings set forth below:

Act”, when used with respect to any Securityholder (as hereinafter defined), has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

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

Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series under Section 6.14.

Authentication Order” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03.

Board of Directors” means (i) the board of directors of the Company, (ii) any duly authorized committee of that board, or (iii) any officer, director, or authorized representative of the Company, in each case duly authorized by such Board to act hereunder.

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any capital stock (including preferred stock), shares, interests, participations or other ownership interests (however designated) of such Person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible or exchangeable for corporate stock), warrants or options to purchase any thereof.

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.

Company” means Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., unless and until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor corporation.

Company Request”, “Company Order”, and “Company Consent” mean, respectively, a written request, order, or consent signed in the name of the Company by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the treasurer, the controller, or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

2


Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at                     .

Corporation” means a corporation, association, company, joint-stock company, limited liability company or business trust.

Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.03.

Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02.

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

Equivalent Government Securities” means, in relation to Securities denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, securities of the government that issued the currency in which such Securities are denominated or securities of government agencies backed by the full faith and credit of such government.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Article 5.

Holder”, “Securityholder” and “Holder of Securities” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register (as hereinafter defined).

Guarantee” by any Person means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), provided that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guarantee” when used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means (1) any liability of such Person (a) for borrowed money, or (b) evidenced by a bond, note, debenture or similar instrument (including purchase money obligations but excluding Trade Payables), or (c) for the payment of money relating to a lease that is required to be classified as a capitalized lease obligation in accordance

 

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with generally accepted accounting principles; (2) mandatorily redeemable preferred or preference stock of a Subsidiary held by Persons other than the Company or a Subsidiary; (3) any liability of others described in the preceding clause (1) that such Person has Guaranteed, that is recourse to such Person or that is otherwise such Person’s legal liability; and (4) any amendment, supplement, modification, deferral, renewal, extension or refunding of any liability of the types referred to in clauses (1), (2) and (3) above.

Indenture” or “this Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of any particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.

Interest Payment Date”, when used with respect to any series of Securities, means any date on which an installment of interest on those Securities is scheduled to be paid.

Material Subsidiary” means Pinnacle Bank or any successor thereof or any of the Company’s subsidiaries that is a depository institution and that has consolidated assets equal to 80% or more of the Company’s consolidated assets.

Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal amount outstanding under such Security or an installment of principal amount outstanding under such Security becomes due and payable, as therein or herein provided, whether on the Scheduled Maturity Date (as hereinafter defined), by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, or otherwise.

New York Business Day” means (except, with respect to any particular series of Securities, as may be otherwise provided in the form of such Securities) any day other than a Saturday or Sunday that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation, or executive order to be closed.

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by any two of the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, any vice president, the treasurer or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel to the Company, which counsel may be an employee of the Company or other counsel who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which is initially sold at a discount from the principal amount thereof and the terms of which provide that upon redemption or acceleration of the Maturity thereof, an amount less than the principal amount thereof would become due and payable.

Outstanding”, when used with respect to any particular Securities or to the Securities of any particular series means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(i) such Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation;

 

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(ii) such Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (as hereinafter defined) other than the Company, or, if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent, has been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company; provided, in any case, that if such Securities are to be redeemed prior to their Scheduled Maturity Date, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made; and

(iii) such Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, or which shall have been paid, in each case, pursuant to the terms of Section 3.06 (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a Person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid, and binding obligation of the Company).

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Securities Outstanding have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Securities Outstanding have given a direction concerning the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or concerning the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee under this Indenture, or concerning a consent on behalf of the Holders of any series of Securities to the waiver of any past default and its consequences, Securities owned by the Company, any other obligor upon the Securities, or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding. In determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer assigned to the corporate trust department of the Trustee knows to be owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to act as owner with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor.

Paying Agent” means, with respect to any Securities, any Person appointed by the Company to distribute amounts payable by the Company on such Securities. If at any time there shall be more than one such Person, “Paying Agent” as used with respect to the Securities of any particular series shall mean the Paying Agent with respect to Securities of that series. As of the date of this Indenture, the Company has appointed                      as Paying Agent with respect to all Securities issuable hereunder.

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

 

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Place of Payment” means with respect to any series of Securities issued hereunder the city or political subdivision so designated with respect to the series of Securities in question in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01.

Predecessor Securities” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security.

Record Date” means any date as of which the Holder of a Security will be determined for any purpose described herein, such determination to be made as of the close of business on such date by reference to the Security Register.

Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

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

Repayment Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the date fixed for such repayment pursuant to such Security.

Repayment Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the price at which it is to be repaid pursuant to such Security.

Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean an officer or assistant officer of the Trustee in the Corporate Trust Office, having direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and also, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Scheduled Maturity Date”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the date on which all outstanding principal and interest will be due and payable.

Security” or “Securities” means any senior note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of indebtedness, as the case may be, of any series authenticated and delivered from time to time under this Indenture.

Security Register” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.05.

Security Registrar” means the Person who maintains the Security Register, which Person shall be the Trustee unless and until a successor Security Registrar is appointed by the Company.

 

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Significant Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary which is a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, as amended or modified and in effect from time to time.

Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.

Specified Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01.

Subsidiary” means any corporation, partnership or other entity of which at the time of determination the Company owns or controls directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares of voting stock or equivalent interest.

Trade Payables” means accounts payable or any other Indebtedness or monetary obligations to trade creditors created or assumed in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials, finished products, inventory or services.

Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in force as of the date hereof, except as provided in Section 9.05.

Trustee” means the party named as such above until a successor becomes such pursuant to this Indenture and thereafter means or includes each party who is then a trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such party, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series means the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series. If Trustees with respect to different series of Securities are trustees under this Indenture, nothing herein shall constitute the Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, and each Trustee shall be the trustee of a trust separate and apart from any trust administered by any other Trustee with respect to a different series of Securities.

U.S. Government Obligations” means (i) securities that are direct obligations of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally Guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America and (ii) securities that are obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally Guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, and also includes depository receipts issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii), and any payment of interest or principal payable under any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii) that is held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt, or from any amount received by the custodian in respect of such securities, or from any specific payment of interest or principal payable under the securities evidenced by such depository receipt.

Voting Stock”, as applied to the stock of any corporation, means stock of any class or classes (however designated), the outstanding shares of which have, by the terms thereof, ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors (or other governing body) of such corporation, other than stock having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency.

 

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Section 1.02 Officers’ Certificates and Opinions. Every Officers’ Certificate, Opinion of Counsel, and other certificate or opinion to be delivered to the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to any action to be taken by the Trustee (except for the Officers’ Certificate required by Section 10.04) shall include the following:

(a) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read all covenants and conditions of this Indenture relating to such proposed action, including the definitions herein relating thereto;

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

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

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to the other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, legal counsel, unless such officer knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous. Any opinion of counsel for the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company, unless such counsel knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous.

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

Section 1.04 Acts of Securityholders.

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Securityholders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Securityholders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and (if expressly required by the applicable terms of this Indenture) to the Company. If any Securities are denominated in coin or currency other than that of the United States, then for the purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Securities have taken any action as herein described, the principal amount of such Securities shall be deemed to be that amount of United States

 

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dollars that could be obtained for such principal amount on the basis of the spot rate of exchange into United States dollars for the currency in which such Securities are denominated (as evidenced to the Trustee by a certificate provided by a financial institution, selected by the Company, that maintains an active trade in the currency in question, acting as conversion agent) as of the date the taking of such action by the Holders of such requisite principal amount is evidenced to the Trustee as provided in the immediately preceding sentence. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Securityholders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness to such execution or by the certificate of any notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by an officer of a corporation or a member of a partnership, on behalf of such corporation or partnership, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

(c) The ownership of Securities shall for all purposes be determined by reference to the Security Register, as such register shall exist as of the applicable date.

(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the Company may, at its option, by Board Resolution, fix in advance a Record Date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such Record Date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be given before or after such Record Date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such Record Date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Securities Outstanding have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the Securities Outstanding shall be computed as of such Record Date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such Record Date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after such Record Date.

(e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by the Holder of any Security shall bind each subsequent Holder of such Security, and each Holder of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, with respect to anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance upon such action, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

 

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Section 1.05 Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, order, authorization, direction, consent, waiver, or other action to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder (including any Authentication Order), and any notice to be given to the Trustee or the Company with respect to any action taken or to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder, shall be sufficient if made in writing and

(a) (if to be furnished or delivered to or filed with the Trustee by the Company or any Securityholder) delivered to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention:                     , or

(b) (if to be furnished or delivered to the Company by the Trustee or any Securityholder, and except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01(d) and, in the case of a request for repayment, except as specified in the Security carrying the right to repayment) mailed to the Company, first-class postage prepaid, at its principal office (as specified in the first paragraph of this instrument), Attention: Harold R. Carpenter, Chief Financial Officer, or at any other address hereafter furnished in writing by the Company to the Trustee.

Section 1.06 Notice To Securityholders; Waiver. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice to Securityholders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise expressly provided herein or in such Security) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder affected by such event, at his or her address as it appears in the Security Register as of the applicable Record Date, not later than the latest date or earlier than the earliest date prescribed by this Indenture or such Security for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Securityholders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed to any particular Securityholder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Securityholders. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Securityholders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

In case, by reason of the suspension of regular mail service as a result of a strike, work stoppage or otherwise, it shall be impractical to mail notice of any event to any Securityholder when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture or the applicable Security, then any method of notification as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company shall be deemed to be sufficient for the giving of such notice.

 

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Section 1.07 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the TIA, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.08 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents hereof are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this Indenture.

Section 1.09 Successors and Assigns All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.10 Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.11 Benefits Of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors hereunder, the Authenticating Agent, the Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, and the Holders of Securities (or such of them as may be affected thereby), any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.12 Governing Law. This Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Section 1.13 Counterparts. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.14 Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court with respect to the Securities of any series it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, payable with respect to such Securities into a currency in which a judgment can be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange from the currency in which payments under such Securities is payable (the “Required Currency”) into the Judgment Currency shall be the highest bid quotation (assuming European-style quotation — i.e., Required Currency per Judgment Currency) received by the Company from three recognized foreign exchange dealers in the City of New York for the purchase of the aggregate amount of the judgment (as denominated in the Judgment Currency) on the New York Business Day preceding the date on which a final unappealable judgment is rendered, for settlement on such payment date, and at which the applicable dealer timely commits to execute a contract, and (b) the Company’s obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or by any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with the preceding clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt by the judgment creditor of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be

 

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enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture.

Section 1.15 Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity of any Security shall not be a New York Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or at Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity, as the case may be.

ARTICLE II

SECURITY FORMS

Section 2.01 Forms Generally. The Securities of each series shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon, as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange, or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. Any portion of the text of any Security may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Security.

The definitive Securities, if any, shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

Section 2.02 Forms of Securities. Each Security shall be in one of the forms approved from time to time by or pursuant to any Board Resolution, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Prior to the delivery to the Trustee for authentication of any Security in any form approved by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a copy of such Board Resolution, together with a true and correct copy of the form of Security which has been approved thereby, or, if a Board Resolution authorizes a specific officer or officers to approve a form of Security, together with a certificate of such officer or officers approving the form of Security attached thereto, provided, however, that with respect to all Securities issued pursuant to the same Board Resolution, the required copy of such Board Resolution, together with the appropriate attachment, need be delivered only once. Any form of Security approved by or pursuant to a Board Resolution must be acceptable as to form to the Trustee, such acceptance to be evidenced by the Trustee’s authentication of Securities in that form or by a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and delivered to the Company.

Section 2.03 Securities in Global Form. If Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form, the global security representing such Securities may provide that

 

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it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced to reflect exchanges or increased to reflect the issuance of additional Securities. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount (or any increase or decrease in the amount) of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Authentication Order delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.03 hereof.

Section 2.04 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. The form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication for any Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be substantially as follows:

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

                                         , as Trustee,
By:  

 

  Authorized Officer:

 

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ARTICLE III

THE SECURITIES

Section 3.01 General Title; General Limitations; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series.

(a) The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated, delivered, and Outstanding at any time under this Indenture is not limited.

(b) The Securities may be issued in one or more series in such aggregate principal amount as may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors. All Securities of a series issued under this Indenture shall in all respects be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits hereof, without preference, priority, or distinction on account of the actual time of the authentication and delivery or Scheduled Maturity Date thereof.

(c) Each series of Securities shall be created either by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, by an Officers’ Certificate or by one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Any such Board Resolution or supplemental indenture (or, in the case of a series of Securities created pursuant to a Board Resolution, any officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution) shall establish the terms of any such series of Securities, including the following (as and to such extent as may be applicable):

(1) the title of such series;

(2) the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount or issue price of the Securities of such series;

(3) the issue date or issue dates of the Securities of such series;

(4) the Scheduled Maturity Date of the Securities of such series;

(5) the place or places where the principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to the Securities of such series shall be payable;

(6) whether the Securities of such series will be issued at par or at a premium over or a discount from their face amount;

(7) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) at which the Securities of such series shall bear interest, if any, and, if applicable, the method by which such rate or rates may be determined;

(8) the date or dates (or the method by which such date or dates may be determined) from which interest, if any, shall accrue, and the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable;

(9) the rights, if any, to defer payments of interest on the Securities by extending the interest payment periods and the duration of such extension;

 

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(10) the period or periods within which, the Redemption Price(s) or Repayment Price(s) at which, and any other terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series may be redeemed or repaid, in whole or in part, by the Company;

(11) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay, or purchase any of the Securities of such series pursuant to any sinking fund, mandatory redemption, purchase obligation, or analogous provision at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which, the Redemption Price(s) or Repayment Price(s) or other price or prices at which, and any other terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series shall be redeemed, repaid, or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(12) the issuance of the Securities of such series in whole or in part in global form and, if so, the identity of the Depositary for such global security and the terms and conditions, if any, upon which interests in the Securities represented by such global security may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for the individual Securities represented thereby (if other than as provided in Section 3.05);

(13) the denominations in which the Securities of such series will be issued (which may be any denomination as set forth in the terms of such Securities) if other than U.S. $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof;

(14) whether and under what circumstances additional amounts on the Securities of such series shall be payable in respect of any taxes, assessments, or other governmental charges withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts;

(15) the basis upon which interest shall be calculated;

(16) if the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security for a definitive Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or upon satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents, and/or conditions;

(17) the exchange or conversion of the Securities of that series, whether or not at the option of the Holders thereof, for or into new Securities of a different series or for or into any other securities which may include shares of Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for any such shares or securities of entities unaffiliated with the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company;

(18) if other than U.S. dollars, the foreign or composite currency or currencies (each such currency a “Specified Currency”) in which the Securities of such series shall be denominated and in which payments of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to such Securities shall or may be payable;

(19) if the principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to the Securities of such series are to be payable in any currency other than that in which the Securities are stated to be payable, whether at the election of the Company or of a Holder thereof, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;

 

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(20) if the amount of any payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or other sum payable with respect to the Securities of such series may be determined by reference to the relative value of one or more Specified Currencies, commodities, securities, or instruments, the level of one or more financial or non-financial indices, or any other designated factors or formulas, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(21) the exchange of Securities of such series, at the option of the Holders thereof, for other Securities of the same series of the same aggregate principal amount of a different authorized kind or different authorized denomination or denominations, or both;

(22) the appointment by the Trustee of an Authenticating Agent in one or more places other than the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, with power to act on behalf of the Trustee, and subject to its direction, in the authentication and delivery of the Securities of such series;

(23) any trustees, depositaries, paying agents, transfer agents, exchange agents, conversion agents, registrars, or other agents with respect to the Securities of such series if other than the Trustee, Paying Agent and Security Registrar named herein;

(24) the portion of the principal amount of Securities of such series, if other than the principal amount thereof, that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.04;

(25) any Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series, if not set forth herein, or any modification of any Event of Default set forth herein with respect to such series;

(26) any covenant solely for the benefit of the Securities of such series;

(27) the inapplicability of Section 4.02 and Section 4.03 of this Indenture to the Securities of such series and if Section 4.03 is applicable, the covenants subject to Covenant Defeasance under Section 4.03; and

(28) any other terms of the securities of such series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such series).

If all of the Securities issuable by or pursuant to any Board Resolution are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required by Section 3.03 hereof at the time of issuance of each such Security, but such Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first such Security.

If any series of Securities shall be established by action taken pursuant to any Board Resolution, the execution by the officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution of an

 

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Authentication Order (as defined in Section 3.03 below) with respect to the first Security of such series to be issued, and the delivery of such Authentication Order to the Trustee at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series, shall constitute a sufficient record of such action. Except as otherwise permitted by Section 3.03, if all of the Securities of any such series are not to be issued at one time, the Company shall deliver an Authentication Order with respect to each subsequent issuance of Securities of such series, but such Authentication Orders may be executed by any authorized officer or officers of the Company, whether or not such officer or officers would have been authorized to establish such series pursuant to the aforementioned Board Resolution.

Unless otherwise provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series (i) a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series, and (ii) all Securities of the same series shall be substantially identical, except for the initial Interest Payment Date, issue price, initial interest accrual date and the amount of the first interest payment.

The form of the Securities of each series shall be established in a supplemental indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution creating such series. The Securities of each series shall be distinguished from the Securities of each other series in such manner as the Board of Directors or its authorized representative or representatives may determine.

Unless otherwise provided with respect to Securities of a particular series, the Securities of any series may only be issuable in registered form, without coupons.

Section 3.02 Denominations and Currency. The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations and currency as shall be provided in the provisions of this Indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of that series shall be issuable only in fully registered form in denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

Section 3.03 Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating. The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the president, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, any vice president, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer and attested by the secretary or any one of its assistant secretaries, under its corporate seal. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile. The seal of the Company, if set forth thereon, may be in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted, or otherwise reproduced on the Securities. Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of the seal or any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee.

Unless otherwise provided in the form of Security for any series, all Securities shall be dated the date of their authentication.

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

 

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At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for authentication and delivery (such Order an “Authentication Order”) with respect to such Securities, and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of such Authentication Order, in accordance with procedures acceptable to the Trustee set forth in the Authentication Order, and subject to the provisions hereof, authenticate and deliver such Securities to such recipients as may be specified from time to time pursuant to such Authentication Order. The material terms of such Securities shall be determinable by reference to such Authentication Order and procedures. If provided for in such procedures, such Authentication Order may authorize authentication and delivery of such Securities pursuant to oral instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 hereof) shall be fully protected in relying upon:

(1) an executed supplemental indenture, if any;

(2) an Officers’ Certificate, certifying as to the authorized form or forms and terms of such Securities; and

(3) an Opinion of Counsel, stating that:

(a) the form or forms and terms of such Securities have been established by and in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; provided that if all such Securities are not to be issued at the same time, such Opinion of Counsel may state that such terms will be established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture, subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel; and

(b) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity;

provided, however, that if all Securities issuable by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to this paragraph at or prior to the time of authentication of each such Security if such documents are delivered at or prior to the time of authentication upon original issuance of the first such Security to be issued. After the original issuance of the first such Security to be issued, any separate request by the Company that the Trustee authenticate such Securities for original issuance will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that it is in compliance with all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

 

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The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue thereof will adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture.

If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.01 that Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in global form, then the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall (in accordance with this Section 3.03 and the Authentication Order with respect to such series) authenticate and deliver, one or more Securities in global form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such one or more Securities in global form, (ii) shall be registered, in the name of the Depositary for such Security or Securities in global form, or in the name of a nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instruction, and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially as follows: “Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.” Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 3.01 for a Security in global form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any other applicable statute or regulation.

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature of an authorized officer, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

Section 3.04 Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and, upon receipt of the documents required by Sections 2.02, 3.01 and 3.03 hereof, together with an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities of such series that are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed, or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued in registered form, without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions, and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of Securities of any series for which a temporary Security may be issued in global form, such temporary global security shall represent all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and tenor.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities, the temporary Securities of such series shall

 

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be exchangeable, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or at such other office or agency as may be maintained by the Company in a Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, for definitive Securities of such series having identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series, at the Company’s own expense and without charge to the Holder; and upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of such series in authorized denominations containing identical terms and provisions. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to a temporary Security in global form, until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of such series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Securities of each series, the Trustee shall keep a register (herein sometimes referred to as the “Security Register”) which shall provide for the registration of Securities of such series, and for transfers of Securities of such series, in accordance with information to be provided to the Trustee by the Company, subject to such reasonable regulations as the Trustee may prescribe. Such register shall be in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. At all reasonable times the information contained in such register or registers shall be available for inspection at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at such other office or agency to be maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof.

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at any other office or agency maintained by the Company with respect to that series pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of such series of any authorized denominations, of like aggregate principal amount, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date.

Any other provision of this Section 3.05 notwithstanding, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual Securities represented thereby, in definitive form, a Security in global form representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary, or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary, or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of such series of any authorized denominations, of like aggregate principal amount, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Securityholder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series represented by one or more Securities in global form notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series, or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of

 

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such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.03 hereof, the Company, by Company Order, shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of such series. If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company’s election pursuant to Section 3.01 that such Securities be represented by one or more Securities in global form shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such series and the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount, and of like terms and tenor, equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series, in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion and subject to the procedures of the Depositary determine that individual Securities of any series issued in global form shall no longer be represented by such Security or Securities in global form. In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series and of the same terms and tenor, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.

If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to a series of Securities issued in global form, the Depositary for such series of Securities may surrender a Security in global form for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of such series in definitive form and of like terms and tenor on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge:

(a) to each Person specified by such Depositary, a new definitive Security or Securities of the same series and of the same tenor and terms, in authorized denominations, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Security in global form; and

(b) to such Depositary, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Security in global form and the aggregate principal amount of the definitive Securities delivered to Holders pursuant to clause (a) above.

Upon the exchange of a Security in global form for Securities in definitive form, such Security in global form shall be canceled by the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee. Securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a Security in global form pursuant to this Section 3.05 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Security in global form, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee in writing. The Trustee or such agent shall deliver such Securities to or as directed by the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered or to the Depositary.

 

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Whenever any securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

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

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

Unless otherwise provided in the Security to be transferred or exchanged, no service charge shall be imposed for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may (unless otherwise provided in such Security) require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.06, 9.06 and 11.07 hereof not involving any transfer.

The Company shall not be required to (i) issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Security of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of such series selected for redemption under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the date of such mailing, or (ii) register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed.

Section 3.06 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If (i) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, and (ii) there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company may in its discretion execute and upon request of the Company the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of like tenor, terms, series, Scheduled Maturity Date, and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

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

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

 

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

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

Section 3.07 Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. Interest on any Security which is payable and is punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date shall, if so provided in such Security, be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the applicable Record Date, notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Security subsequent to such Record Date and prior to such Interest Payment Date (unless such Interest Payment Date is also the date of Maturity of such Security).

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

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names any such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of each such Security at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

 

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

Interest on Securities of any series that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the Securities Register for such series or by such other means as may be specified in the form of such Security.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.07 and the provisions of Section 3.05 hereof, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

Section 3.08 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any Security is registered on the applicable Record Date(s) as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07 hereof), and any additional amounts payable with respect to such Security, and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

None of the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, the Security Registrar, or any Co-Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Security in global form or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests and each of them may act or refrain from acting without liability on any information relating to such records provided by the Depositary.

 

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Section 3.09 Cancellation. All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange, or credit against a sinking or analogous fund shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and, if not already canceled, shall be promptly canceled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Trustee. Acquisition of such Securities by the Company shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Security shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of all canceled Securities in accordance with its customary procedures and deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company.

Section 3.10 Computation of Interest. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated in Section 3.01, interest on the Securities shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

ARTICLE IV

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 4.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities (except as to any surviving rights of conversion or transfer or exchange of Securities of such series expressly provided for herein or in the form of Security for such series and obligations described as surviving below), and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of that series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost, or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, and (B) Securities of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 4.07) have been delivered to the Trustee canceled or for cancellation; or

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

(A) have become due and payable, or

(B) will, in accordance with their Scheduled Maturity Date, become due and payable within one year, or

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

and, in any of the cases described in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C) above, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee, as trust funds in trust for the purpose, (x) an amount in money sufficient, (y) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money sufficient, or (z) a combination of (x) and (y) sufficient, in the opinion with respect to (y) and (z) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities with respect to principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable), or to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be; provided, however, that if such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if such issuer elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be, and the Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision; and

 

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company under paragraph (a) of this Section 4.01 and its obligations to the Trustee with respect to that series under Section 6.07 shall survive, and the obligations of the Trustee under Sections 4.05, 4.07 and 10.03 shall survive.

Section 4.02 Discharge and Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In addition to discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Section 4.01, in the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Securities of such a series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied, and the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series shall no longer be in effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series, (ii) substitution of mutilated,

 

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destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (iii) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, solely from the trust fund described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04, payments of principal thereof, premium, if any, and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (v) this Section 4.02, Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03 and (vi) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them) (hereinafter called “Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same.

Section 4.03 Covenant Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), (i) the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series (except as to (a) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series and rights under Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03, (b) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (c) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, from the Company pursuant to Section 10.01, payments of principal thereof and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (d) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (e) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them), and (ii) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 5.01(d) (with respect to any of the covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series) shall be deemed not to be or result in a default or an Event of Default, in each case with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 5.01(d)), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be unaffected thereby.

 

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Section 4.04 Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to application of either Section 4.02 or Section 4.03 to the Outstanding Securities:

(a) with reference to Section 4.02 or Section 4.03, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series (i) money in an amount, or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), sufficient, in the opinion (with respect to (ii) and (iii)) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund payments) of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Outstanding Securities of such series on the dates such installments of interest, premium or principal are due, including upon redemption; provided, however, that if such U.S. Government Obligations and Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and/or Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if the issuer of any such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date of such Securities, as the case may be. The Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision.

(b) in the case of Defeasance under Section 4.02, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel based on the fact that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (y) since the date hereof, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

(c) in the case of Covenant Defeasance under Section 4.03, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

(d) no Event of Default or event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, after giving effect to such deposit or, in the case of a Defeasance under Section 4.02, no Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) shall have occurred, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following the expiration of the longest preference period applicable to the Company in respect of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period);

 

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(e) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the TIA, assuming all Securities of a series were in default within the meaning of the TIA;

(f) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

(g) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless the trust is registered under such Act or exempt from registration;

(h) if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity Date (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made; and

(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, have been complied with.

Section 4.05 Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds. All money and U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and of the series of Securities in respect of which it was deposited, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Company will pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Outstanding Securities.

Anything in this Article 4 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Governmental Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 4.01 or Section 4.04, as applicable), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent satisfaction and discharge, Covenant Defeasance or Defeasance of the applicable series.

 

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Section 4.06 Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held. Upon the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent of the Securities (other than the Trustee) shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee, and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

Section 4.07 Return of Unclaimed Amounts. Any amounts deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any Paying Agent or then held by the Company, in trust for payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities and not applied but remaining unclaimed by the Holders of such Securities for two years after the date upon which the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities, as the case may be, shall have become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company by the Trustee on Company Request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of any of such Securities shall thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect (until such time as such unclaimed amounts shall escheat, if at all, to the State of New York) and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee or Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once a week for two successive weeks (in each case on any day of the week) in a newspaper printed in the English language and customarily published at least once a day at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City and State of New York, a notice that said amounts have not been so applied and that after a date named therein any unclaimed balance of said amounts then remaining will be promptly returned to the Company.

 

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ARTICLE V

REMEDIES

Section 5.01 Events of Default. “Event of Default”, wherever used herein, means with respect to any series of Securities any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is either inapplicable to a particular series or it is specifically deleted or modified in the manner contemplated by Section 3.01:

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

(b) default in the payment of the principal amount of (or premium, if any) on any Security of such series as and when the same shall become due, either at Maturity, upon redemption, by declaration, or otherwise; or

(c) default in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of such series and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(d) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series, and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) a court having jurisdiction enters a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or a Material Subsidiary in an involuntary case or preceding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or a Material Subsidiary or for any substantial part of the Company’s or such Material Subsidiary’s respective property, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of the Company’s affairs shall have been entered and remained unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

(f) the Company or a Material Subsidiary commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or consent to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary case or proceeding under any such law, or the consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or a Material Subsidiary or of any substantial part of the Company’s or such Material Subsidiary’s respective property, or the making by the Company or a Material Subsidiary of a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

 

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(g) any other Event of Default provided for with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with Section 3.01.

A default under any indebtedness of the Company other than the Securities will not constitute an Event of Default under this Indenture, and a default under one series of Securities will not constitute a default under any other series of Securities. The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of an Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer at the Corporate Trust Office has actual knowledge thereof.

Section 5.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment. If any Event of Default described in Section 5.01 above (other than Event of Default described in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f)) shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to any series, then and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all the Securities of such series shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), may declare the principal amount (or, if the Securities of such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all the Securities of such series and any and all accrued interest thereon to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable, any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such series to the contrary notwithstanding. If an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) occurs, the principal amount of the Securities of such series and any and all accrued interest thereon shall immediately become and be due and payable without any declaration or other act on the party of the Trustee or any Holder. No declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall constitute a declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any other series of Securities, and no declaration of acceleration by the Holders of at least 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall constitute a declaration of acceleration or other action by any of the Holders of any other series of Securities, in each case whether or not the Event of Default on which such declaration is based shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Securities, and whether or not any Holders of the Securities of any such affected series shall also be Holders of Securities of any other such affected series.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to the Securities of any series and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to such series of Securities, other than the nonpayment of the principal of the Securities of such series which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13, if such cure or waiver does not conflict with any judgment or decree set forth in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) and if all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel have been paid.

 

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

Section 5.03 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if:

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series when such interest becomes due and payable, or

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

(c) default is made in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of any series, and

(d) any such default continues for any period of grace provided in relation to such default pursuant to Section 5.01,

then, with respect to the Securities of such series, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holder of any such Security (or the Holders of any such series in the case of clause (c) above), the whole amount then due and payable on any such Security (or on the Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above) for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, with interest (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable) upon the overdue principal (and premium, if any) and upon overdue installments of interest, if any, at such rate or rates as may be prescribed therefor by the terms of any such Security (or of Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above); and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07.

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

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

 

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Section 5.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition, or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (or, with respect to Original Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities), premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities, and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary and advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07) and of the Securityholders allowed in such judicial proceedings, and

(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Securityholder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof.

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

Section 5.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities of any series may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities of such series or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities, of the series in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

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Section 5.06 Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee with respect to a series of Securities pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, upon presentation of the Securities of such series and the notation thereon of the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof.

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities of that series for principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind.

Section 5.07 Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

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

(b) the Holders of not less than 51% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

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

 

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Section 5.08 Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal, premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.07) interest, if any, (and additional amounts, if any) on such Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on the Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as the case may be) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective date, and such right shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Securityholder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right or remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 Control by Securityholders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that

(a) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that the action so directed may not lawfully be taken or would conflict with this Indenture or if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer, determine that the proceedings so directed would involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders not taking part in such direction, and

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

 

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Section 5.13 Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series, waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default not theretofore cured:

(a) in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation with respect to the Securities of such series, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision in this Indenture which, under Article Nine hereof, cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by such Holder’s acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder or group of Securityholders holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series to which the suit relates, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or Repayment Date).

Section 5.15 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law (other than any bankruptcy law) wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

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ARTICLE VI

THE TRUSTEE

Section 6.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.

(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities,

(i) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may, with respect to Securities of such series, conclusively rely upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform on their face to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of calculations or other facts stated therein).

(b) If an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise, with respect to the Securities of such series, such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that

(i) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section;

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

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

(iv) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

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

Section 6.02 Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after receipt of notice of the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, the Trustee shall

 

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transmit by mail to all Securityholders of such series, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, notice of such default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment or analogous obligation with respect to Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Securityholders of such series and; provided, further, that, in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Securityholders of such series shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default”, with respect to Securities of any series, means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 Certain Rights of Trustee. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.01 above:

(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request, direction or order of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel or both, and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith reliance on such certificate or opinion;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

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

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,

 

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direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney; and

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

Section 6.04 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.05 May Hold Securities. The Trustee or any Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 6.08 and 6.13 hereof, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or such other agent.

Section 6.06 Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.

 

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Section 6.07 Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company covenants and agrees

(a) to pay the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.

Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) above, such expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or other similar law.

The Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by it as such for any amount owing to it or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to this Section 6.07, except with respect to funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities.

The provisions of this Section shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

Section 6.08 Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee has or shall acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such interest or resign as Trustee with respect to one or more series of Securities, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. To the extent permitted by such Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.

Section 6.09 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder with respect to each series of Securities that shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority and having its principal office and place of business in the City of New York, if there be such a corporation having its principal office and

 

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place of business in said City and willing to act as Trustee on customary and usual terms. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee under Section 6.11.

(b) The Trustee may resign with respect to any one or more series of Securities at any time by giving at least 60 days’ written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

(c) The Trustee may be removed with respect to any series of Securities at any time by Act of the Holders of 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.08 above with respect to any series of Securities after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.09 above with respect to any series of Securities and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Securityholder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or

(iv) the Trustee shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case (A) the Company may remove the Trustee, with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series, or (B) subject to Section 5.14, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least 6 months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series.

 

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(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee with respect to any series of Securities for any cause, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee for that series of Securities. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to such series of Securities shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to such series and supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company with respect to such series. If no successor Trustee with respect to such series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Securityholders of such series and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Securities of that series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its principal Corporate Trust Office.

Section 6.11 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. Every successor Trustee appointed hereunder with respect to all series of Securities shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the predecessor Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor Trustee shall become effective, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to any such series; but, on request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such predecessor Trustee shall, upon payment of its reasonable charges, if any, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the predecessor Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such predecessor Trustee hereunder.

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the predecessor Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any applicable series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to transfer and to conform to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and (2) if the predecessor Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the predecessor Trustee is not being succeeded shall continue to be vested in the predecessor Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for

 

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or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be Trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; and, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be.

No successor Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible with respect to that series under this Article.

Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 6.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

Section 6.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor Trustee by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

 

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Section 6.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. If and when the Trustee shall be or shall become a creditor, of the Company (or of any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or against any such other obligor, as the case may be).

Section 6.14 Appointment of Authenticating Agent. At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding the Trustee, with the approval of the Company, may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as an Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

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

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and, if other than the Company, to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and, if other than the Company, to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee, with the approval of the Company, may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such

 

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Authenticating Agent will serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

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

If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:

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

 

                                         , as Trustee
By:  

 

 
  As Authenticating Agent:  
By:  

 

 
  Authorized Officer:  

ARTICLE VII

SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

Section 7.01 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:

(a) semiannually, not more than 15 days after January 1 and July 1 in each year, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, a list of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of each series as of such date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, provided that if the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar for such series, such list shall not be required to be furnished.

 

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Section 7.02 Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders.

(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders of Securities contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.01 and the names and addresses of Holders of Securities received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

(b) If three or more Holders of Securities of any series (hereinafter referred to as “applicants”) apply in writing to the Trustee, and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security of such series for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Holders of Securities of such series or with the Holders of all Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under such Securities and is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, at its election, either:

(i) afford such applicants access to the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), or

(ii) inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders of Securities of such series or all Securities, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such Securityholders the form of proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application.

If the Trustee shall elect not to afford such applicants access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants, mail to each Holder of a Security of such series or to all Securityholders, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request, with reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender, the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission, together with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, or would be in violation of applicable law. Such written statement shall specify the basis of such opinion. If the Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all Securityholders of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.

 

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(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 7.02(b), regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 7.02(b).

Section 7.03 Reports by Trustee.

(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within 60 days after each June 1 following the date of this Indenture, deliver to each Holder, as provided in Trust Indenture Act Section 313(c), a brief report dated as of such June 1, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).

(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company as required by Trust Indenture Act Section 313(d). The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

Section 7.04 Reports by Company. The Company will:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 30 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it will file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

Section 8.01 Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets and the properties and assets of the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person, unless;

(a) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and any assumption permitted or required by this Article complies with the provisions of this Article.

Section 8.02 Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor corporation had been named as the Company herein and the Company shall thereupon be released from all obligations hereunder and under the Securities. Such successor corporation thereupon may cause to be signed and may issue any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

 

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In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

ARTICLE IX

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 9.01 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders. Without the consent of the Holders of any Securities, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as in force at the date of execution thereof), in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company pursuant to Article 8 hereof; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions or conditions for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or all series as the Company and the Trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or all series or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company (and if such covenants or the surrender of such right or power are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included or such surrenders are expressly being made solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or

(c) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein or in any supplemental indenture, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture that do not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect; or

(d) to add to this Indenture such provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, excluding, however, the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act as in effect at the date as of which this instrument is executed or any corresponding provision in any similar federal statute hereafter enacted; or

(e) to add guarantors or co-obligors with respect to any series of Securities; or

(f) to secure any series of Securities; or

(g) to establish any form of Security, as provided in Article 2 hereof, and to provide for the issuance of any series of Securities, as provided in Article 3 hereof, and to set forth the terms thereof, and/or to add to the rights of the Holders of the Securities of any series; or

(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by another corporation as a successor Trustee hereunder with respect to one or more series of Securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to Section 6.11 hereof; or

 

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(i) to add any additional Events of Default in respect of the Securities of any or all series (and if such additional Events of Default are to be in respect of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or

(j) to comply with the requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

(k) to make any change in any series of Securities that does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Holders of such Securities.

Section 9.02 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture or indentures, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:

(a) change the Scheduled Maturity Date or the stated payment date of any payment of premium or interest payable on any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or any amount of interest or premium payable thereon, or

(b) change the method of computing the amount of principal of any Security or any interest payable thereon on any date, or change any Place of Payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Security or any payment of premium or interest thereon is payable, or

(c) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment described in clauses (a) or (b) on or after the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be; or

(d) change or waive the redemption or repayment provisions of any series;

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

(f) modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 5.13, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 6.11 and 9.01(h); or

 

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(g) adversely affect the ranking or priority of any series;

(h) release any guarantor or co-obligor from any of its obligations under its Guarantee of the Securities or this Indenture, except in compliance with the terms of this Indenture; or

(i) waive any Event of Default pursuant to Section 5.01(a), Section 5.01(b) or Section 5.01(c) hereof with respect to such Security.

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

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Securityholders under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 Execution of Supplemental Indentures. Upon request of the Company and upon filing with the Trustee of evidence of an Act of Securityholders as aforementioned, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, powers, trusts, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.

 

52


Section 9.04 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and the respective rights, limitation of rights, duties, powers, trusts and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company, and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be determined, exercised and enforced thereunder to the extent provided therein.

Section 9.05 Conformity With Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.06 Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities.

ARTICLE X

COVENANTS

Section 10.01 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. With respect to each series of Securities, the Company will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities in accordance with their terms and this Indenture, and will duly comply with all the other terms, agreements and conditions contained in the Indenture for the benefit of the Securities of such series.

Section 10.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency. So long as any of the Securities remain outstanding, the Company will maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment where Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and of any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain such office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Section 10.03 Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent for any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such

 

53


series a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Holders of such Securities or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities of such series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities entitled to the same and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

The Company will cause each Paying Agent other than the Trustee for any series of Securities to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will

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

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any such payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series; and

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

The Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent in respect of each and every series of Securities as to which it seeks to discharge this Indenture or, if for any other purpose, all sums so held in trust by the Company in respect of all Securities, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

54


Section 10.04 Certificate to Trustee. The Company will deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, an Officers’ Certificate, one of whose signatories shall be the Company’s principal executive, accounting or financial officer, stating that in the course of the performance by the signers of their duties as officers of the Company they would normally have knowledge of any default by the Company in the performance of any of its covenants, conditions or agreements contained herein (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder), stating whether or not they have knowledge of any such default and, if so, specifying each such default of which the signers have knowledge and the nature thereof.

Section 10.05 Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.

ARTICLE XI

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

Section 11.01 Applicability of Article. The Company may reserve the right to redeem and pay before the Scheduled Maturity Date all or any part of the Securities of any series, either by optional redemption, sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation or otherwise, by provision therefor in the form of Security for such series established and approved pursuant to Section 2.02 and 2.03 or as otherwise provided in Section 3.01, and on such terms as are specified in such form or in the indenture supplemental hereto with respect to Securities of such series as provided in Section 3.01. Redemption of Securities of any series shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and, to the extent that this Article does not conflict with such terms, the succeeding Sections of this Article.

Section 11.02 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

 

55


Section 11.03 Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed. If fewer than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate, which may include provision for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series. Unless otherwise provided in the terms of a particular series of Securities, the portions of the principal of Securities so selected for partial redemption shall be equal to the minimum authorized denomination of the Securities of such series, or an integral multiple thereof, and the principal amount which remains outstanding shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Security selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

Section 11.04 Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at such Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register on the applicable Record Date.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(1) the Redemption Date;

(2) the Redemption Price, or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof;

(3) if fewer than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective principal amounts) of the Securities to be redeemed, from the Holder to whom the notice is given and that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of the same series in the aggregate principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in accordance with Section 11.07;

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

 

56


(5) the place where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price, which shall be the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof; and

(6) that the redemption is on account of a sinking or purchase fund, or other analogous obligation, if that be the case.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, made at least five business days prior to the date on which notice is to be given, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of such Securities for redemption in accordance with the notice, such Securities shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price. Any installment of interest due and payable on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities registered as such on the relevant Record Date according to the terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 above; unless, with respect to an Interest Payment Date that falls on a Redemption Date, such Securities provide that interest due on such date is to be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Security, or as otherwise provided in such Security.

Section 11.07 Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Security that is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof with respect to that series (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holders in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

Section 11.08 Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds. Unless the form or terms of any series of Securities shall provide otherwise, in lieu of making all or any part of any

 

57


mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to such series of Securities in cash, the Company may at its option (a) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities of such series theretofore acquired by the Company, or (b) receive credit for any Securities of such series (not previously so credited) acquired or redeemed by the Company (other than through operation of a mandatory sinking fund) and theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, and if it does so then (i) Securities so delivered or credited shall be credited at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, and (ii) on or before the 60th day next preceding each sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to such series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee (A) an Officers’ Certificate specifying the portions of such sinking fund payment to be satisfied by payment of cash and by the delivery or credit of Securities of such series acquired or redeemed by the Company, and (B) such Securities, to the extent not previously surrendered. Such Officers’ Certificate shall also state the basis for any such credit and that the Securities for which the Company elects to receive credit have not been previously so credited and were not acquired by the Company through operation of the mandatory sinking fund, if any, provided with respect to such Securities and shall also state that no Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series has occurred and is continuing. All Securities so delivered to the Trustee shall be canceled by the Trustee and no Securities shall be authenticated in lieu thereof.

If the sinking fund payment or payments (mandatory or optional) with respect to any series of Securities made in cash plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments with respect to Securities of such series made in cash shall exceed $50,000 (or a lesser sum if the Company shall so request), unless otherwise provided by the terms of such series of Securities, that cash shall be applied by the Trustee on the sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to Securities of such series next following the date of such payment to the redemption of Securities of such series at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, together with accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption, with the effect provided in Section 11.06. The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 11.03, for redemption on such sinking fund Redemption Date a sufficient principal amount of Securities of such series to utilize that cash and shall thereupon cause notice of redemption of the Securities of such series for the sinking fund to be given in the manner provided in Section 11.04 (and with the effect provided in Section 11.06) for the redemption of Securities in part at the option of the Company. Any sinking fund moneys not so applied or allocated by the Trustee to the redemption of Securities of such series shall be added to the next cash sinking fund payment with respect to Securities of such series received by the Trustee and, together with such payment, shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11.08. Any and all sinking fund moneys with respect to Securities of any series held by the Trustee at the Maturity of Securities of such series, and not held for the payment or redemption of particular Securities of such series, shall be applied by the Trustee, together with other moneys, if necessary, to be deposited sufficient for the purpose, to the payment of the principal of the Securities of such series at Maturity.

On or before each sinking fund Redemption Date provided with respect to Securities of any series, the Company shall pay to the Trustee in cash a sum equal to all accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption on Securities to be redeemed on such sinking fund Redemption Date pursuant to this Section 11.08.

 

58


The Trustee shall not redeem any Securities with sinking fund moneys or give any notice of redemption of Securities by operation of the applicable sinking fund during the continuance of a default in payment of interest on Securities of such series or of any Event of Default with respect to such series, except that if the notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been mailed in accordance with the provisions hereof, the Trustee shall redeem such Securities if cash sufficient for that purpose shall be deposited with the Trustee for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Article 11. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund with respect to Securities of any series at the time when any such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall occur, and any moneys thereafter paid into such sinking fund shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default with respect to such series, be held as security for the payment of all Securities of such series; provided, however, that in case such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall have been cured or waived as provided herein, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next sinking fund payment date on which such moneys may be applied pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11.08.

ARTICLE XII

REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS

Section 12.01 Applicability of Article. Repayment of Securities of any series before their Scheduled Maturity Date at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

Section 12.02 Repayment of Securities. Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in the terms of such Securities. On or before the Repayment Date, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of all the Securities which are to be repaid on such date.

Section 12.03 Exercise of Option. Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. To be repaid at the option of the Holder, any Security so providing for such repayment, with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Security duly completed by the Holder, must be received by the Company at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 30 days nor later than 15 days prior to the Repayment Date. If less than the entire principal amount of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the principal amount of such Security to be repaid, in increments of $1,000 unless otherwise specified in the terms of such Security, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal amount of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid must be specified. The principal amount of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part, if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.

 

59


Section 12.04 When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable. If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article and as provided by the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) interest on such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, shall cease to accrue.

Section 12.05 Securities Repaid in Part. Upon surrender of any Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.

(signature page follows)

 

60


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested; all as of the day and year first above written.

 

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Attest:  
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

                                         , TRUSTEE
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Attest:  
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 


State of                        
   ss.:
County of                        

On the      day of             ,         before me personally came                      to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides at                     ; that he is of                     , one of the parties described in and which executed the above instrument; that he knows the corporate seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to that instrument is such corporate seal; that it was affixed by authority of the board of directors of said corporation; and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.

 

Name

 

Notary Public


State of                       
  ss.:
County of                       

On the      day of                      before me personally came                     , to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides at                     ; that he is the                      of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., one of the parties described in and which executed the above instrument; that he knows the corporate seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to that instrument is such corporate seal; that it was affixed by authority of the board of directors of said corporation; and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.

 

Name

 

Notary Public

 

1

EX-4.10 3 d901414dex410.htm EX-4.10 EX-4.10

Exhibit 4.10

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.

and

                    , as Trustee

SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

Dated as of                  

Providing for the Issuance of Subordinated Debt Securities


CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*

 

Trust Indenture

Act Section

  

Indenture
Section

310(a)(1)

   6.09

 (a)(2)

   6.09

 (a)(3)

   N.A.

 (a)(4)

   N.A.

 (a)(5)

   6.08

 (b)

   6.08

 (c)

   N.A.

311(a)

   6.13

 (b)

   6.13

 (c)

   N.A.

312(a)

   7.01

 (b)

   7.02

 (c)

   7.02

313(a)

   7.03

 (b)(2)

   7.03

 (c)

   7.03

 (d)

   7.03

314(a)

   7.04; 1.02

 (c)(1)

   1.02

 (c)(2)

   1.02

 (c)(3)

   N.A.

 (e)

   1.02

 (f)

   N.A.

315(a)

   6.01

 (b)

   6.02; 1.06

 (c)

   6.01

 (d)

   6.01

 (e)

   5.14

316(a)(last sentence)

   1.01

 (a)(1)(A)

   5.12

 (a)(1)(B)

   5.02

 (a)(2)

   N.A.

 (b)

   5.08

 (c)

   3.07

317(a)(1)

   5.03

 (a)(2)

   5.04

 (b)

   4.06

318(a)

   1.07

 (b)

   N.A.

 (c)

   1.07

 

N.A means not applicable.

*

This Cross Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

     1  

Section 1.01

    

Definitions

     1  

Section 1.02

    

Officers’ Certificates and Opinions

     8  

Section 1.03

    

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

     8  

Section 1.04

    

Acts of Securityholders

     8  

Section 1.05

    

Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company

     10  

Section 1.06

    

Notice To Securityholders; Waiver

     10  

Section 1.07

    

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

     11  

Section 1.08

    

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

     11  

Section 1.09

    

Successors and Assigns

     11  

Section 1.10

    

Separability Clause

     11  

Section 1.11

    

Benefits Of Indenture

     11  

Section 1.12

    

Governing Law

     11  

Section 1.13

    

Counterparts

     11  

Section 1.14

    

Judgment Currency

     11  

Section 1.15

    

Legal Holidays

     12  

ARTICLE II SECURITY FORMS

     13  

Section 2.01

    

Forms Generally

     13  

Section 2.02

    

Forms of Securities

     13  

Section 2.03

    

Securities in Global Form

     13  

Section 2.04

    

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

     14  

ARTICLE III THE SECURITIES

     14  

Section 3.01

    

General Title; General Limitations; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series

     14  

Section 3.02

    

Denominations and Currency

     17  

Section 3.03

    

Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating

     17  

Section 3.04

    

Temporary Securities

     19  

Section 3.05

    

Registration, Transfer and Exchange

     20  

Section 3.06

    

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

     22  

Section 3.07

    

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

     23  

Section 3.08

    

Persons Deemed Owners

     24  

Section 3.09

    

Cancellation

     24  

Section 3.10

    

Computation of Interest

     25  

ARTICLE IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

     25  

Section 4.01

    

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

     25  

Section 4.02

    

Discharge and Defeasance

     26  

Section 4.03

    

Covenant Defeasance

     27  

Section 4.04

    

Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance

     27  

Section 4.05

    

Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds

     29  

Section 4.06

    

Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held

     29  

Section 4.07

    

Return of Unclaimed Amounts

     30  

ARTICLE V REMEDIES

     31  

Section 5.01

    

Events of Default

     31  

Section 5.02

    

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment

     32  

Section 5.03

    

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

     33  

Section 5.04

    

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

     34  

 

i


Section 5.05

    

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

     34  

Section 5.06

    

Application of Money Collected

     35  

Section 5.07

    

Limitation on Suits

     35  

Section 5.08

    

Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest

     36  

Section 5.09

    

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

     36  

Section 5.10

    

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

     36  

Section 5.11

    

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

     36  

Section 5.12

    

Control by Securityholders

     36  

Section 5.13

    

Waiver of Past Defaults

     37  

Section 5.14

    

Undertaking for Costs

     37  

Section 5.15

    

Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

     38  

ARTICLE VI THE TRUSTEE

     38  

Section 6.01

    

Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee

     38  

Section 6.02

    

Notice of Defaults

     39  

Section 6.03

    

Certain Rights of Trustee

     39  

Section 6.04

    

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

     40  

Section 6.05

    

May Hold Securities

     40  

Section 6.06

    

Money Held in Trust

     40  

Section 6.07

    

Compensation and Reimbursement

     41  

Section 6.08

    

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

     41  

Section 6.09

    

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

     41  

Section 6.10

    

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

     42  

Section 6.11

    

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

     43  

Section 6.12

    

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

     45  

Section 6.13

    

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

     45  

Section 6.14

    

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

     45  

ARTICLE VII SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

     47  

Section 7.01

    

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders

     47  

Section 7.02

    

Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders

     47  

Section 7.03

    

Reports by Trustee

     48  

Section 7.04

    

Reports by Company

     49  

ARTICLE VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

     49  

Section 8.01

    

Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms

     49  

Section 8.02

    

Successor Corporation Substituted

     50  

ARTICLE IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

     50  

Section 9.01

    

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders

     50  

Section 9.02

    

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders

     52  

Section 9.03

    

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

     53  

Section 9.04

    

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

     53  

Section 9.05

    

Conformity With Trust Indenture Act

     53  

Section 9.06

    

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

     53  

ARTICLE X COVENANTS

     54  

Section 10.01

    

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

     54  

Section 10.02

    

Maintenance of Office or Agency

     54  

Section 10.03

    

Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust

     54  

Section 10.04

    

Certificate to Trustee

     55  

Section 10.05

    

Corporate Existence

     55  

 

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ARTICLE XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

     55  

Section 11.01

    

Applicability of Article

     55  

Section 11.02

    

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

     55  

Section 11.03

    

Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed

     56  

Section 11.04

    

Notice of Redemption

     56  

Section 11.05

    

Deposit of Redemption Price

     57  

Section 11.06

    

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

     57  

Section 11.07

    

Securities Redeemed in Part

     57  

Section 11.08

    

Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds

     57  

ARTICLE XII REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS

     59  

Section 12.01

    

Applicability of Article

     59  

Section 12.02

    

Repayment of Securities

     60  

Section 12.03

    

Exercise of Option

     60  

Section 12.04

    

When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable

     60  

Section 12.05

    

Securities Repaid in Part

     60  

ARTICLE XIII SUBORDINATION

     61  

Section 13.01

    

Agreement to Subordinate

     61  

Section 13.02

    

Payments to Securityholders

     61  

Section 13.03

    

Subrogation

     62  

Section 13.04

    

Authorization by Securityholders

     63  

Section 13.05

    

Notice to Trustee

     64  

Section 13.06

    

Trustee’s Relation to Senior Indebtedness

     65  

Section 13.07

    

No Impairment of Subordination

     65  

 

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THIS SUBORDINATED INDENTURE, between Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (hereinafter called the “Company”) having its principal office at 150 Third Avenue South, Suite 900, Nashville, Tennessee 37201 and,                     , a                     , as trustee (hereinafter called the “Trustee”), is made and entered into as of this      day of             ,        .

Recitals of the Company

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of its subordinated unsecured debentures, notes, bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness, to be issued in one or more fully registered series.

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

Agreements of the Parties

To set forth or to provide for the establishment of the terms and conditions upon which the Securities (as hereinafter defined) are and are to be authenticated, issued, and delivered, and in consideration of the premises thereof, and the purchase of Securities by the Holders (as hereinafter defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders from time to time of the Securities or of any series thereof, as the case may be:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 1.01 Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

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

(b) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act (as hereinafter defined), either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date of such computation; and

(d) all references in this instrument to designated “Articles”, “Sections” and other subdivisions are to the designated Articles, Sections and other subdivisions of this instrument as originally executed. The words “herein”, “hereof”, and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, or other subdivision.


(e) the following terms will have the meanings set forth below:

Act”, when used with respect to any Securityholder (as hereinafter defined), has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

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

Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series under Section 6.14.

Authentication Order” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03.

Board of Directors” means (i) the board of directors of the Company, (ii) any duly authorized committee of that board, or (iii) any officer, director, or authorized representative of the Company, in each case duly authorized by such Board to act hereunder.

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any capital stock (including preferred stock), shares, interests, participations or other ownership interests (however designated) of such Person and any rights (other than debt securities convertible or exchangeable for corporate stock), warrants or options to purchase any thereof.

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.

Company” means Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., unless and until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor corporation.

Company Request”, “Company Order”, and “Company Consent” mean, respectively, a written request, order, or consent signed in the name of the Company by the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the treasurer, the controller, or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

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Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at                     .

Corporation” means a corporation, association, company, joint-stock company, limited liability company or business trust.

Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.03.

Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 4.02.

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

Equivalent Government Securities” means, in relation to Securities denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, securities of the government that issued the currency in which such Securities are denominated or securities of government agencies backed by the full faith and credit of such government.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Article 5.

Holder”, “Securityholder” and “Holder of Securities” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register (as hereinafter defined).

Guarantee” by any Person means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), provided that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guarantee” when used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means (1) any liability of such Person (a) for borrowed money, or (b) evidenced by a bond, note, debenture or similar instrument (including purchase money obligations but excluding Trade Payables), or (c) for the payment of money relating to a lease that is required to be classified as a capitalized lease obligation in accordance

 

3


with generally accepted accounting principles; (2) mandatorily redeemable preferred or preference stock of a Subsidiary held by Persons other than the Company or a Subsidiary; (3) any liability of others described in the preceding clause (1) that such Person has Guaranteed, that is recourse to such Person or that is otherwise such Person’s legal liability; and (4) any amendment, supplement, modification, deferral, renewal, extension or refunding of any liability of the types referred to in clauses (1), (2) and (3) above.

Indenture” or “this Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of any particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.

Interest Payment Date”, when used with respect to any series of Securities, means any date on which an installment of interest on those Securities is scheduled to be paid.

Material Subsidiary” means Pinnacle Bank or any successor thereof or any of the Company’s subsidiaries that is a depository institution and that has consolidated assets equal to 80% or more of the Company’s consolidated assets.

Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal amount outstanding under such Security or an installment of principal amount outstanding under such Security becomes due and payable, as therein or herein provided, whether on the Scheduled Maturity Date (as hereinafter defined), by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, or otherwise.

New York Business Day” means (except, with respect to any particular series of Securities, as may be otherwise provided in the form of such Securities) any day other than a Saturday or Sunday that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation, or executive order to be closed.

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by any two of the chairman of the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer, the president, any vice president, the treasurer or by any other officer or officers of the Company pursuant to an applicable Board Resolution, and delivered to the Trustee.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel to the Company, which counsel may be an employee of the Company or other counsel who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which is initially sold at a discount from the principal amount thereof and the terms of which provide that upon redemption or acceleration of the Maturity thereof, an amount less than the principal amount thereof would become due and payable.

Outstanding”, when used with respect to any particular Securities or to the Securities of any particular series means, as of the date of determination, all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(i) such Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered by the Company to the Trustee for cancellation;

 

4


(ii) such Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent (as hereinafter defined) other than the Company, or, if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent, has been set aside and segregated in trust by the Company; provided, in any case, that if such Securities are to be redeemed prior to their Scheduled Maturity Date, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made; and

(iii) such Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, or which shall have been paid, in each case, pursuant to the terms of Section 3.06 (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a Person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid, and binding obligation of the Company).

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Securities Outstanding have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Securities Outstanding have given a direction concerning the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or concerning the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee under this Indenture, or concerning a consent on behalf of the Holders of any series of Securities to the waiver of any past default and its consequences, Securities owned by the Company, any other obligor upon the Securities, or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding. In determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer assigned to the corporate trust department of the Trustee knows to be owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right to act as owner with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor.

Paying Agent” means, with respect to any Securities, any Person appointed by the Company to distribute amounts payable by the Company on such Securities. If at any time there shall be more than one such Person, “Paying Agent” as used with respect to the Securities of any particular series shall mean the Paying Agent with respect to Securities of that series. As of the date of this Indenture, the Company has appointed                      as Paying Agent with respect to all Securities issuable hereunder.

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

 

5


Place of Payment” means with respect to any series of Securities issued hereunder the city or political subdivision so designated with respect to the series of Securities in question in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01.

Predecessor Securities” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in lieu of a lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed, mutilated, or stolen Security.

Record Date” means any date as of which the Holder of a Security will be determined for any purpose described herein, such determination to be made as of the close of business on such date by reference to the Security Register.

Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

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

Repayment Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the date fixed for such repayment pursuant to such Security.

Repayment Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be repaid, means the price at which it is to be repaid pursuant to such Security.

Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean an officer or assistant officer of the Trustee in the Corporate Trust Office, having direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and also, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Scheduled Maturity Date”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the date on which all outstanding principal and interest will be due and payable.

Security” or “Securities” means any subordinated note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of indebtedness, as the case may be, of any series authenticated and delivered from time to time under this Indenture.

Security Register” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.05.

Security Registrar” means the Person who maintains the Security Register, which Person shall be the Trustee unless and until a successor Security Registrar is appointed by the Company.

Senior Indebtedness” means, without duplication, the principal, premium, if any, unpaid interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company, whether or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding), fees, charges, expenses, reimbursement and indemnification obligations, and all other amounts payable under or in respect of the following Indebtedness of the Company, whether any such Indebtedness exists as of the date of the Indenture or is created, incurred or assumed after such date: (i) all obligations for borrowed money; (ii) all obligations evidenced by debentures, notes, debt securities or other similar instruments; (iii) all obligations in respect of letters of credit, security purchase facilities or bankers acceptances or similar instruments (or reimbursement obligations with respect thereto); (iv) all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, except trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business; (v) Indebtedness secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Company but excluding any obligations of the Company which are treated as capitalized leases under GAAP; (vi) obligations associated with derivative products including, but not limited to, interest rate and currency future or exchange contracts, foreign exchange contracts, swap agreements (including interest rate and foreign exchange rate swap agreements), cap agreements, floor agreements, collar agreements, options, interest rate future or option contracts, commodity contracts, and similar arrangements; (vii) purchase money and similar obligations (including any obligations of the Company which are treated as capitalized leases under GAAP); (viii) obligations to general creditors of the Company; (ix) a deferred obligation of, or any such obligation, directly or indirectly guaranteed by, the Company which obligation is incurred in connection with the acquisition of any business, properties or assets not evidenced by a note or similar instrument given in connection therewith; (x) all obligations of the type referred to in the foregoing subclauses (i) through (ix) of other persons or entities for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, whether or not classified as a liability on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP; (xi) all obligations of the type referred to in the foregoing subclauses (i) through (x) of other persons or entities secured by any lien on any property or assets of the Company, whether or not such obligation is assumed by the Company; and (xi) any renewals, amendments, deferrals, supplements, extensions, refundings or replacements of any of the foregoing. Senior Indebtedness excludes: (v) any such Indebtedness, obligation or liability referred to above as to which, in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such Indebtedness, obligation or liability is not superior in right of payment to the Securities, or ranks pari passu with the Securities; (w) any such Indebtedness, obligation or liability which is subordinated to Indebtedness of the Company to substantially the same extent as or to a greater extent than the Securities are subordinated; (x) any Indebtedness to a subsidiary of the Company; (y) any trade account payables in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Federal Reserve (or other competent regulatory agency or authority with jurisdiction over bank holding companies or financial holding companies) promulgates any rule or issues any interpretation that defines general creditor(s), the main purpose of which is to establish criteria for determining whether the subordinated debt of a financial or bank holding company is to be included in its capital, then the term “general creditors” as used in this definition of “Senior Indebtedness” will have the meaning as described in that rule or interpretation.

 

6


Significant Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary which is a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X, as amended or modified and in effect from time to time.

Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.

Specified Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01.

Subsidiary” means any corporation, partnership or other entity of which at the time of determination the Company owns or controls directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares of voting stock or equivalent interest.

Trade Payables” means accounts payable or any other Indebtedness or monetary obligations to trade creditors created or assumed in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials, finished products, inventory or services.

Trust Indenture Act” or “TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in force as of the date hereof, except as provided in Section 9.05.

Trustee” means the party named as such above until a successor becomes such pursuant to this Indenture and thereafter means or includes each party who is then a trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such party, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series means the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series. If Trustees with respect to different series of Securities are trustees under this Indenture, nothing herein shall constitute the Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, and each Trustee shall be the trustee of a trust separate and apart from any trust administered by any other Trustee with respect to a different series of Securities.

U.S. Government Obligations” means (i) securities that are direct obligations of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally Guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America and (ii) securities that are obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, the payment of which is unconditionally Guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America, and also includes depository receipts issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii), and any payment of interest or principal payable under any of the securities described in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii) that is held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt, or from any amount received by the custodian in respect of such securities, or from any specific payment of interest or principal payable under the securities evidenced by such depository receipt.

 

7


Voting Stock”, as applied to the stock of any corporation, means stock of any class or classes (however designated), the outstanding shares of which have, by the terms thereof, ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors (or other governing body) of such corporation, other than stock having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency.

Section 1.02 Officers’ Certificates and Opinions. Every Officers’ Certificate, Opinion of Counsel, and other certificate or opinion to be delivered to the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to any action to be taken by the Trustee (except for the Officers’ Certificate required by Section 10.04) shall include the following:

(a) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read all covenants and conditions of this Indenture relating to such proposed action, including the definitions herein relating thereto;

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

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

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to the other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, legal counsel, unless such officer knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous. Any opinion of counsel for the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company, unless such counsel knows that any such certificate, opinion, or representation is erroneous.

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

Section 1.04 Acts of Securityholders. (a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Securityholders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Securityholders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing;

 

8


and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and (if expressly required by the applicable terms of this Indenture) to the Company. If any Securities are denominated in coin or currency other than that of the United States, then for the purposes of determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Securities have taken any action as herein described, the principal amount of such Securities shall be deemed to be that amount of United States dollars that could be obtained for such principal amount on the basis of the spot rate of exchange into United States dollars for the currency in which such Securities are denominated (as evidenced to the Trustee by a certificate provided by a financial institution, selected by the Company, that maintains an active trade in the currency in question, acting as conversion agent) as of the date the taking of such action by the Holders of such requisite principal amount is evidenced to the Trustee as provided in the immediately preceding sentence. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Securityholders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness to such execution or by the certificate of any notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by an officer of a corporation or a member of a partnership, on behalf of such corporation or partnership, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

(c) The ownership of Securities shall for all purposes be determined by reference to the Security Register, as such register shall exist as of the applicable date.

(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the Company may, at its option, by Board Resolution, fix in advance a Record Date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such Record Date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be given before or after such Record Date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such Record Date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Securities Outstanding have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the Securities Outstanding shall be computed as of such Record Date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on such Record Date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after such Record Date.

 

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(e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action by the Holder of any Security shall bind each subsequent Holder of such Security, and each Holder of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof, with respect to anything done or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance upon such action, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

Section 1.05 Notices, etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, order, authorization, direction, consent, waiver, or other action to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder (including any Authentication Order), and any notice to be given to the Trustee or the Company with respect to any action taken or to be taken by the Trustee, the Company, or the Securityholders hereunder, shall be sufficient if made in writing and

(a) (if to be furnished or delivered to or filed with the Trustee by the Company or any Securityholder) delivered to the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention:                     , or

(b) (if to be furnished or delivered to the Company by the Trustee or any Securityholder, and except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01(d) and, in the case of a request for repayment, except as specified in the Security carrying the right to repayment) mailed to the Company, first-class postage prepaid, at its principal office (as specified in the first paragraph of this instrument), Attention: Harold R. Carpenter, Chief Financial Officer, or at any other address hereafter furnished in writing by the Company to the Trustee.

Section 1.06 Notice To Securityholders; Waiver. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice to Securityholders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise expressly provided herein or in such Security) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder affected by such event, at his or her address as it appears in the Security Register as of the applicable Record Date, not later than the latest date or earlier than the earliest date prescribed by this Indenture or such Security for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Securityholders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed to any particular Securityholder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Securityholders. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Securityholders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

In case, by reason of the suspension of regular mail service as a result of a strike, work stoppage or otherwise, it shall be impractical to mail notice of any event to any Securityholder when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture or the applicable Security, then any method of notification as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company shall be deemed to be sufficient for the giving of such notice.

 

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Section 1.07 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the TIA, such required provision shall control.

Section 1.08 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents hereof are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction of any provision of this Indenture.

Section 1.09 Successors and Assigns All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.10 Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.11 Benefits Of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in any Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors hereunder, the Authenticating Agent, the Security Registrar, any Paying Agent, and the Holders of Securities (or such of them as may be affected thereby), any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.12 Governing Law. This Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Section 1.13 Counterparts. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 1.14 Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court with respect to the Securities of any series it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, payable with respect to such Securities into a currency in which a judgment can be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange from the currency in which payments under such Securities is payable (the “Required Currency”) into the Judgment Currency shall be the highest bid quotation (assuming European-style quotation — i.e., Required Currency per Judgment Currency) received by the Company from three recognized foreign exchange dealers in the City of New York for the purchase of the aggregate amount of the judgment (as denominated in the Judgment Currency) on the New York Business Day preceding the date on which a final unappealable judgment is rendered, for settlement on such payment date, and at which the applicable dealer timely commits to execute a contract, and (b) the Company’s obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or by any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with the preceding clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt by the judgment creditor of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the

 

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Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture.

Section 1.15 Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity of any Security shall not be a New York Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or at Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Maturity, as the case may be.

 

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ARTICLE II

SECURITY FORMS

Section 2.01 Forms Generally. The Securities of each series shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon, as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange, or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. Any portion of the text of any Security may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Security.

The definitive Securities, if any, shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

Section 2.02 Forms of Securities. Each Security shall be in one of the forms approved from time to time by or pursuant to any Board Resolution, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Prior to the delivery to the Trustee for authentication of any Security in any form approved by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a copy of such Board Resolution, together with a true and correct copy of the form of Security which has been approved thereby, or, if a Board Resolution authorizes a specific officer or officers to approve a form of Security, together with a certificate of such officer or officers approving the form of Security attached thereto, provided, however, that with respect to all Securities issued pursuant to the same Board Resolution, the required copy of such Board Resolution, together with the appropriate attachment, need be delivered only once. Any form of Security approved by or pursuant to a Board Resolution must be acceptable as to form to the Trustee, such acceptance to be evidenced by the Trustee’s authentication of Securities in that form or by a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and delivered to the Company.

Section 2.03 Securities in Global Form. If Securities of a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form, the global security representing such Securities may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced to reflect exchanges or increased to reflect the issuance of additional Securities. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount (or any increase or decrease in the amount) of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Authentication Order delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.03 hereof.

 

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Section 2.04 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. The form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication for any Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be substantially as follows:

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

                                         , as Trustee,
By:  

 

  Authorized Officer:

ARTICLE III

THE SECURITIES

Section 3.01 General Title; General Limitations; Issuable in Series; Terms of Particular Series.

(a) The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated, delivered, and Outstanding at any time under this Indenture is not limited.

(b) The Securities may be issued in one or more series in such aggregate principal amount as may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors. All Securities of a series issued under this Indenture shall in all respects be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits hereof, without preference, priority, or distinction on account of the actual time of the authentication and delivery or Scheduled Maturity Date thereof, but all Securities issued hereunder shall be subordinate and junior in right and payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in Article XIII, to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company.

(c) Each series of Securities shall be created either by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, by an Officers’ Certificate or by one or more indentures supplemental hereto. Any such Board Resolution or supplemental indenture (or, in the case of a series of Securities created pursuant to a Board Resolution, any officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution) shall establish the terms of any such series of Securities, including the following (as and to such extent as may be applicable):

(1) the title of such series;

(2) the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount or issue price of the Securities of such series;

(3) the issue date or issue dates of the Securities of such series;

(4) the Scheduled Maturity Date of the Securities of such series;

(5) the place or places where the principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to the Securities of such series shall be payable;

(6) whether the Securities of such series will be issued at par or at a premium over or a discount from their face amount;

(7) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) at which the Securities of such series shall bear interest, if any, and, if applicable, the method by which such rate or rates may be determined;

 

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(8) the date or dates (or the method by which such date or dates may be determined) from which interest, if any, shall accrue, and the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable;

(9) the rights, if any, to defer payments of interest on the Securities by extending the interest payment periods and the duration of such extension;

(10) the period or periods within which, the Redemption Price(s) or Repayment Price(s) at which, and any other terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series may be redeemed or repaid, in whole or in part, by the Company;

(11) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay, or purchase any of the Securities of such series pursuant to any sinking fund, mandatory redemption, purchase obligation, or analogous provision at the option of a Holder thereof, and the period or periods within which, the Redemption Price(s) or Repayment Price(s) or other price or prices at which, and any other terms and conditions upon which the Securities of such series shall be redeemed, repaid, or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(12) the issuance of the Securities of such series in whole or in part in global form and, if so, the identity of the Depositary for such global security and the terms and conditions, if any, upon which interests in the Securities represented by such global security may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for the individual Securities represented thereby (if other than as provided in Section 3.05);

(13) the denominations in which the Securities of such series will be issued (which may be any denomination as set forth in the terms of such Securities) if other than U.S. $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof;

(14) whether and under what circumstances additional amounts on the Securities of such series shall be payable in respect of any taxes, assessments, or other governmental charges withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts;

(15) the basis upon which interest shall be calculated;

(16) if the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security for a definitive Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or upon satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents, and/or conditions;

(17) the exchange or conversion of the Securities of that series, whether or not at the option of the Holders thereof, for or into new Securities of a different series or for or into any other securities which may include shares of Capital Stock of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or securities directly or indirectly convertible into or exchangeable for any such shares or securities of entities unaffiliated with the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company;

 

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(18) if other than U.S. dollars, the foreign or composite currency or currencies (each such currency a “Specified Currency”) in which the Securities of such series shall be denominated and in which payments of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to such Securities shall or may be payable;

(19) if the principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or additional amounts, if any, payable with respect to the Securities of such series are to be payable in any currency other than that in which the Securities are stated to be payable, whether at the election of the Company or of a Holder thereof, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;

(20) if the amount of any payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, or other sum payable with respect to the Securities of such series may be determined by reference to the relative value of one or more Specified Currencies, commodities, securities, or instruments, the level of one or more financial or non-financial indices, or any other designated factors or formulas, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(21) the exchange of Securities of such series, at the option of the Holders thereof, for other Securities of the same series of the same aggregate principal amount of a different authorized kind or different authorized denomination or denominations, or both;

(22) the appointment by the Trustee of an Authenticating Agent in one or more places other than the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, with power to act on behalf of the Trustee, and subject to its direction, in the authentication and delivery of the Securities of such series;

(23) any trustees, depositaries, paying agents, transfer agents, exchange agents, conversion agents, registrars, or other agents with respect to the Securities of such series if other than the Trustee, Paying Agent and Security Registrar named herein;

(24) the portion of the principal amount of Securities of such series, if other than the principal amount thereof, that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.04;

(25) any Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series, if not set forth herein, or any modification of any Event of Default set forth herein with respect to such series;

(26) any covenant solely for the benefit of the Securities of such series;

(27) the inapplicability of Section 4.02 and Section 4.03 of this Indenture to the Securities of such series and if Section 4.03 is applicable, the covenants subject to Covenant Defeasance under Section 4.03; and

(28) any other terms of the securities of such series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such series).

 

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If all of the Securities issuable by or pursuant to any Board Resolution are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required by Section 3.03 hereof at the time of issuance of each such Security, but such Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first such Security.

If any series of Securities shall be established by action taken pursuant to any Board Resolution, the execution by the officer or officers authorized by such Board Resolution of an Authentication Order (as defined in Section 3.03 below) with respect to the first Security of such series to be issued, and the delivery of such Authentication Order to the Trustee at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series, shall constitute a sufficient record of such action. Except as otherwise permitted by Section 3.03, if all of the Securities of any such series are not to be issued at one time, the Company shall deliver an Authentication Order with respect to each subsequent issuance of Securities of such series, but such Authentication Orders may be executed by any authorized officer or officers of the Company, whether or not such officer or officers would have been authorized to establish such series pursuant to the aforementioned Board Resolution.

Unless otherwise provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series (i) a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series, and (ii) all Securities of the same series shall be substantially identical, except for the initial Interest Payment Date, issue price, initial interest accrual date and the amount of the first interest payment.

The form of the Securities of each series shall be established in a supplemental indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution creating such series. The Securities of each series shall be distinguished from the Securities of each other series in such manner as the Board of Directors or its authorized representative or representatives may determine.

Unless otherwise provided with respect to Securities of a particular series, the Securities of any series may only be issuable in registered form, without coupons.

Section 3.02 Denominations and Currency. The Securities of each series shall be issuable in such denominations and currency as shall be provided in the provisions of this Indenture or by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or supplemental indenture creating such series. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of that series shall be issuable only in fully registered form in denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

Section 3.03 Execution, Authentication and Delivery, and Dating. The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the president, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, any vice president, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer and attested by the secretary or any one of its assistant secretaries, under its corporate seal. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile. The seal of the Company, if set forth thereon, may be in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted, or otherwise reproduced on the Securities. Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of the seal or any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee.

 

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Unless otherwise provided in the form of Security for any series, all Securities shall be dated the date of their authentication.

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

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for authentication and delivery (such Order an “Authentication Order”) with respect to such Securities, and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of such Authentication Order, in accordance with procedures acceptable to the Trustee set forth in the Authentication Order, and subject to the provisions hereof, authenticate and deliver such Securities to such recipients as may be specified from time to time pursuant to such Authentication Order. The material terms of such Securities shall be determinable by reference to such Authentication Order and procedures. If provided for in such procedures, such Authentication Order may authorize authentication and delivery of such Securities pursuant to oral instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 hereof) shall be fully protected in relying upon:

(1) an executed supplemental indenture, if any;

(2) an Officers’ Certificate, certifying as to the authorized form or forms and terms of such Securities; and

(3) an Opinion of Counsel, stating that:

(a) the form or forms and terms of such Securities have been established by and in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; provided that if all such Securities are not to be issued at the same time, such Opinion of Counsel may state that such terms will be established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture, subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel; and

(b) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general principles of equity;

provided, however, that if all Securities issuable by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or supplemental indenture are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to

 

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deliver the Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to this paragraph at or prior to the time of authentication of each such Security if such documents are delivered at or prior to the time of authentication upon original issuance of the first such Security to be issued. After the original issuance of the first such Security to be issued, any separate request by the Company that the Trustee authenticate such Securities for original issuance will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that it is in compliance with all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue thereof will adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture.

If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.01 that Securities of a series may be issued in whole or in part in global form, then the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall (in accordance with this Section 3.03 and the Authentication Order with respect to such series) authenticate and deliver, one or more Securities in global form that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such one or more Securities in global form, (ii) shall be registered, in the name of the Depositary for such Security or Securities in global form, or in the name of a nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instruction, and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially as follows: “Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.” Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 3.01 for a Security in global form must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any other applicable statute or regulation.

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature of an authorized officer, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

Section 3.04 Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and, upon receipt of the documents required by Sections 2.02, 3.01 and 3.03 hereof, together with an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities of such series that are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed, or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued in registered form, without coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions, and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of Securities of any series for which a temporary Security may be issued in global form, such temporary global security shall represent all of the Outstanding Securities of such series and tenor.

 

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Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions thereof, if temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or at such other office or agency as may be maintained by the Company in a Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, for definitive Securities of such series having identical terms and provisions, upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series, at the Company’s own expense and without charge to the Holder; and upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of such series in authorized denominations containing identical terms and provisions. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to a temporary Security in global form, until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of such series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

Section 3.05 Registration, Transfer and Exchange. With respect to the Securities of each series, the Trustee shall keep a register (herein sometimes referred to as the “Security Register”) which shall provide for the registration of Securities of such series, and for transfers of Securities of such series, in accordance with information to be provided to the Trustee by the Company, subject to such reasonable regulations as the Trustee may prescribe. Such register shall be in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time. At all reasonable times the information contained in such register or registers shall be available for inspection at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at such other office or agency to be maintained by the Company pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof.

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at any other office or agency maintained by the Company with respect to that series pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of such series of any authorized denominations, of like aggregate principal amount, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date.

Any other provision of this Section 3.05 notwithstanding, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual Securities represented thereby, in definitive form, a Security in global form representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary, or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary, or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of such series of any authorized denominations, of like aggregate principal amount, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at

 

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such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Securityholder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series represented by one or more Securities in global form notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series, or if at any time the Depositary for the Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible under Section 3.03 hereof, the Company, by Company Order, shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to the Securities of such series. If a successor Depositary for the Securities of such series is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company’s election pursuant to Section 3.01 that such Securities be represented by one or more Securities in global form shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such series and the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount, and of like terms and tenor, equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series, in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion and subject to the procedures of the Depositary determine that individual Securities of any series issued in global form shall no longer be represented by such Security or Securities in global form. In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series and of the same terms and tenor, will authenticate and deliver Securities of such series in definitive form, in authorized denominations, and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities in global form representing such series in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.

If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to a series of Securities issued in global form, the Depositary for such series of Securities may surrender a Security in global form for such series of Securities in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of such series in definitive form and of like terms and tenor on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee upon receipt of an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge:

(a) to each Person specified by such Depositary, a new definitive Security or Securities of the same series and of the same tenor and terms, in authorized denominations, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Security in global form; and

(b) to such Depositary, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Security in global form and the aggregate principal amount of the definitive Securities delivered to Holders pursuant to clause (a) above.

 

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Upon the exchange of a Security in global form for Securities in definitive form, such Security in global form shall be canceled by the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee. Securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a Security in global form pursuant to this Section 3.05 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Security in global form, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the Company or the Trustee in writing. The Trustee or such agent shall deliver such Securities to or as directed by the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered or to the Depositary.

Whenever any securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

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

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

Unless otherwise provided in the Security to be transferred or exchanged, no service charge shall be imposed for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may (unless otherwise provided in such Security) require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.06, 9.06 and 11.07 hereof not involving any transfer.

The Company shall not be required to (i) issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Security of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of such series selected for redemption under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the date of such mailing, or (ii) register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed.

Section 3.06 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If (i) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or the Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security, and (ii) there is delivered to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company may in its discretion execute and upon request of the Company the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of like tenor, terms, series, Scheduled Maturity Date, and principal amount, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

 

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

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

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

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

Section 3.07 Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. Interest on any Security which is payable and is punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date shall, if so provided in such Security, be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the applicable Record Date, notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Security subsequent to such Record Date and prior to such Interest Payment Date. (unless such Interest Payment Date is also the date of Maturity of such Security).

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

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names any such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the

 

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expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of each such Security at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b).

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

Interest on Securities of any series that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the Securities Register for such series or by such other means as may be specified in the form of such Security.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.07 and the provisions of Section 3.05 hereof, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

Section 3.08 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any Security is registered on the applicable Record Date(s) as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal, premium, if any, interest, if any (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07 hereof), and any additional amounts payable with respect to such Security, and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

None of the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, the Security Registrar, or any Co-Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Security in global form or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests and each of them may act or refrain from acting without liability on any information relating to such records provided by the Depositary.

Section 3.09 Cancellation.

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange, or credit against a sinking or analogous fund shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and, if not already canceled, shall be promptly canceled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner

 

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whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Trustee. Acquisition of such Securities by the Company shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Security shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of all canceled Securities in accordance with its customary procedures and deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company.

Section 3.10 Computation of Interest. Unless otherwise provided as contemplated in Section 3.01, interest on the Securities shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

ARTICLE IV

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 4.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities (except as to any surviving rights of conversion or transfer or exchange of Securities of such series expressly provided for herein or in the form of Security for such series and obligations described as surviving below), and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of that series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (A) Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost, or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06, and (B) Securities of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 4.07) have been delivered to the Trustee canceled or for cancellation; or

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

(A) have become due and payable, or

(B) will, in accordance with their Scheduled Maturity Date, become due and payable within one year, or

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

and, in any of the cases described in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C) above, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee, as trust funds in trust for the purpose, (x) an amount in money sufficient, (y) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money

 

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sufficient, or (z) a combination of (x) and (y) sufficient, in the opinion with respect to (y) and (z) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities with respect to principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable), or to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be; provided, however, that if such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if such issuer elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date, as the case may be, and the Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision; and

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company under paragraph (a) of this Section 4.01 and its obligations to the Trustee with respect to that series under Section 6.07 shall survive, and the obligations of the Trustee under Sections 4.05, 4.07 and 10.03 shall survive.

Section 4.02 Discharge and Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In addition to discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Section 4.01, in the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Securities of such a series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied, and the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series shall no longer be in effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series, (ii) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (iii) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, solely from the trust fund described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04, payments of principal thereof, premium, if any, and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (v) this Section 4.02, Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03 and (vi) the rights of the Holders

 

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of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them) (hereinafter called “Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same.

Section 4.03 Covenant Defeasance. The provisions of this Section and Section 4.04 (insofar as relating to this Section) shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 3.01. In the case of any series of Securities with respect to which the exact amount described in subparagraph (a) of Section 4.04 can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in such subparagraph (a), (i) the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series (except as to (a) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series and rights under Section 4.07, Section 10.02 and Section 10.03, (b) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities of such series, (c) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, from the Company pursuant to Section 10.01, payments of principal thereof and interest, if any, thereon upon the original stated due dates or upon the Redemption Dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (d) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (e) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them), and (ii) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 5.01(d) (with respect to any of the covenants specified in or pursuant to Section 3.01 as being subject to Covenant Defeasance with respect to such series) shall be deemed not to be or result in a default or an Event of Default, in each case with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 4.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Trustee at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same. For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 5.01(d)), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be unaffected thereby.

Section 4.04 Conditions To Defeasance Or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to application of either Section 4.02 or Section 4.03 to the Outstanding Securities:

(a) with reference to Section 4.02 or Section 4.03, the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of Securities of such series (i) money in an amount, or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii), sufficient, in the opinion (with respect to (ii) and (iii)) of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a

 

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written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund payments) of, premium, if any, and interest on, the Outstanding Securities of such series on the dates such installments of interest, premium or principal are due, including upon redemption; provided, however, that if such U.S. Government Obligations and Equivalent Government Securities are callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, the amount of such money, U.S. Government Obligations, and/or Equivalent Government Securities deposited with the Trustee must be sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness referred to above if the issuer of any such U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities elects to exercise such call or redemption provisions at any time prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date or Redemption Date of such Securities, as the case may be. The Company, but not the Trustee, shall be responsible for monitoring any such call or redemption provision.

(b) in the case of Defeasance under Section 4.02, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel based on the fact that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (y) since the date hereof, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

(c) in the case of Covenant Defeasance under Section 4.03, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

(d) no Event of Default or event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, after giving effect to such deposit or, in the case of a Defeasance under Section 4.02, no Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) shall have occurred, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following the expiration of the longest preference period applicable to the Company in respect of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period);

(e) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the TIA, assuming all Securities of a series were in default within the meaning of the TIA;

(f) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

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(g) such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless the trust is registered under such Act or exempt from registration;

(h) if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to their Stated Maturity Date (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made; and

(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, have been complied with.

Section 4.05 Application of Trust Money; Excess Funds. All money and U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and of the series of Securities in respect of which it was deposited, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Company will pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or U.S. Government Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 hereof or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Outstanding Securities.

Anything in this Article 4 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Governmental Obligations or Equivalent Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 4.01 or Section 4.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 4.01 or Section 4.04, as applicable), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent satisfaction and discharge, Covenant Defeasance or Defeasance of the applicable series.

Section 4.06 Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held. Upon the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent of the Securities (other than the Trustee) shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee, and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

 

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Section 4.07 Return of Unclaimed Amounts. Any amounts deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any Paying Agent or then held by the Company, in trust for payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities and not applied but remaining unclaimed by the Holders of such Securities for two years after the date upon which the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Securities, as the case may be, shall have become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company by the Trustee on Company Request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of any of such Securities shall thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect (until such time as such unclaimed amounts shall escheat, if at all, to the State of New York) and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee or Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once a week for two successive weeks (in each case on any day of the week) in a newspaper printed in the English language and customarily published at least once a day at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City and State of New York, a notice that said amounts have not been so applied and that after a date named therein any unclaimed balance of said amounts then remaining will be promptly returned to the Company.

 

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ARTICLE V

REMEDIES

Section 5.01 Events of Default. “Event of Default”, wherever used herein, means with respect to any series of Securities any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body), unless such event is either inapplicable to a particular series or it is specifically deleted or modified in the manner contemplated by Section 3.01:

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

(b) default in the payment of the principal amount of (or premium, if any) on any Security of such series when due, either at Maturity, upon redemption, by declaration, or otherwise; or

(c) default in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of such series and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(d) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series, and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) a court having jurisdiction enters a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or a Material Subsidiary in an involuntary case or preceding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or a Material Subsidiary or for any substantial part of the Company’s or such Material Subsidiary’s respective property, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of the Company’s affairs shall have been entered and remained unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

(f) the Company or a Material Subsidiary commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or consent to the entry of a decree or order for relief in an involuntary case or proceeding under any such law, or the consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or a Material Subsidiary or of any substantial part of the Company’s or such Material Subsidiary’s respective property, or the making by the Company or a Material Subsidiary of a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

 

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(g) any other Event of Default provided for with respect to the Securities of such series in accordance with Section 3.01.

A default under any indebtedness of the Company other than the Securities will not constitute an Event of Default under this Indenture, and a default under one series of Securities will not constitute a default under any other series of Securities. The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of an Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer at the Corporate Trust Office has actual knowledge thereof.

Section 5.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission, and Annulment. If any Event of Default described in Section 5.01 above (other than Event of Default described in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f)) shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to any series, then and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all the Securities of such series shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), may declare the principal amount (or, if the Securities of such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all the Securities of such series and any and all accrued interest thereon to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable, any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such series to the contrary notwithstanding. If an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or Section 5.01(f) occurs, the principal amount of the Securities of such series and any and all accrued interest thereon shall immediately become and be due and payable without any declaration or other act on the party of the Trustee or any Holder. No declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall constitute a declaration of acceleration by the Trustee with respect to any other series of Securities, and no declaration of acceleration by the Holders of at least 51% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall constitute a declaration of acceleration or other action by any of the Holders of any other series of Securities, in each case whether or not the Event of Default on which such declaration is based shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Securities, and whether or not any Holders of the Securities of any such affected series shall also be Holders of Securities of any other such affected series.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to the Securities of any series and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to such series of Securities, other than the nonpayment of the principal of the Securities of such series which have become due solely by

 

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such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13, if such cure or waiver does not conflict with any judgment or decree set forth in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) and if all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel have been paid.

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

Section 5.03 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if:

(a) default is made in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of any series when such interest becomes due and payable, or

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

(c) default is made in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of any series, and

(d) any such default continues for any period of grace provided in relation to such default pursuant to Section 5.01,

then, with respect to the Securities of such series, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holder of any such Security (or the Holders of any such series in the case of clause (c) above), the whole amount then due and payable on any such Security (or on the Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above) for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, with interest (to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable) upon the overdue principal (and premium, if any) and upon overdue installments of interest, if any, at such rate or rates as may be prescribed therefor by the terms of any such Security (or of Securities of any such series in the case of clause (c) above); and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07.

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

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

 

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Section 5.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition, or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (or, with respect to Original Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities), premium, if any, and interest, if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities, and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary and advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements, and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07) and of the Securityholders allowed in such judicial proceedings, and

(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Securityholder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof.

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

Section 5.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities of any series may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities of such series or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee and its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities, of the series in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

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Section 5.06 Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee with respect to a series of Securities pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, upon presentation of the Securities of such series and the notation thereon of the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07 hereof.

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities of that series for principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and additional amounts, if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind.

Section 5.07 Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

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

(b) the Holders of not less than 51% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

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

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

 

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Section 5.08 Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Receive Principal, Premium, and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal, premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.07) interest, if any, (and additional amounts, if any) on such Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on the Redemption Date or Repayment Date, as the case may be) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective date, and such right shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Securityholder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right or remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders, as the case may be.

Section 5.12 Control by Securityholders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that

(a) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that the action so directed may not lawfully be taken or would conflict with this Indenture or if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer, determine that the proceedings so directed would involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders not taking part in such direction, and

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

 

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Section 5.13 Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series, waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default not theretofore cured:

(a) in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series, or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation with respect to the Securities of such series, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision in this Indenture which, under Article Nine hereof, cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14 Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by such Holder’s acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder or group of Securityholders holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series to which the suit relates, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security on or after the respective payment dates expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or Repayment Date).

 

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Section 5.15 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law (other than any bankruptcy law) wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

ARTICLE VI

THE TRUSTEE

Section 6.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.

(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities,

(i) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may, with respect to Securities of such series, conclusively rely upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform on their face to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of calculations or other facts stated therein).

(b) If an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise, with respect to the Securities of such series, such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that

(i) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section;

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

 

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

(iv) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

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

Section 6.02 Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after receipt of notice of the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders of such series, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, notice of such default hereunder known to the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security of such series or in the payment of any sinking or purchase fund installment or analogous obligation with respect to Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Securityholders of such series and; provided, further, that, in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(d) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Securityholders of such series shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default”, with respect to Securities of any series, means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

Section 6.03 Certain Rights of Trustee. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.01 above:

(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request, direction or order of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

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(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel or both, and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith reliance on such certificate or opinion;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

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

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney; and

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

Section 6.04 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.05 May Hold Securities. The Trustee or any Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 6.08 and 6.13 hereof, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, or such other agent.

Section 6.06 Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.

 

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Section 6.07 Compensation and Reimbursement. The Company covenants and agrees

(a) to pay the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and

(c) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.

Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) and Section 5.01(f) above, such expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, or other similar law.

The Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by it as such for any amount owing to it or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to this Section 6.07, except with respect to funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities.

The provisions of this Section shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

Section 6.08 Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee has or shall acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such interest or resign as Trustee with respect to one or more series of Securities, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. To the extent permitted by such Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.

Section 6.09 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder with respect to each series of Securities that shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any State or Territory

 

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thereof or of the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority and having its principal office and place of business in the City of New York, if there be such a corporation having its principal office and place of business in said City and willing to act as Trustee on customary and usual terms. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee under Section 6.11.

(b) The Trustee may resign with respect to any one or more series of Securities at any time by giving at least 60 days’ written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

(c) The Trustee may be removed with respect to any series of Securities at any time by Act of the Holders of 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.

(d) If at any time:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.08 above with respect to any series of Securities after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months, or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.09 above with respect to any series of Securities and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Securityholder, or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or

(iv) the Trustee shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case (A) the Company may remove the Trustee, with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series, or (B) subject to Section 5.14, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least 6 months

 

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may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the series or, in the case of clause (iv), with respect to all series.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee with respect to any series of Securities for any cause, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee for that series of Securities. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to such series of Securities shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of 66 2/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor Trustee with respect to such series and supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company with respect to such series. If no successor Trustee with respect to such series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Securityholders of such series and accepted appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of that series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Securities of that series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its principal Corporate Trust Office.

Section 6.11 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. Every successor Trustee appointed hereunder with respect to all series of Securities shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the predecessor Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor Trustee shall become effective, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to any such series; but, on request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such predecessor Trustee shall, upon payment of its reasonable charges, if any, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the predecessor Trustee, and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such predecessor Trustee hereunder.

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the predecessor Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any applicable series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to transfer and to conform to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates and (2) if the predecessor Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be

 

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deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the predecessor Trustee is not being succeeded shall continue to be vested in the predecessor Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be Trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; and, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be.

No successor Trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible with respect to that series under this Article.

Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section, the Company’s obligations under Section 6.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

 

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Section 6.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor Trustee by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

Section 6.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. If and when the Trustee shall be or shall become a creditor, of the Company (or of any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or against any such other obligor, as the case may be).

Section 6.14 Appointment of Authenticating Agent. At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding the Trustee, with the approval of the Company, may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as an Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

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

 

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

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

If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:

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

 

                                         , as Trustee
By:  

 

 
  As Authenticating Agent:  
By:  

 

 
  Authorized Officer:  

 

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ARTICLE VII

SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

Section 7.01 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Securityholders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:

(a) semiannually, not more than 15 days after January 1 and July 1 in each year, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, a list of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of each series as of such date, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, provided that if the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar for such series, such list shall not be required to be furnished.

Section 7.02 Preservation of Information; Communications to Securityholders.

(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders of Securities contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.01 and the names and addresses of Holders of Securities received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

(b) If three or more Holders of Securities of any series (hereinafter referred to as “applicants”) apply in writing to the Trustee, and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security of such series for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Holders of Securities of such series or with the Holders of all Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under such Securities and is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, at its election, either:

(i) afford such applicants access to the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), or

(ii) inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders of Securities of such series or all Securities, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such Securityholders the form of proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application.

If the Trustee shall elect not to afford such applicants access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants, mail to each Holder of a Security of such series or to all Securityholders, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request, with reasonable

 

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promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender, the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission, together with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, or would be in violation of applicable law. Such written statement shall specify the basis of such opinion. If the Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all Securityholders of such series or all Securityholders, as the case may be, with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.

(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 7.02(b), regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 7.02(b).

Section 7.03 Reports by Trustee.

(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within 60 days after each June 1 following the date of this Indenture, deliver to each Holder, as provided in Trust Indenture Act Section 313(c), a brief report dated as of such June 1, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).

(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company as required by Trust Indenture Act Section 313(d). The Company will promptly notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

 

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Section 7.04 Reports by Company. The Company will:

(a) file with the Trustee, within 30 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it will file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

(b) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

(c) transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

ARTICLE VIII

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

Section 8.01 Company May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties and assets and the properties and assets of the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person, unless;

(a) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

 

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(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default, or event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and any assumption permitted or required by this Article complies with the provisions of this Article.

Section 8.02 Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor corporation had been named as the Company herein and the Company shall thereupon be released from all obligations hereunder and under the Securities. Such successor corporation thereupon may cause to be signed and may issue any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation, instead of the Company, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

ARTICLE IX

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 9.01 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders. Without the consent of the Holders of any Securities, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as in force at the date of execution thereof), in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company pursuant to Article 8 hereof; or

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions or conditions for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or all series as the Company and the Trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of the Securities of any or

 

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all series or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company (and if such covenants or the surrender of such right or power are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included or such surrenders are expressly being made solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or

(c) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein or in any supplemental indenture, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture that do not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect; or

(d) to add to this Indenture such provisions as may be expressly permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, excluding, however, the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act as in effect at the date as of which this instrument is executed or any corresponding provision in any similar federal statute hereafter enacted; or

(e) to add guarantors or co-obligors with respect to any series of Securities; or

(f) to secure any series of Securities; or

(g) to establish any form of Security, as provided in Article 2 hereof, and to provide for the issuance of any series of Securities, as provided in Article 3 hereof, and to set forth the terms thereof, and/or to add to the rights of the Holders of the Securities of any series; or

(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by another corporation as a successor Trustee hereunder with respect to one or more series of Securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to Section 6.11 hereof; or

(i) to add any additional Events of Default in respect of the Securities of any or all series (and if such additional Events of Default are to be in respect of less than all series of Securities, stating that such Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of one or more specified series); or

(j) to comply with the requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

(k) to make any change in any series of Securities that does not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Holders of such Securities.

 

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Section 9.02 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture or indentures, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby:

(a) change the Scheduled Maturity Date or the stated payment date of any payment of premium or interest payable on any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or any amount of interest or premium payable thereon, or

(b) change the method of computing the amount of principal of any Security or any interest payable thereon on any date, or change any Place of Payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Security or any payment of premium or interest thereon is payable, or

(c) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment described in clauses (a) or (b) on or after the same shall become due and payable, whether at Maturity or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date or the Repayment Date, as the case may be; or

(d) change or waive the redemption or repayment provisions of any series;

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

(f) modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 5.13, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 6.11 and 9.01(h); or

(g) adversely affect the ranking or priority of any series;

(h) release any guarantor or co-obligor from any of its obligations under its Guarantee of the Securities or this Indenture, except in compliance with the terms of this Indenture; or

(i) waive any Event of Default pursuant to Section 5.01(a), Section 5.01(b) or Section 5.01(c) hereof with respect to such Security.

 

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

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Securityholders under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03 Execution of Supplemental Indentures. Upon request of the Company and upon filing with the Trustee of evidence of an Act of Securityholders as aforementioned, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, powers, trusts, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.

Section 9.04 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and the respective rights, limitation of rights, duties, powers, trusts and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company, and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be determined, exercised and enforced thereunder to the extent provided therein.

Section 9.05 Conformity With Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 9.06 Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities.

 

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ARTICLE X

COVENANTS

Section 10.01 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. With respect to each series of Securities, the Company will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities in accordance with their terms and this Indenture, and will duly comply with all the other terms, agreements and conditions contained in the Indenture for the benefit of the Securities of such series.

Section 10.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency. So long as any of the Securities remain outstanding, the Company will maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment where Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and of any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain such office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Section 10.03 Money or Security Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent for any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Holders of such Securities or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Securities of such series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium, or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities entitled to the same and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

The Company will cause each Paying Agent other than the Trustee for any series of Securities to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will

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

(b) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any such payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of such series; and

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

 

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The Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent in respect of each and every series of Securities as to which it seeks to discharge this Indenture or, if for any other purpose, all sums so held in trust by the Company in respect of all Securities, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

Section 10.04 Certificate to Trustee. The Company will deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, an Officers’ Certificate, one of whose signatories shall be the Company’s principal executive, accounting or financial officer, stating that in the course of the performance by the signers of their duties as officers of the Company they would normally have knowledge of any default by the Company in the performance of any of its covenants, conditions or agreements contained herein (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder), stating whether or not they have knowledge of any such default and, if so, specifying each such default of which the signers have knowledge and the nature thereof.

Section 10.05 Corporate Existence. Subject to Article 8, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.

ARTICLE XI

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

Section 11.01 Applicability of Article. The Company may reserve the right to redeem and pay before the Scheduled Maturity Date all or any part of the Securities of any series, either by optional redemption, sinking or purchase fund or analogous obligation or otherwise, by provision therefor in the form of Security for such series established and approved pursuant to Section 2.02 and 2.03 or as otherwise provided in Section 3.01, and on such terms as are specified in such form or in the indenture supplemental hereto with respect to Securities of such series as provided in Section 3.01. Redemption of Securities of any series shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and, to the extent that this Article does not conflict with such terms, the succeeding Sections of this Article.

Section 11.02 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

 

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Section 11.03 Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed. If fewer than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate, which may include provision for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series. Unless otherwise provided in the terms of a particular series of Securities, the portions of the principal of Securities so selected for partial redemption shall be equal to the minimum authorized denomination of the Securities of such series, or an integral multiple thereof, and the principal amount which remains outstanding shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Security selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

Section 11.04 Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at such Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register on the applicable Record Date.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(1) the Redemption Date;

(2) the Redemption Price, or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof;

(3) if fewer than all Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective principal amounts) of the Securities to be redeemed, from the Holder to whom the notice is given and that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of the same series in the aggregate principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in accordance with Section 11.07;

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

 

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(5) the place where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price, which shall be the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof; and

(6) that the redemption is on account of a sinking or purchase fund, or other analogous obligation, if that be the case.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, made at least five business days prior to the date on which notice is to be given, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

Section 11.05 Deposit of Redemption Price. On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.

Section 11.06 Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of such Securities for redemption in accordance with the notice, such Securities shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price. Any installment of interest due and payable on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities registered as such on the relevant Record Date according to the terms and the provisions of Section 3.07 above; unless, with respect to an Interest Payment Date that falls on a Redemption Date, such Securities provide that interest due on such date is to be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Security, or as otherwise provided in such Security.

Section 11.07 Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Security that is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at the office or agency maintained by the Company in the Place of Payment pursuant to Section 10.02 hereof with respect to that series (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holders in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

Section 11.08 Provisions with Respect to any Sinking Funds. Unless the form or terms of any series of Securities shall provide otherwise, in lieu of making all or any part of any

 

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mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to such series of Securities in cash, the Company may at its option (a) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities of such series theretofore acquired by the Company, or (b) receive credit for any Securities of such series (not previously so credited) acquired or redeemed by the Company (other than through operation of a mandatory sinking fund) and theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, and if it does so then (i) Securities so delivered or credited shall be credited at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, and (ii) on or before the 60th day next preceding each sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to such series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee (A) an Officers’ Certificate specifying the portions of such sinking fund payment to be satisfied by payment of cash and by the delivery or credit of Securities of such series acquired or redeemed by the Company, and (B) such Securities, to the extent not previously surrendered. Such Officers’ Certificate shall also state the basis for any such credit and that the Securities for which the Company elects to receive credit have not been previously so credited and were not acquired by the Company through operation of the mandatory sinking fund, if any, provided with respect to such Securities and shall also state that no Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series has occurred and is continuing. All Securities so delivered to the Trustee shall be canceled by the Trustee and no Securities shall be authenticated in lieu thereof.

If the sinking fund payment or payments (mandatory or optional) with respect to any series of Securities made in cash plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments with respect to Securities of such series made in cash shall exceed $50,000 (or a lesser sum if the Company shall so request), unless otherwise provided by the terms of such series of Securities, that cash shall be applied by the Trustee on the sinking fund Redemption Date with respect to Securities of such series next following the date of such payment to the redemption of Securities of such series at the applicable sinking fund Redemption Price with respect to Securities of such series, together with accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption, with the effect provided in Section 11.06. The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 11.03, for redemption on such sinking fund Redemption Date a sufficient principal amount of Securities of such series to utilize that cash and shall thereupon cause notice of redemption of the Securities of such series for the sinking fund to be given in the manner provided in Section 11.04 (and with the effect provided in Section 11.06) for the redemption of Securities in part at the option of the Company. Any sinking fund moneys not so applied or allocated by the Trustee to the redemption of Securities of such series shall be added to the next cash sinking fund payment with respect to Securities of such series received by the Trustee and, together with such payment, shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section 11.08. Any and all sinking fund moneys with respect to Securities of any series held by the Trustee at the Maturity of Securities of such series, and not held for the payment or redemption of particular Securities of such series, shall be applied by the Trustee, together with other moneys, if necessary, to be deposited sufficient for the purpose, to the payment of the principal of the Securities of such series at Maturity.

On or before each sinking fund Redemption Date provided with respect to Securities of any series, the Company shall pay to the Trustee in cash a sum equal to all accrued interest, if any, to the date fixed for redemption on Securities to be redeemed on such sinking fund Redemption Date pursuant to this Section 11.08.

 

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The Trustee shall not redeem any Securities with sinking fund moneys or give any notice of redemption of Securities by operation of the applicable sinking fund during the continuance of a default in payment of interest on Securities of such series or of any Event of Default with respect to such series, except that if the notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been mailed in accordance with the provisions hereof, the Trustee shall redeem such Securities if cash sufficient for that purpose shall be deposited with the Trustee for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Article 11. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund with respect to Securities of any series at the time when any such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall occur, and any moneys thereafter paid into such sinking fund shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default with respect to such series, be held as security for the payment of all Securities of such series; provided, however, that in case such default or Event of Default with respect to such series shall have been cured or waived as provided herein, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next sinking fund payment date on which such moneys may be applied pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11.08.

ARTICLE XII

REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDERS

Section 12.01 Applicability of Article. Repayment of Securities of any series before their Scheduled Maturity Date at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

 

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Section 12.02 Repayment of Securities. Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in the terms of such Securities. On or before the Repayment Date, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in immediately available funds, sufficient to pay the Repayment Price of all the Securities which are to be repaid on such date.

Section 12.03 Exercise of Option. Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. To be repaid at the option of the Holder, any Security so providing for such repayment, with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Security duly completed by the Holder, must be received by the Company at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 30 days nor later than 15 days prior to the Repayment Date. If less than the entire principal amount of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the principal amount of such Security to be repaid, in increments of $1,000 unless otherwise specified in the terms of such Security, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal amount of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid must be specified. The principal amount of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part, if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.

Section 12.04 When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable. If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article and as provided by the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) interest on such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, shall cease to accrue.

Section 12.05 Securities Repaid in Part. Upon surrender of any Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, tenor, terms and Scheduled Maturity Date, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.

 

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ARTICLE XIII

SUBORDINATION

Section 13.01 Agreement to Subordinate. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Security issued hereunder, by such Holder’s acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities issued hereunder shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article; and each Person holding any Security issued hereunder, whether upon original issue or upon transfer, assignment or exchange thereof, accepts and agrees that the principal of and interest on all Securities issued hereunder shall, to the extent and in the manner herein set forth, be subordinated and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, and that the subordination is for the benefit of the holders of the Senior Indebtedness.

Section 13.02 Payments to Securityholders. As to each series of Securities, if any, issued hereunder, in the event of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, or any receivership, dissolution, winding-up, total or partial liquidation, reorganization or other similar proceedings in respect of the Company or any substantial part of its property, whether voluntary or involuntary, then the holders of the Senior Indebtedness shall first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due thereon, or provision shall be made, in accordance with the terms of such Senior Indebtedness for such payment in money or money’s worth, before Holders of such series of Securities issued hereunder are entitled to receive a payment on account of the principal of or premium, if any, on the Indebtedness evidenced by such series of Securities, including, without limitation, any payments made pursuant to Article XI, or any cash payments to purchase such series of Securities at the option of the Holders thereof.

If there shall have occurred and be continuing (a) a default in any payment with respect to any Senior Indebtedness or (b) an event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness as a result of which the maturity thereof is accelerated, unless and until such payment default or event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist, no payments shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any payment with respect to which the first paragraph of this Section 13.02 would be applicable.

Upon any such insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding, receivership, dissolution, winding-up, total or partial liquidation, reorganization, or other similar proceeding referred to in the first paragraph of this Section 13.02, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee under this Indenture would be entitled, except for the provisions hereof, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution or, to the extent required by the next succeeding paragraph, by the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee, if received by them or it,

 

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directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness held by such holders) or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the Indebtedness evidenced by the Securities issued hereunder (including any cash payments to repurchase such Securities at the option of the Holders thereof) or to the Trustee under this Indenture.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section, shall be received by the Trustee under this Indenture or the Holders of the Securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full or provision is made for such payment in accordance with its terms, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment or distribution, have been known to the Trustee, then such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all such Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full in accordance with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

For purposes of this Article only, the words, “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of arrangement, reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated (at least to the extent provided in this Article with respect to the Securities) to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding; provided that (i) the Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from any such arrangement, reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of the Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such arrangement, reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company with or into, another corporation or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of its assets to another corporation upon the terms and conditions provided in Article VIII shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section if such other corporation shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article VIII. Nothing in this Section shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Article VI, except as expressly provided therein. This Section shall be subject to the further provisions of Section 13.05.

Section 13.03 Subrogation. Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Securities subject to the provisions of Section 13.02 shall be subrogated (equally and ratably with the holders of all obligations of the Company which by their express terms are subordinated to Senior Indebtedness of the Company to the same extent as the

 

62


Securities are subordinated and which are entitled to like rights of subrogation) to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to the Senior Indebtedness until the principal of or, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Securities shall be paid in full; and, for the purpose of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of such Securities or the Trustee on their behalf would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article to the holders of Senior Indebtedness by Holders of such Securities or the Trustee on their behalf shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of such Securities, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness; and no payments or distributions of cash, property or securities to or for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities pursuant to the subrogation provision of this Article, which would otherwise have been paid to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, shall be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or for the account of such Securities. The provisions of this Article are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities the principal of or premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights against the Company of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Holder of any Security or the Trustee on his behalf from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 and Section 6.03, and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, winding-up, liquidation, arrangement or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other Indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article.

Section 13.04 Authorization by Securityholders. Each Holder of a Security by his acceptance thereof authorizes the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

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Section 13.05 Notice to Trustee. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee and to any paying agent of any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee or any Paying Agent in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article. Regardless of anything to the contrary contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any Senior Indebtedness or of any default or event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness or of any other facts which would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities, unless and until the Trustee shall have received notice in writing (which may be by telegram, telecopy or other similar writing) at its Corporate Trust Office to that effect signed by an officer of the Company, or by a holder or agent of a holder of Senior Indebtedness who shall have been certified by the Company or otherwise established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee to be such holder or agent, or by the trustee under any indenture pursuant to which Senior Indebtedness shall be outstanding, and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee shall, subject to Section 6.01 and Section 6.03, be entitled to assume that no such facts exist; provided that if on a date at least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any such monies shall become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any Security) the Trustee shall not have received with respect to such monies the notice provided for in this Section, then, regardless of anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such monies and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such prior date.

Regardless of anything to the contrary herein (but subject, in the case of clause (a) of this paragraph, to the third paragraph of Section 13.02), nothing shall prevent (a) any payment by the Company or the Trustee to the Securityholders of amounts in connection with a redemption of Securities if (i) notice of such redemption has been given pursuant to Article XI prior to the receipt by the Trustee of written notice as aforesaid, and (ii) such notice of redemption is given not earlier than 60 days before any redemption date, or (b) any payment by the Trustee to the Securityholders of amounts deposited with it pursuant to Section 4.01, provided, that, in the case of Section 4.02, the applicable Securities are deemed to have been paid and discharged, and in the case of Section 4.01, the Trustee shall not have received, by at least two Business Days prior to the date of execution of instruments acknowledging the satisfaction of and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the applicable Securities, the notice provided in the preceding paragraph.

Subject to Section 6.01 and Section 6.03, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article, and if such evidence is not furnished the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

 

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Section 13.06 Trustee’s Relation to Senior Indebtedness. The Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article with respect to any Senior Indebtedness which may at any time be held by it in its individual or any other capacity to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness and nothing in the first paragraph of Section 6.14 or elsewhere in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee or any such agent of any of its rights as such holder. Nothing in this Article shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.07.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 and Section 6.03, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of Senior Indebtedness if it shall in good faith pay over or deliver to Holders of Securities, the Company or any other Person monies or assets to which any holder of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article or otherwise.

Section 13.07 No Impairment of Subordination. No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof which any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

(signature page follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested; all as of the day and year first above written.

 

PINNACLE FINANCIAL PARTNERS, INC.
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Attest:
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

                                         , TRUSTEE
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 

 

Attest:
By:  

 

Name:  

 

Title:  

 


State of                           
   ss.:   
County of                           

On the      day of             ,          before me personally came                      to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides at                     ; that he is of                     , one of the parties described in and which executed the above instrument; that he knows the corporate seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to that instrument is such corporate seal; that it was affixed by authority of the board of directors of said corporation; and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.

 

Name

 

Notary Public


State of                           
   ss.:   
County of                           

On the      day of             ,          before me personally came                     , to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides at                     ; that he is the                      of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., one of the parties described in and which executed the above instrument; that he knows the corporate seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to that instrument is such corporate seal; that it was affixed by authority of the board of directors of said corporation; and that he signed his name thereto by like authority.

 

Name

 

Notary Public
EX-5.1 4 d901414dex51.htm EX-5.1 EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

 

150 Third Avenue South, Suite 2800

Nashville, TN 37201

(615) 742-6200

May 27, 2020

Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc.

150 Third Avenue South

Suite 900

Nashville, Tennessee 37201

 

  Re:

Automatic Shelf Registration Statement of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. on

Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc., a Tennessee corporation (the “Company”), in connection with its filing of an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), including the prospectus constituting a part thereof (the “Prospectus”), filed on May 27, 2020, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). We have been requested by the Company to render this opinion in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement.

The Prospectus provides that it will be supplemented in the future by one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each a “Prospectus Supplement”). The Prospectus, as supplemented by various Prospectus Supplements, will provide for the registration by the Company of an indeterminate amount of (i) debt securities, in one or more series, which may be either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities (the “Debt Securities”) to be issued pursuant to indentures between the Company and a trustee or bank to be named therein (the “Trustee”), in the forms attached as Exhibits 4.9 and 4.10 to the Registration Statement, as such indentures may be supplemented for any series of Debt Securities (collectively, the “Indenture”), (ii) shares of preferred stock, no par value per share, in one or more series or classes (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Common Stock”), (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”), (v) depositary shares (evidenced by depositary receipts) representing fractional interests in shares of Preferred Stock (the “Depositary Shares”), (vi) units composed of the foregoing (the “Units”), and (vii) stock purchase contracts (the “Stock Purchase Contracts”). The Debt Securities, Preferred Stock, Common Stock, Warrants, Depositary Shares, Units and Stock Purchase Contracts are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.” Any Debt Securities may be exchangeable and/or convertible into shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock or Depository Shares. The Preferred Stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of Common Stock or another series of Preferred Stock. The Units may be exchangeable and/or settled into the Securities comprising the Units.

In rendering our opinion, we have reviewed the Registration Statement and the exhibits thereto. We have also reviewed such corporate documents and records of the Company, such


certificates of public officials and such other matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. We also have been furnished with, and with your consent have relied upon, certificates of officers of the Company with respect to certain factual matters and we have not independently established such factual matters.

Except to the extent we opine as to the binding effect and/or enforceability of certain documents as set forth in paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 below, we have assumed that all documents referenced below are the valid and binding obligations of and enforceable against the parties thereto. We have also assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies and the legal capacities of all natural persons.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. (a) When the Debt Securities have been duly established in accordance with the Indenture (including, without limitation, the adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution duly authorizing the issuance and delivery of the Debt Securities), duly authenticated by the Trustee and duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company against payment therefor in an amount that the Board of Directors of the Company determines and in accordance with the terms and provisions of such Indenture and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (b) when the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (c) assuming that the terms of the Debt Securities as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (d) assuming that the Debt Securities as executed and delivered do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (e) assuming that the Debt Securities as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (f) assuming that the Debt Securities are then offered, issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), then the Debt Securities (including any Debt Securities issued in exchange or in settlement of Units that are exchangeable or settled into Debt Securities) will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with the terms of the Debt Securities.

2. (a) When a new class or series of Preferred Stock has been duly established in accordance with the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated Charter, as amended (“Charter”) and Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended (“Bylaws”), and applicable law (in the event that the Preferred Stock is a new class or series of Preferred Stock), and upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law, and (b) assuming that appropriate articles of amendment to the Company’s Charter relating to such class or series of Preferred Stock have been duly approved

 

2


by the Company’s Board of Directors and been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Tennessee and thereafter become effective under the Tennessee Business Corporation Act, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that upon the issuance of such Preferred Stock, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the applicable class or series of Preferred Stock will not exceed the total number of shares of Preferred Stock or the number of shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Charter, then upon the offer, sale and delivery of and payment for such shares in an amount that the Board of Directors determines and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock (including any Preferred Stock duly issued upon (i) the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into another class or series of Preferred Stock, (ii) the exercise of any duly issued Warrants exercisable for Preferred Stock, (iii) the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Preferred Stock, (iv) the exchange or settlement of Units that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Preferred Stock, or (v) the settlement of Stock Purchase Contracts that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Preferred Stock), will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

3. (a) Upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law authorizing the issuance and sale of Common Stock, and (b) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have become effective under the Securities Act, and (c) assuming that upon the issuance of such Common Stock, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under its Charter, then upon the offer, sale and delivery of and payment for such shares in an amount that the Board of Directors determines and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of Common Stock being issued by the Company (including any Common Stock duly issued upon (i) the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock, (ii) the exercise of any duly issued Warrants exercisable for Common Stock, (iii) the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock, (iv) the exchange or settlement of Units that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Common Stock, or (v) the exchange or settlement of Stock Purchase Contracts that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Common Stock), will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

4. (a) When a warrant agreement relating to the Warrants has been duly authorized (the “Warrant Agreement”), executed and delivered and the Warrants and the securities of the Company for which the Warrants will be exercisable have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors, and (b) assuming that the terms of the Warrants and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Company’s Charter and Bylaws and the Warrant Agreement, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required

 

3


by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that the terms of the Warrants as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (e) assuming that the Warrants, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (f) assuming that the Warrants as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (g) assuming that the Warrants are then offered, issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement(s), then upon issuance of and delivery of and payment for such Warrants in an amount that the Board of Directors of the Company determines and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement and the Warrant Agreement and by such resolution, the Warrants (including any Warrants issued upon the exchange or settlement of Units or Stock Purchase Contracts that are exchangeable or able to be settled for Warrants) will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, and the Warrants will be validly issued.

5. (a) When a depositary agreement relating to the Depositary Shares has been duly authorized (the “Deposit Agreement”), executed and delivered and the Depositary Shares have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors, and (b) assuming that the terms of the Depositary Shares and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Company’s Charter and Bylaws and the Deposit Agreement, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that the terms of the Depositary Shares as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (e) assuming that the Depositary Shares, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (f) assuming that the Depositary Shares as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (g) assuming the depositary receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares have been duly issued against the deposit of the Preferred Stock in accordance with the Depositary Agreement and offered, issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement(s), then upon issuance of and delivery of and payment for such Depositary Shares in an amount that the Board of Directors of the Company determines and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement and by such resolution, the depositary receipts evidencing Depositary Shares (including any depositary receipts evidencing Depositary Shares issued upon the exchange or settlement of Units or Stock Purchase Contracts exchangeable or able to be settled for Depositary Shares) will entitle holders thereof to the rights specified in the Deposit Agreement.

6. (a) When a unit agreement relating to the Units has been duly authorized (the “Unit Agreement”), executed and delivered and the Units have been duly authorized by the Company’s

 

4


Board of Directors, and (b) assuming that the terms of the Units and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Unit Agreement, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that the terms of the Units as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (e) assuming that the Units, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (f) assuming that the Units as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (g) assuming that the Units are then offered, issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement(s), then upon issuance of and delivery of and payment for such Units in an amount that the Board of Directors of the Company determines and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement and the Unit Agreement and by such resolution, the Units will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

7.(a) When an instrument or agreement relating to the Stock Purchase Contracts (the “Stock Purchase Contract Agreement”) has been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors, and (b) assuming that the terms of the Stock Purchase Contracts and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, and (c) assuming that the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment(s) thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (d) assuming that the terms of the Stock Purchase Contracts as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (e) assuming that the Stock Purchase Contracts, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (f) assuming that the Stock Purchase Contracts as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (g) assuming that the Stock Purchase Contracts are then offered, issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement(s), then upon issuance of and delivery of and payment for such Stock Purchase Contracts in an amount that the Board of Directors of the Company determines and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement and the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement and by such resolution, the Stock Purchase Contracts will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

The opinions set forth in paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 above are subject to the following exceptions, limitations and qualifications: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity (including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief and other

 

5


equitable remedies), regardless of whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity, (iii) the effect of public policy considerations that may limit the rights of the parties to obtain further remedies, (iv) we express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of provisions relating to choice of law, choice of venue, jurisdiction or waivers of jury trial, and (v) we express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of any waiver of any usury defense.

To the extent that the obligations of the Company with respect to the Securities may be dependent on such matters, we assume for purposes of this opinion that the other party under the Indenture for any Debt Securities, under the Warrant Agreement for any Warrants, under the Unit Agreement for any Units, under the Depositary Agreement for any Depository Shares and under the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, for any Stock Purchase Contracts, including the Trustee, the warrant agent, the unit agent or the depositary, is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that such other party is duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement, Depositary Agreement or Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, as applicable; that such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement, Depositary Agreement or Stock Purchase Contract Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such other party and constitutes the legally valid, binding and enforceable obligation of such other party, enforceable against such other party in accordance with its terms; that such other party is in compliance, generally and with respect to performance of its obligations under such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement, Depositary Agreement or Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, as applicable, with all applicable laws and regulations; and that such other party has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such Indenture, Warrant Agreement, Unit Agreement, Depositary Agreement or Stock Purchase Contract Agreement, as applicable.

Our opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of Tennessee and the laws of the State of New York. We do not express any opinion with respect to the law of any other jurisdiction or to the securities or “blue sky” laws of any jurisdiction. The opinions expressed in this opinion letter are strictly limited to the matters stated in this opinion letter and no other opinions are to be implied.

Our opinion is rendered as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to advise you of changes in law or fact (or the effect thereof on the opinions expressed herein) that hereafter may come to our attention. This opinion is being rendered for the benefit of the Company in connection with the matters addressed herein.

 

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We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act and to the use of our name therein and in the related Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

 

7

EX-23.1 5 d901414dex231.htm EX-23.1 EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. of our report dated February 25, 2020 relating to the consolidated financial statements and effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2019, and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

 

/s/ Crowe LLP

Franklin, Tennessee

May 27, 2020

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