EX-4.8 7 a2194788zex-4_8.htm EXHIBIT 4.8

EXHIBIT 4.8

 

INTERLINE BRANDS, INC.

A NEW JERSEY CORPORATION

 

AND

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

TRUSTEE

 

FORM OF SUBORDINATED DEBT INDENTURE

 

GUARANTEED TO THE EXTENT SET FORTH HEREIN

BY THE GUARANTORS NAMED HEREIN

 

DATED AS OF                         , 20    

 



 

INTERLINE BRANDS, INC.

 

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939

and Indenture, dated as of                             , 20  

 

TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION

 

INDENTURE SECTION

 

 

 

310(a)

(1)

 

 

6.09

(a)

(2)

 

 

6.09

(a)

(3)

 

 

Not Applicable

(a)

(4)

 

 

Not Applicable

(b)

 

 

 

6.08, 6.10

311(a)

 

 

 

6.13

(b)

 

 

 

6.13

(b)

(2)

 

 

7.03(a), 7.03(b)

312(a)

 

 

 

7.01, 7.02(a)

(b)

 

 

 

7.02(b)

(c)

 

 

 

7.02(c)

313(a)

 

 

 

7.03(a)

(b)

 

 

 

7.03(a)

(c)

 

 

 

7.03(a), 7.03(b)

(d)

 

 

 

7.03(b)

314(a)

 

 

 

7.04

(b)

 

 

 

Not Applicable

(c)

(1)

 

 

1.02

(c)

(2)

 

 

1.02

(c)

(3)

 

 

Not Applicable

(d)

 

 

 

Not Applicable

(e)

 

 

 

1.02

315(a)

 

 

 

6.01(a)

(b)

 

 

 

6.02, 7.03(a)

(c)

 

 

 

6.01(b)

(d)

 

 

 

6.01(c)

(d)

(1)

 

 

6.01(a), 6.01(c)

(d)

(2)

 

 

6.01(c)

(d)

(3)

 

 

6.01(c)

(e)

 

 

 

5.14

316(a)

(1)(A)

 

 

5.12

(a)

(1)(B)

 

 

5.02, 5.13

(a)

(2)

 

 

Not Applicable

(b)

 

 

 

5.08

(c)

 

 

 

1.04(e)

317(a)

(1)

 

 

5.03

(a)

(2)

 

 

5.04

(b)

 

 

 

10.05

318(a)

 

 

 

1.07

 

i



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

5

 

 

 

 

 

Definitions

 

5

 

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

 

10

 

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

 

10

 

Acts of Holders

 

11

 

Notices, Etc.,

 

12

 

Notice to Holders; Waiver

 

12

 

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

 

12

 

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

 

12

 

Successors and Assigns

 

13

 

Separability Clause

 

13

 

Benefits of Indenture

 

13

 

Governing Law

 

13

 

Legal Holidays

 

13

 

No Recourse Against Others

 

13

 

Judgment Currency

 

13

 

Counterparts

 

13

 

 

 

 

SECURITY FORMS

 

 

14

 

 

 

 

 

Forms Generally

 

14

 

Form of Face of Security

 

14

 

Form of Reverse of Security

 

15

 

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

 

20

 

Securities in Global Form

 

20

 

Form of Legend for the Securities in Global Form

 

20

 

 

 

 

THE SECURITIES

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

 

21

 

Denominations

 

23

 

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

 

23

 

Temporary Securities

 

24

 

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

 

24

 

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

 

26

 

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

 

26

 

Persons Deemed Owners

 

27

 

Cancellation

 

27

 

Computation of Interest

 

28

 

CUSIP Number

 

28

 

Wire Transfers

 

28

 

 

 

 

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

28

 

 

 

 

 

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

 

28

 

Application of Trust Money

 

28

 

Application to a Specific Series of Securities

 

29

 

 

 

 

REMEDIES

29

 

 

 

Events of Default

 

29

 

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

 

30

 

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

 

30

 

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

 

31

 

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

 

31

 

Application of Money Collected

 

31

 

Limitation on Suits

 

32

 

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest

 

32

 

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

 

32

 

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

 

32

 

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

 

33

 

Control by Holders

 

33

 

ii



 

 

Waiver of Past Defaults

 

33

 

Undertaking for Costs

 

33

 

 

 

 

THE TRUSTEE

 

 

33

 

 

 

 

 

Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee

 

33

 

Notice of Defaults

 

34

 

Certain Rights of Trustee

 

34

 

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

 

35

 

May Hold Securities

 

35

 

Money Held in Trust

 

35

 

Compensation and Reimbursement

 

35

 

Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

 

35

 

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

 

35

 

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

 

36

 

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

 

37

 

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

 

37

 

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

 

37

 

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

 

37

 

Compliance with Tax Laws

 

39

 

 

 

 

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

39

 

 

 

 

 

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

 

39

 

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

 

39

 

Reports by Trustee

 

40

 

Reports by Company

 

40

 

 

 

 

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, LEASE, SALE OR TRANSFER

41

 

 

 

 

 

When Company May Merge, Etc.

 

41

 

Opinion of Counsel

 

41

 

Successor Corporation Substituted

 

41

 

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

41

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

 

41

 

Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

 

42

 

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

 

43

 

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

 

43

 

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

 

43

 

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

 

43

 

Subordination Unimpaired

 

43

 

 

 

 

COVENANTS

 

 

43

 

 

 

 

 

Payments of Securities

 

43

 

Maintenance of Office or Agency

 

43

 

Compliance Certificates

 

44

 

Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws

 

44

 

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

 

44

 

Waiver of Certain Covenants

 

45

 

 

 

 

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

45

 

 

 

 

 

Applicability of Article

 

45

 

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

 

45

 

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

 

45

 

Notice of Redemption

 

46

 

Deposit of Redemption Price

 

46

 

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

 

46

 

Securities Redeemed in Part

 

47

 

 

 

 

SINKING FUNDS

 

47

 

 

 

 

Applicability of Article

 

47

 

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

 

47

 

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

 

47

 

 

 

 

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

47

 

 

 

 

Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

47

 

iii



 

 

Defeasance and Discharge

48

 

Covenant Defeasance

48

 

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

48

 

Deposited Money and Government Obligations To Be Held in Trust

49

 

Reinstatement

49

 

 

 

SUBORDINATION

50

 

 

 

Subordination

50

 

Priority of Senior Debt

50

 

Payments upon Bankruptcy

50

 

Subrogation; Rights not Impaired

51

 

Authorization of Trustee

51

 

Notice of the Trustee

51

 

Holders of Senior Debt; Trustee’s Obligations

52

 

Actions by Holders of Senior Debt

52

 

Paying Agent

52

 

Monies Held in Trust

53

 

 

 

GUARANTEES

53

 

 

 

Guarantee

53

 

iv



 

INDENTURE, dated as of                                 , 20    , between INTERLINE BRANDS, INC., a New Jersey corporation (herein called the “COMPANY”), the GUARANTORS listed on Schedule 1 hereto (herein called the “THE “GUARANTORS”) and BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee (herein called the “TRUSTEE”).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its subordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided.

 

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

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities, as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

 

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

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

 

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

 

(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, or defined by Commission rule and not otherwise defined herein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

 

(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP;

 

(4) the word “INCLUDING” (and with correlative meaning “INCLUDE”) means including, without limiting the generality of, any description preceding such term; and

 

(5) 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.

 

“ACT,” when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

 

“AFFILIATE” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “CONTROL” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “CONTROLLING,” “CONTROLLED BY” and “UNDER COMMON CONTROL with”), as used with respect to any Person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” shall have correlative meanings.

 

“AUTHENTICATING AGENT” means any Person authorized by the Trustee to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities.

 

“BANKRUPTCY LAW” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

 

5



 

“BOARD OF DIRECTORS” means the board of directors of the Company; provided, however, that when the context refers to actions or resolutions of the Board of Directors, then the term “BOARD OF DIRECTORS” shall also mean any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Company authorized to act with respect to any particular matter to exercise the power of the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

“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.

 

“BUSINESS DAY,” when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities of any series, means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law or regulation to close.

 

“CAPITAL STOCK” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations, warrants, rights, options or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock or any other equity interest of such Person, including each class of common stock and preferred stock.

 

“COMMISSION” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, 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 at such time.

 

“COMPANY” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor corporation or other entity shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor corporation.

 

“COMPANY REQUEST” or “COMPANY ORDER” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by any two Officers, at least one of whom must be its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, its Chief Accounting Officer, its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer or its Controller, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“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 The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., 10161 Centurion Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256; Attn: Corporate Trust Administration.

 

“COVENANT DEFEASANCE” has the meaning specified in Section 13.03.

 

“CURRENCY UNIT” or “CURRENCY UNITS” shall mean any composite currency.

 

“CUSTODIAN” means any receiver, custodian, trustee, assignee, liquidator, sequestrator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

“DEBT” means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination (without duplication), (i) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (iii) all obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances or other similar instruments (or reimbursement obligations thereto) issued on the account of such Person, (iv) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services, but excluding trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with acquisition of goods or services, (v) all obligations of such Person as lessee under capitalized leases, (vi) all Debt of others secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Debt is assumed by such Person; provided that, for purposes of determining the amount of any Debt of the type described in this clause (vi), if recourse with respect to such Debt is limited to such asset, the amount of such Debt shall be limited to the lesser of the fair market value of such asset or the amount of such Debt, (vii) all Debt and dividends of others guaranteed by such Person to the extent such Debt and dividends are guaranteed by such Person, and (viii) to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, all obligations of such Person for claims in respect of derivative products, including interest rate, foreign exchange rate and commodity prices, forward contracts, options, swaps, collars and similar arrangements.

 

6



 

“DEFAULT” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

 

“DEFAULTED INTEREST” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

 

“DEFEASANCE” has the meaning specified in Section 13.02.

 

“DEPOSITARY” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 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” shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of that series.

 

“DOLLARS” and “$” means lawful money of the United States of America.

 

“EVENT OF DEFAULT” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

 

“EXCHANGE ACT” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“GAAP” means such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America which are in effect on the date hereof.

 

“GUARANTEE” means the guarantee by any Guarantor of the obligations under this Indenture.

 

“HOLDER” or “SECURITYHOLDER” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

 

“INDEBTEDNESS” means, with respect to any Person (without duplication for indebtedness or other obligations of such Person), any indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed, whether incurred, assumed or guaranteed, and including obligations under capitalized leases.

 

“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 particular series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

 

“INTEREST,” when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

 

“INTEREST PAYMENT DATE,” when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

 

“JUDGMENT CURRENCY” has the meaning specified in Section 1.15.

 

“LIEN” means, with respect to any property, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such property. For purposes of this Indenture, the Company shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any property which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement relating to such property.

 

“MATURITY,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

 

“NEW YORK BANKING DAY” has the meaning specified in Section 1.15.

 

“OFFICER” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, any Assistant Controller, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of such Person.

 

7



 

“OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE” means a certificate signed by any two Officers of the Company, at least one of whom must be its Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, its Chief Accounting Officer, its Treasurer or its Controller, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“OPINION OF COUNSEL” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company, and who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

 

“ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT SECURITY” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02.

 

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

 

(i) Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;
 
(ii) Securities, or portions thereof, for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;
 
(iii) Securities which have been paid as provided herein or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof reasonably satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company; and
 
(iv) Securities which have been defeased pursuant to Section 13.02;
 

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, or whether sufficient funds are available for redemption or for any other purpose and for the purpose of making the calculations required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, (a) the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be that portion of the principal amount thereof that could be declared to be due and payable upon the occurrence of an Event of Default and the continuation thereof pursuant to the terms of such Original Issue Discount Security as of the date of such determination, (b) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units shall be the dollar equivalent, determined in the manner provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the amount determined as provided in (a) above) of such Security, and (c) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which the Trustee knows to be so owned 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 so to act 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 of such other obligor.

 

“PAYING AGENT” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company. The Company may act as Paying Agent with respect to any Securities issued hereunder.

 

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

 

“PLACE OF PAYMENT,” when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 3.01.

 

8


 

“PREDECESSOR SECURITY” 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 exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

 

“REDEMPTION DATE,” when used with respect to any Security of any series 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 of any series to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

 

“REGISTERED SECURITY” means any Security issued hereunder and registered in the Security Register.

 

“REGULAR RECORD DATE” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 3.01.

 

“REQUIRED CURRENCY” has the meaning specified in Section 1.15.

 

“RESPONSIBLE OFFICER,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer of the Trustee assigned to administer corporate trust matters and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

“SECURITIES” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

 

“SECURITY REGISTER” and “SECURITY REGISTRAR” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

 

“SENIOR DEBT” means the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all Debt of the Company whether created, incurred or assumed before, on or after the date of this Indenture; provided that such Senior Debt shall not include any Debt of the Company which by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing the same such Debt is specifically designated as being subordinated to or pari passu with the Securities.

 

This definition may be modified or superseded in a manner as contemplated by Section 3.01.

 

“SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARY” of a Person has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 1.02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

“SPECIAL RECORD DATE” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.

 

“STATED MATURITY,” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

 

“SUBSIDIARY” means, with respect to any Person:

 

(1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and

 

(2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof).

 

“TRUSTEE” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter

 

9



 

“Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.

 

“TRUST INDENTURE ACT” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed; provided, however, that in the event that such Act is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

 

“U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof or otherwise subject to prepayment, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a New York Clearing House bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation, or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a 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 from any amount held by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

 

“VICE PRESIDENT,” when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice president.”

 

“VOTING STOCK” of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.

 

Section 1.02    Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

 

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

 

(a) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and 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 has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him 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 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 may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such Officer actually knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such

 

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certificate or Opinion of Counsel 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 stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel actually knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

 

Any certificate, statement or opinion of an Officer of the Company or of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to accounting matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by an accountant or firm of accountants in the employ of the Company, unless such Officer or counsel, as the case may be, actually knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the accounting matters upon which his or her certificate, statement or opinion is based are 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, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

 

Section 1.04    Acts of Holders.

 

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agents 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, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ACT” of the Holders 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 of such execution or by a certificate of a 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 a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, 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 Registered Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.

 

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

 

(e) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, by or pursuant to a 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 Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so, provided that the Company may not set a record date for, and the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply with respect to, the giving or making of any notice, declaration, request or direction referred to in the immediately following paragraph. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act 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 purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities 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 the record date.

 

(f) The Trustee shall set a record date, which shall not be more than 15 days prior to the date of commencement of solicitation of such action contemplated by this section 1.04(f), for the purpose of determining the Holders of Securities of any series entitled to join in the giving or making of (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 5.02, (iii) any direction referred to in Section 5.12, (iv) any request to

 

11



 

institute proceedings referred to in Section 5.07(2) or (v) any waiver of past defaults pursuant to Section 5.13, in each case with respect to Securities of such series. If such a record date is fixed pursuant to this paragraph, the relevant action may be taken or 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 of Securities of a series for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities of such series have authorized or agreed or consented to such action, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities of such series shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such action by 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 the record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Trustee from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be canceled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Trustee, at the Company’s reasonable expense, shall cause notice of such record date and the proposed action by Holders to be given to the Company in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 1.06.

 

Section 1.05    Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

 

(a) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing and mailed first-class postage prepaid, to or with the Trustee at The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., 10161 Centurion Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256; Attn: Corporate Trust Administration; or

 

(b) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at Interline Brands, Inc., 701 San Marco Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32207, Attention: Secretary, or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

Section 1.06    Notice to Holders; Waiver. Where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be deemed sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein or in such Security expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders or the validity of the proceedings to which such notice relates.

 

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

 

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 Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

 

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 or deemed included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, such provision of the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or shall be excluded, as the case may be.

 

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

 

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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 the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder, the Holders and to the extent specifically set forth herein the holders of Senior Debt, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

Section 1.12    Governing Law. This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws (other than the choice of law provisions) of the State of New York.

 

Section 1.13    Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities other than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section) 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 or on such other day as may be set out in the Officers’ Certificate pursuant to Section 3.01 at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be, provided that no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be, if payment is made on such next succeeding Business Day or other day set out in such Officers’ Certificate.

 

Section 1.14    No Recourse Against Others. A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company or any Guarantor (other than a stockholder which itself is the Company or a Guarantor of the Securities) shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor under the Securities or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder, by accepting a Security, waives and releases all such liability. Such waivers and releases are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Securities.

 

Section 1.15    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 it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, on the Securities of any series (the “REQUIRED CURRENCY”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “JUDGMENT CURRENCY”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding that on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (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 payee, 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 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. For purposes of the foregoing, “NEW YORK BANKING DAY” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to close.

 

Section 1.16    Counterparts. This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

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ARTICLE 2

 

SECURITY FORMS

 

Section 2.01    Forms Generally. The Securities of each series shall be in substantially the form set forth in this Article, or in such other form as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with 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. If the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 3.03 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

 

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

 

Section 2.02    Form of Face of Security.

 

INTERLINE BRANDS, INC.

 

No.

 

[$]

 

Interline Brands, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of New Jersey (herein called the “COMPANY,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to                               , or registered assigns, the principal sum of                                [Dollars] on                                [if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert— and to pay interest thereon from                                or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on                                and                                in each year [if other than semi-annual payments, insert frequency of payments and payment dates], commencing                                           , at [if the Security is to bear interest at a fixed rate, insert— the rate of           % per annum], [if the Security is to bear interest at a variable or floating rate and if determined with reference to an index, refer to description of index below] until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment [if applicable insert—, and (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable) at the rate of           % per annum on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue installment of interest]. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the                      or                      (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture].

 

[If the Securities are floating or adjustable rate securities with respect to which the principal of or any premium or interest may be determined with reference to an index, insert the text of the floating or adjustable rate provision.]

 

[If the Security is not to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert— The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at Stated Maturity and in such case the overdue principal of this Security shall bear interest at the rate of           % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), which shall accrue from the date of such default in payment to the date payment of such principal has been made or duly provided for. Interest on any overdue principal shall be payable on demand. Any such interest on any overdue principal that is not so paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of           % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable),

 

14



 

which shall accrue from the date of such demand for payment to the date payment of such interest has been made or duly provided for, and such interest shall also be payable on demand.]

 

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and [if applicable, insert—any such] interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in                               , in dollars [if applicable, insert—; provided, however, that at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register].

 

[If applicable, insert— So long as all of the Securities of this series are represented by Securities in global form, the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on this global Security shall be paid in same day funds to the Depositary, or to such name or entity as is requested by an authorized representative of the Depositary. If at any time the Securities of this series are no longer represented by global Securities and are issued in definitive certificated form, then the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on each certificated Security at Maturity shall be paid in same day funds to the Holder upon surrender of such certificated Security at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, or at such other place or places as may be designated in or pursuant to the Indenture, provided that such certificated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or at such other place or places as may be designated in or pursuant to the Indenture, provided that such certificated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, acting as Paying Agent, in time for the Paying Agent to make such payments in such funds in accordance with its normal procedures. Payments of interest with respect to such certificated Securities other than at Maturity may, at the option of the Company, be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as it appears on the Security Register on the relevant Regular or Special Record Date or by wire transfer in same day funds to such account as may have been appropriately designated to the Paying Agent by such Person in writing not later than such relevant Regular or Special Record Date.]

 

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

 

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

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

 

 

INTERLINE BRANDS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Date:                                               , 20

 

Section 2.03    Form of Reverse of Security.

 

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

 

[— The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice by first class mail, [if applicable, insert— (1) on                      in any year commencing with the year                      and ending with the year                      through operation of the sinking fund for this series at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount, and (2)] at any time [on or after                     ,           ], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount):

 

If redeemed [on or before                               ,           %, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning                                of the years indicated,

 

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REDEMPTION

 

YEAR

 

PRICE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to           % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption [if applicable, insert— (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise)] with accrued and unpaid interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]

 

[If applicable, insert— The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice by first class mail, (1) on                                in any year commencing with the year                      and ending with the year                      through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the Redemption Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below, and (2) at any time [on or after                     ], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the Redemption Prices for redemption otherwise than through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below:

 

If redeemed during a 12-month period beginning                                    of the years indicated,

 

REDEMPTION PRICE

 

REDEMPTION PRICE FOR

 

 

 

FOR REDEMPTION

 

REDEMPTION OTHERWISE THAN

 

 

 

THROUGH OPERATION OF THE SINKING

 

THROUGH OPERATION OF THE

 

 

 

FUND

 

SINKING FUND

 

YEAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to           % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued and unpaid interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]

 

[Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to                     , redeem any Securities of this series as contemplated by [clause (2) of] the preceding paragraph as a part of, or in anticipation of, any refunding operation by the application, directly or indirectly, of moneys borrowed having an interest cost to the Company (calculated in accordance with generally accepted financial practice) of less than           % per annum.]

 

[The sinking fund for this series provides for the redemption on                      in each year beginning with the year            and ending with the year            of [not less than] $                               [(“MANDATORY SINKING FUND”) and not more than $                        ] aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series.] [Securities of this series acquired or redeemed by the Company otherwise than through [mandatory] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent [mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made—in the inverse order in which they become due.]

 

[In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.]

 

[If the Security is not an Original Issue Discount Security, insert— If any Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.]

 

[If the Security is an Original Issue Discount Security, insert— If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, an amount of principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. Such amount shall be equal —insert formula for determining the amount. Upon payment (i) of the amount of principal so declared due and payable and (ii) of interest on any overdue principal and overdue interest (in each case to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), all of the Company’s obligations in respect of the payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of this series shall terminate.]

 

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[This Security is subject to defeasance and covenant defeasance as described in the Indenture [if applicable, insert — and the supplemental indenture].]

 

[This Security is subject to satisfaction and discharge as provided in the Indenture [if applicable, insert — and the supplemental indenture].]

 

[This Security is subject to subordination as provided in the Indenture [if applicable, insert — and the supplemental indenture].]

 

The Indenture may be modified by the Company and the Trustee without consent of any Holder with respect to certain matters as described in the Indenture. In addition, the Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall bind such Holder and all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The Indenture imposes certain limitations on the ability of the Company to, among other things, merge or consolidate with any other Person or sell, assign, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties or assets [If other covenants are applicable pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01, insert here]. All such covenants and limitations are subject to a number of important qualifications and exceptions. The Company must report periodically to the Trustee on compliance with the covenants in the Indenture.

 

A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under this Security or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder, by accepting a Security, waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of this Security.

 

[If applicable, insert — A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of any Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company or such Guarantor under this Security or the Indenture [if applicable, insert — or the supplemental indenture] or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of, such obligations or their

 

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creation. Each Holder, by accepting a Security, waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of this Security.]

 

[If applicable, insert — This Security will be entitled to the benefits of certain Guarantees made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture and the supplemental indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and obligations thereunder of the Guarantors, if any, the Trustee and the Holders.]

 

[If applicable, insert— Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”), the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Securities of this series as a convenience to the Holders of the Securities of this series. No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such numbers as printed on the Securities of this series and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed hereon.]

 

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All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign this Security, fill in the form below: (I) or (we) assign and transfer this Security to

 

 

 

(Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

 

 

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

 

Dated:

 

 

Your Signature:

 

 

 

(Sign exactly as your name appears on

 

 

the other side of this Security)

 

 

 

 

Signature Guaranty:

 

 

 

 

[Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Transfer Agent, which requirements will include membership or participation in the Medallion Stamp Program or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Transfer Agent in addition to, or in substitution for, the Medallion Stamp Program, all in accordance with the Exchange Act.]

 

 

 

Social Security Number or

 

 

Taxpayer Identification Number:

 

 

 

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Section 2.04    Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. The Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

 

 

Dated:

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Section 2.05    Securities in Global Form. If Securities of or within a series are issuable in whole or in part in global form, then any such Security of such series may provide that it shall represent the aggregate or a specified amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series from time to time endorsed thereon and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities of such series represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and upon instructions given by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Company Order to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.03 or Section 3.04. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03 and, if applicable, Section 3.04, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 or 3.04 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to endorsement or delivery or redelivery of a Security in global form shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

 

The provisions of the last paragraph of Section 3.03 shall apply to any Security represented by a Security in global form if such Security was never issued and sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Security in global form together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 2.01 and 3.07, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on any Security in permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

Section 2.06    Form of Legend for the Securities in Global Form. Any Security in global form authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form, or in such other form as may be necessary or appropriate to reflect the arrangements with or to comply with the requirements of any Depositary:

 

“THIS SECURITY IS IN GLOBAL FORM WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR SECURITIES IN CERTIFICATED FORM IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, 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.”

 

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ARTICLE 3

 

THE SECURITIES

 

Section 3.01    Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

The Securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Prior to the issuance of Securities of any series, there shall be established in or pursuant to (i) a Board Resolution, (ii) action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution and (subject to Section 3.03) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers’ Certificate, or (iii) one or more indentures supplemental hereto:

 

(1) the title of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from all other Securities);

 

(2) the purchase price, denomination and any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06 or 11.07);

 

(3) the date or dates on which the principal of and premium, if any, on the Securities of the series is payable or the method of determination thereof;

 

(4) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method of calculating such rate or rates of interest, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue or the method by which such date or dates shall be determined, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date;

 

(5) the place or places where the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Securities of the series shall be payable;

 

(6) the place or places where the Securities may be exchanged or transferred;

 

(7) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) in which, and the other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company, and, if other than as provided in Section 11.03, the manner in which the particular Securities of such series (if less than all Securities of such series are to be redeemed) are to be selected for redemption;

 

(8) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase Securities of the series in whole or in part pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or upon the happening of a specified event or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the other terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

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

 

(10) if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) in which payments of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of the series shall or may by payable, or in which the Securities of the series shall be denominated, and the particular provisions applicable thereto;

 

(11) if the payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities of the series are to be made, at the election of the Company or a Holder, in a currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) other than that in which such Securities are denominated or designated to be payable, the currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) in which such payments are to be made, the terms and conditions of such payments and the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments shall be determined, and the particular provisions applicable thereto;

 

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(12) if the amount of payments of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of the series shall be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method may be based, without limitation, on a currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) other than that in which the Securities of the series are denominated or designated to be payable), the index, formula or other method by which such amounts shall be determined;

 

(13) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02 or the method by which such portion shall be determined;

 

(14) any modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or the covenants of the Company set forth herein with respect to Securities of the series and whether and the conditions under which the Holders of the Securities of the series may waive any such Event of Default or compliance with any such covenant relating to the Securities of such series;

 

(15) if either or both of Section 13.02 and Section 13.03 shall be inapplicable, in whole or in part, to the Securities of the series (provided that if no such inapplicability shall be specified, then both Section 13.02 and Section 13.03 shall be applicable to the Securities of the series) and any modification to either such section as it relates to such series of Securities;

 

(16) if other than the Trustee, the identity of the Registrar and any Paying Agent;

 

(17) if the Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in global form, (i) the Depositary for such global Securities, (ii) the form of any legend in addition to or in lieu of that in Section 2.06 which shall be borne by such global Security, (iii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any Securities of the series in global form may exchange such interests for certificated Securities of such series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination, and (iv) if other than as provided in Section 3.05, the circumstances under which any such exchange may occur;

 

(18) if the Holders of the Securities of the series may convert or exchange the Securities of the series into or for securities of the Company or of other entities or other property (or the cash value thereof), the specific terms of and period during which such conversion or exchange may be made;

 

(19) if the Securities of the series shall have the benefits of any Guarantee and, if so, the identity of the Guarantor or Guarantors and the terms and provisions applicable to any such Guarantee;

 

(20) any provisions for the satisfaction and discharge of the Securities of the series, including provisions in addition to or modifying the provisions of Article 4 as they pertain to Securities of the series;

 

(21) any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Article 10 which applies to Securities of the series;

 

(22) the subordination of the Securities of such series to other Indebtedness of the Company, including without limitation, the Securities of any other series; and

 

(23) any other terms of the series, including any terms which may be required by or advisable under the laws of the United States of America or regulations thereunder or advisable (as determined by the Company) in connection with the marketing of Securities of the series.

 

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided (i) by a Board Resolution, (ii) by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution and (subject to Section 3.03) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers’ Certificate or (iii) in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for issuances of additional Securities of such series.

 

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth, or providing the manner for determining, the terms of the Securities of such series, and an appropriate record of any action

 

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taken pursuant thereto in connection with the issuance of any Securities of such series shall be delivered to the Trustee prior to the authentication and delivery thereof.

 

Section 3.02    Denominations. The Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

 

Section 3.03    Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, or its Chief Accounting Officer attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile. 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.

 

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 of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and make such Securities available for delivery. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01, 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 Sections 315(a) through (d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating (subject to customary assumptions, conditions and exceptions):

 

(a) if the terms of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 3.01, that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

 

(b) that 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, except to the extent enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by the effect of general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

If such terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, or in the written opinion of counsel to the Trustee (which counsel may be an employee of the Trustee) such authentication may not lawfully be made or would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.01 and of the immediately preceding paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Board Resolution and the Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 3.01 or the Company Order and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to the second preceding paragraph at or prior to the time of authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.

 

If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.01 that the Securities of a series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global Securities, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section and the Company Order with respect to the authentication and delivery of such series, authenticate and deliver one or more Securities of such series in global form that (i) shall be in an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such Security or Securities in global form, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Security or Securities in

 

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global form or its nominee, and (iii) shall be made available for delivery by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instruction.

 

The Trustee shall have no responsibility to determine if the Depositary is so registered. Each Depositary shall enter into an agreement with the Trustee and the Company governing the respective duties and rights of such Depositary, the Company and the Trustee with regard to Securities issued in global form.

 

Unless otherwise provided for in the form of Security, each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

 

No Security shall be entitled to any benefits 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 or an Authenticating Agent by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 3.09 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall not be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

 

Section 3.04    Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, temporary Securities of such series which 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 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, such temporary Securities may be in global form, representing all or a portion of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

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

 

Section 3.05    Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange. The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or in any office or agency to be maintained by the Company in accordance with Section 10.02 in a Place of Payment a register (the register maintained in such office and in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “SECURITY REGISTER”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities and of registration of transfers of Securities. The Trustee is hereby appointed “SECURITY REGISTRAR” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided.

 

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and Stated Maturity.

 

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series (except a Security in global form) may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and Stated Maturity, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities

 

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are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

 

Each Security issued in global form authenticated under this Indenture shall be registered in the name of the Depositary designated for such series or a nominee thereof and delivered to such Depositary or a nominee thereof or custodian therefor, and each such Security issued in global form shall constitute a single Security for all purposes of this Indenture.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in certificated form in the circumstances described below, 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.

 

If at any time the Depositary for the Securities of a series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for the Securities of such series or defaults in the performance of its duties as Depositary or it at any time the Depositary for the Securities of such series shall no longer be eligible to perform such duties, the Company 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 selection pursuant to Section 3.01(17) shall no longer be effective with respect to the Securities of such series and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of certificated Securities of such series of like tenor, shall authenticate and deliver Securities of such series of like tenor in certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities of such series of like tenor in global form in exchange for such Security or Securities in global form.

 

The Company may at any time in its sole discretion determine that Securities issued in global form shall no longer be represented by such a Security or Securities in global form. In such event the Company shall execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of certificated Securities of such series of like tenor, shall authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series of like tenor in certificated form, in authorized denominations and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Security or Securities of such series of like tenor in global form 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, the Depositary for such series may surrender a Security in global form of such series in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of such series in certificated form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge,

 

(i) to each Person specified by such Depositary a new certified Security or Securities of the same series of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Security in global form; and
 
(ii) to such Depositary a new Security in global form of like tenor 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 certificated Securities delivered to Holders thereof.
 

Upon the exchange of a Security in global form for Securities in certificated form, such Security in global form shall be canceled by the Trustee.

 

Securities issued in exchange for a Security in global form pursuant to this Section 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. The Trustee shall deliver such Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

 

Whenever any Securities are 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.

 

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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 registration of transfer or exchange.

 

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange 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 Securities to be transferred or exchanged, no service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, 9.06 or 11.07 not involving any transfer.

 

If the Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in part, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of such 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 that series selected for redemption under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

 

The foregoing provisions relating to registration, transfer and exchange may be modified, supplemented or superseded with respect to any series of Securities by a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto.

 

Section 3.06    Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

 

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either 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 shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and 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.

 

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

 

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 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 Regular Record Date for such interest.

 

Any interest on any Security of any series 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

 

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Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

 

(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (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 Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment (which shall be not less than 25 days after the receipt by the Trustee of such notice, unless such Trustee shall consent to an earlier date), 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 reasonably 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 days and not 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 reasonable 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 each Holder of Securities of such series 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 so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (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 (2).

 

(2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series 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 (2), such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

 

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, 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 such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on 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 or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interest of a Security in global form, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Security in global form, nothing herein shall prevent the Company or the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by any Depositary (or its nominee), as a Holder, with respect to such Security in global form or impair, as between such Depositary and owners of beneficial interests in such Security in global form, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the right of such Depositary (or its nominee) as holder of such Security in global form.

 

Section 3.09    Cancellation. All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and 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. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled Securities shall be held by the Trustee and may be destroyed (and, if so destroyed, certification of their destruction shall be delivered to the Company, unless, by a Company Order, the Company shall direct that canceled Securities be returned to it).

 

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

 

Section 3.11                                CUSIP Number. The Company in issuing Securities of any series may use a “CUSIP” number, and if so, the Trustee may use the CUSIP number in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders of such series; provided, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number printed on the notice or on the Securities of such series, and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP number of any series of Securities.

 

Section 3.12                                Wire Transfers. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary in this Indenture, the Company may make any payment of moneys required to be deposited with the Trustee on account of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities (whether pursuant to optional or mandatory redemption payments, interest payments or otherwise) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Trustee on or before the date and time such moneys are to be paid to the Holders of the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

ARTICLE 4

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 4.01                                Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall cease to be of further effect (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Securities and replacement of such Securities which may have been lost, stolen or mutilated as herein expressly provided for or in the form of Security for such series), when the Trustee, upon Company Request and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

 

(1) either (a) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06 and (ii) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.05) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or (b) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (i) have become due and payable, or (ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or (iii) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the reasonable expense, of the Company, and the Company, in the case of (b)(i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose an amount, in the currency or currencies or currency unit or units in which the Securities of such series are payable, sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

 

(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company;

 

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

 

(4) no event or condition shall exist on the date of such deposit that, pursuant to the provisions of Section 14.03, would prevent the Company from making payments of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series on the date of such deposit.

 

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.07, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 6.14 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (b) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.02 and the last paragraph of Section 10.05 shall survive.

 

Section 4.02                                Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.05, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance

 

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with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, 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 (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

Section 4.03                                Application to a Specific Series of Securities. The Company may elect to satisfy and discharge its obligations with respect to a specific series of Securities under the Indenture by complying with the terms of Article 4. If the Company makes such election, (a) the terms of Section 4.01 and 4.02 shall apply only to the specific series of Securities and the terms of the Indenture as it relates to such series of Securities and (b) the other Securities issued hereunder and the Indenture as it relates to such other Securities shall remain in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE 5

REMEDIES

 

Section 5.01                                Events of Default. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of a series, “EVENT OF DEFAULT,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or to be effected by reason of Article 14 hereof or 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):

 

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

 

(2) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, on any Security of that series when the same becomes due and payable at Maturity or on redemption or otherwise; or

 

(3) the Company fails to deposit any sinking fund payment, for five days after it becomes due by the terms of a Security of that series; or

 

(4) the Company fails to observe or perform in any material respect any of its other covenants, agreements or warranties in the Securities of that series or this Indenture (other than a covenant, agreement or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that series), and the failure to observe or perform continues for the period and after the notice specified in the last paragraph of this Section; or

 

(5) an event of default, as defined in any mortgage, indenture, or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any Indebtedness of the Company (including Securities of another series) (other than the Securities of such series) (whether such Indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created or incurred) shall occur, which event of default (i) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, or interest on such Indebtedness at final maturity after the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such event of default, and (ii) results in Indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default in payment is not cured or such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within 30 days after written notice to the Company from the Trustee or to the Company and to the Trustee from the Holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series specifying such event of default and requiring the Company to cure such default in payment or cause such acceleration to be rescinded or annulled and stating that such notice is a “NOTICE OF DEFAULT” hereunder; provided, however, that it shall not be an Event of Default if the principal amount of Indebtedness which is not paid at maturity or the maturity of which is accelerated is equal to or less than $50,000,000; provided further that if, prior to a declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the Securities of that series or the entry of judgment in favor of the Trustee in a suit pursuant to Section 5.03, such default shall be remedied or cured by the Company or waived by the holders of such Indebtedness, then the Event of Default hereunder by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been thereupon remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of either the Trustee or any of the Holders of the Securities of that series; or

 

(6) the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law (a) commences a voluntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law with respect to itself, (b) consents to the entry of a judgment, decree or order for relief against it in an involuntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law, (c) consents to or acquiesces in the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, (d) 

 

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applies for, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of or taking possession by a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, (e) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors or (f) takes any corporate action in furtherance of or to facilitate, conditionally or otherwise, any of the foregoing; or

 

(7) (i) a court of competent jurisdiction enters a judgment, decree or order for relief in an involuntary case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law which shall (a) approve as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition in respect of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, (b) appoint a Custodian of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or for all or substantially all of its property or (c) order the winding-up or liquidation of affairs of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, and such judgment, decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or (ii) any bankruptcy or insolvency petition or application is filed, or any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding is commenced, against the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries and such petition, application or proceeding is not dismissed within 60 days; or (iii) a warrant of attachment is issued against any material portion of the property of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries which is not released within 60 days of service; or

 

(8) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.

 

A Default under clause (4) above is not an Event of Default until the Trustee or the Holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series notify the Company of the Default and the Company does not cure the Default within 60 days after receipt of the notice. The notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that the notice is a “NOTICE OF DEFAULT.” When a Default under clause (4) above is cured within such 60-day period, it ceases to be a Default.

 

Section 5.02                                Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (6) or (7) of Section 5.01) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice in writing to the Company, or the Holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series by notice in writing to the Company and the Trustee, may declare the unpaid principal of and accrued interest to the date of acceleration (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) on all the Outstanding Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately and, upon any such declaration, the Outstanding Securities of that series (or specified principal amount) shall become and be immediately due and payable.

 

If an Event of Default specified in clause (6) or (7) of Section 5.01 occurs, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series (or specified principal amount) shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of any Security of that series.

 

Upon payment of all such principal and interest, all of the Company’s obligations under the Securities of that series and (upon payment of the Securities of all series) this Indenture shall terminate, except obligations under Section 6.07.

 

At any time after a declaration of acceleration of Maturity with respect to Securities of any series has been made 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 a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series by notice to the Trustee may rescind an acceleration and its consequences if (i) all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of and interest on the Securities of that series that has become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived, (ii) to the extent the payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest and overdue principal that has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration have been paid, (iii) the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (iv) all payments due to the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.07 have been made.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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(3) default is made in the payment of any sinking or analogous obligation when the same becomes due by the terms of the Securities of any series, and any such default continues for any period of grace provided with respect to the Securities of such series,

 

the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal (and premium, if any) and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, 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.

 

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, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys 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 Securities of any series 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 secure any other proper remedy.

 

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 proceeding or otherwise,

 

(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (and premium, if any) and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or 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 agent and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceedings, and
 
(ii) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder 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 Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07.
 

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder 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 Holder 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 may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities 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, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

Section 5.06                                Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article in respect of the Securities of any series 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, upon presentation of

 

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the Securities in respect of which moneys have been collected 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 applicable to such series;

 

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of such series in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities of such series for principal, and premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and

 

Third:  To the Company.

 

The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 5.06. At least ten (10) days before such record date, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder and the Company a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount to be paid.

 

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:

 

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

 

(2) the Holders of at least twenty-five percent in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that 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;

 

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

 

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

 

(5) 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 that series;

 

it being understood and intended that no one or more of Holders of Securities of any 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 of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all Holders of Securities of the affected series.

 

Section 5.08                                Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture but subject to Article 14, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.07) interest on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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

 

Section 5.10                                Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to

 

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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 Securities 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 Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

 

Section 5.12                                Control by Holders. 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:

 

(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture;

 

(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction; and

 

(3) subject to Section 6.01, the Trustee need not take any action which might involve the Trustee in personal liability or be unduly prejudicial to the Holders not joining therein.

 

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 by written notice to the Trustee on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any Default or Event of Default with respect to such series and its consequences, except a Default or Event of Default:

 

(1) in respect of the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security of such series, or

 

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

 

Upon any such waiver, such Default or Event of Default shall cease to exist and shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture and the Securities of such series; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of 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 his 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, suffered 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 Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than ten percent in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

 

ARTICLE 6

 

THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 6.01                                Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee.

 

(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Trustee’s duties and responsibilities under this Indenture shall be governed by Section 315(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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(b) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and shall use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

 

(c) None of the provisions of Section 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act shall be excluded from this Indenture.

 

(d) Every provision of this Indenture which pertains to the Trustee shall be subject to this Section 6.01.

 

Section 6.02                                Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall give to all Holders of Securities of such series, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, notice of such Default or Event of Default known to the Trustee, unless such Default or Event of Default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security 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 interest of the Holders of Securities of such series.

 

Section 6.03                                Certain Rights of Trustee.  Subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act:

 

(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, note, other evidence of indebtedness 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 or direction 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;

 

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection 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 Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee satisfactory security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

(f) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default which may have occurred, 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, approval or other paper or document, or the books and records of the Company, unless requested in writing to do so by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series; provided, however, that if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is not, in the opinion of the Trustee, reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such costs, expenses or liabilities as a condition to so proceeding; the reasonable expense of every such investigation shall be paid by the Company or, if paid by the Trustee, shall be repaid by the Company upon demand;

 

(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; and

 

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(h) the Trustee shall not be required 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 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.

 

Section 6.04                                Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Indenture, authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder, and that the statements made by it or to be made by it in a Statement of Eligibility and Qualification on Form T-1 supplied to the Company are true and accurate. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

Section 6.05                                May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any 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, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.

 

Section 6.06                                Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder (including amounts held by the Trustee as Paying Agent) 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 upon in writing with the Company.

 

Section 6.07                                Compensation and Reimbursement.  The Company agrees:

 

(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation as negotiated between the Company and the Trustee 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);

 

(2) 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 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

 

(3) to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, damage, claim or expense, including taxes (other than taxes based upon or determined or measured by the income of the Trustee), incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.

 

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(6) or Section 5.01(7), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Bankruptcy Law.

 

The provisions of this Section 6.07 shall survive this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

Section 6.08                                Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. The Trustee shall be disqualified only where such disqualification is required by Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. Nothing shall prevent the Trustee from filing with the Commission the application referred to in the second to last paragraph of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 6.09                                Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be eligible to act as Trustee under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act having a combined capital and surplus (together with its parent) of at least $100,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by federal or State authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this 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. Neither the Company nor any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common

 

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control with the Company may serve as Trustee. If at any time the Trustee 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 in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11.

 

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.11 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 with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.

 

(d) If at any time:

 

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months; or
 
(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.09 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months; or
 
(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation;
 

then, in any such case, (i) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

 

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority 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 in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company with respect to such Securities. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such 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 the Securities of such series.

 

(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of such series as

 

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their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 6.11                                Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

 

(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring 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 retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

 

(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of some (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee 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, (2) if the retiring 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 retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring 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; but, 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.

 

(c) 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 paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

 

(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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 the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided 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 (by merger, conversion, consolidation or otherwise as permitted hereunder) 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. The Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, excluding any creditor relationship listed in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act to the extent indicated therein.

 

Section 6.14                                Appointment of Authenticating Agent. At any time when any of the Securities remain Outstanding the Trustee 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, and subject to the direction of, the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to

 

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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 Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus (together with its parent) of not less than $100,000,000 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 to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee 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 if 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 as negotiated between the Company and such Authenticating Agent 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:

 

Form of Authenticating Agent’s

Certificate of Authentication

 

 

Dated:

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

As Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

As Authenticating Agent

 

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By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Section 6.15                                Compliance with Tax Laws. The Trustee hereby agrees to comply with all U.S. Federal income tax information reporting and withholding requirements applicable to it with respect to payments of premium (if any) and interest on the Securities of any series, whether acting as Trustee, Security Registrar, Paying Agent or otherwise with respect to the Securities of any series.

 

ARTICLE 7

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

 

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

 

(a) semi-annually, not later than 15 days after the Regular Record Date for each series of Securities, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities as of such Regular Record Date (unless the Trustee has such information), or if there is no Regular Record Date for interest for such series of Securities, semi-annually, upon such dates as are set forth in the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, 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, however, that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar, no such list shall be required to be furnished.

 

Section 7.02                                Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

 

(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.01 and the names and addresses of Holders 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 (herein 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 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 with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the 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 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 Holders 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 whose name and address appears 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

 

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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 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 objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all such Holders 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 nor any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders 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) Within 60 days after              of each year commencing with the year 20    , the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities as provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of             , if required by and in compliance with Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. The Trustee shall also comply with Section 313(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

(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 or inter-dealer quotation system upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange or inter-dealer quotation system.

 

Section 7.04                                Reports by Company.  The Company shall:

 

(1) file with the Trustee, within 15 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 Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall 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 Exchange Act 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;

 

(2) 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;

 

(3) transmit or cause to be transmitted by mail to all Holders, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, (a) as promptly as reasonably practicable following the furnishing of the same to its stockholders, the Company’s annual report to stockholders, containing certified financial statements, and any other financial reports which the Company generally furnishes to its stockholders, and (b) within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any other information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission; and

 

(4) furnish to the Trustee, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company (which fiscal year currently ends on the last Friday in the month of December of each calendar year), a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture. For purposes of this paragraph, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture. Such certificate need not comply with Section 1.02.

 

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ARTICLE 8

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, LEASE, SALE OR TRANSFER

 

Section 8.01                                When Company May Merge, Etc. Except as may be otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 relating to Securities of a series, the Company shall not consolidate with, or merge with or into, any other Person (whether or not the Company shall be the surviving corporation or entity), or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Person or group of affiliated Persons, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, unless:

 

(1) either the Company shall be the continuing Person or the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or with which or into which the Company is merged or the Person (or group of affiliated Persons) to which all or substantially all the properties and assets of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety are conveyed, transferred or leased shall be a corporation or other entity (group of affiliated corporations or entities) organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Securities and this Indenture; and

 

(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of related transactions, no Event of Default, and no Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may (a) consolidate with, or merge with or into, an Affiliate incorporated for the purpose incorporating the Company in another jurisdiction and/or (b) convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any Subsidiary or Subsidiaries, in one transaction or a series of related transactions.

 

Section 8.02                                Opinion of Counsel. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the proposed transaction(s) covered by Section 8.01 an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the transaction(s) and such supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture and that all conditions precedent to the consummation of the transaction(s) under this Indenture have been met.

 

Section 8.03                                Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation by the Company with or merger by the Company into any other corporation or other entity or any conveyance, transfer or lease all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor corporation or other entity formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the successor corporation or entity or affiliated group of corporations or entities to which such lease, sale, assignment 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 or corporations or entity or entities had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor corporation or corporations or entity or entities shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and in the event of such conveyance or transfer, except in the case of a lease, any such predecessor corporation may be dissolved and liquidated.

 

ARTICLE 9

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 9.01                                Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without notice to or the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

 

(1) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities; or

 

(2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or

 

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(3) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities; or

 

(4) to add or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons; or

 

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

 

(6) to secure the Securities; or

 

(7) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

 

(8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series 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 the requirements of Section 6.11(b); or

 

(9) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein; or

 

(10) to make any change that does not materially adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding; or

 

(11) to add Guarantees or Guarantors with respect to all or any series of the Securities; or

 

(12) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities (provided that the uncertificated Securities are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Internal Revenue Code or in a manner such that the uncertificated Securities are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of such Code).

 

Upon request of the Company, accompanied by a Board Resolution authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in (and subject to the last sentence of) Section 9.03, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of any supplemental indenture authorized or permitted by the terms of this Indenture.

 

Section 9.02                                Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the written consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture (with the Securities of each series voting as a class), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee shall, subject to Section 9.03, 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 modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of 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,

 

(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or premium, if any, or any installment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the optional redemption or Stated Maturity thereof, or change the manner in which the amount of any principal thereof or premium, if any, or interest thereon is determined, or reduce the amount of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02, or change any Place of Payment where, or the coin or currency or currency unit in which, any Security or any premium or interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date);

 

(2) 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

 

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for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or Defaults or Events of Default hereunder and their consequences provided for in this Indenture; or

 

(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 5.13 or Section 10.06, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section and Section 10.06, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 6.11(b) and 9.01(8).

 

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

 

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section 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. The Trustee shall sign any supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this Article, subject to the last sentence of this Section 9.03. 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 Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Section 9.04                                Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

 

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 of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

Section 9.07                                Subordination Unimpaired. This Indenture may not be amended to alter the subordination of any of the Outstanding Securities without the written consent of the requisite holders of Senior Debt then outstanding that would be adversely affected thereby.

 

ARTICLE 10

 

COVENANTS

 

Section 10.01                          Payments of Securities. With respect to each series of Securities, the Company will duly and punctually pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest 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, or made in the Indenture for the benefit of, the Securities of such series.

 

Section 10.02                          Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment, 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 any change in location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to

 

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furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the address of the Trustee as set forth in Section 1.05 hereof.

 

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

 

Section 10.03                          Compliance Certificates.

 

(a) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company (which fiscal year currently ends on the last Friday in the month of December of each calendar year), an Officers’ Certificate stating whether or not the signer knows of any Default or Event of Default by the Company that occurred prior to the end of the fiscal year and is then continuing. If the signer does know of such a Default or Event of Default, the certificate shall describe each such Default or Event of Default and its status and the specific section or sections of this Indenture in connection with which such Default or Event of Default has occurred. The Company shall also promptly notify the Trustee in writing should the Company’s fiscal year be changed so that the end thereof is on any date other than the date on which the Company’s fiscal year currently ends. The certificate need not comply with Section 1.02 hereof, but shall comply with Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

(b) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 10 days after the occurrence thereof, notice of any acceleration which with the giving of notice and the lapse of time would be an Event of Default within the meaning of Section 5.01(5) hereof.

 

(c) The Company shall deliver to the Trustee forthwith upon becoming aware of a Default or Event of Default (but in no event later than 10 days after the occurrence of each Default or Event of Default that is continuing), an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the details of such Default or Event of Default and the action that the Company proposes to take with respect thereto and the specific section or sections of this Indenture in connection with which such Default or Event of Default has occurred.

 

Section 10.04                          Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury 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, and will actively resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or other law, which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of and/or interest on the Securities as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) the Company 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.

 

Section 10.05                          Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons 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 of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure to so act.

 

The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities (other than the Trustee) 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:

 

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

 

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

 

(3) 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 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, 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.

 

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for one year after such principal (and premium, if any) or interest has become due and payable shall, subject to any applicable escheat laws, be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee of such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in New York, New York, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

Section 10.06                          Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Article 8, Article 10 (other than Sections      or     ) or any covenant specified as contemplated under Section 3.01 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

 

ARTICLE 11

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Section 11.01                          Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 11.02                          Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 30 and not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee 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 prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided 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.

 

Section 11.03                          Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected prior to the giving of the applicable notice of redemption to Holders by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, substantially pro rata, by lot or by any other method as the Trustee considers fair and appropriate and that complies with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which such Securities are listed, and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series; provided that in case the

 

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Securities of such series have different terms and maturities, the Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Company and the Company shall give notice thereof to the Trustee.

 

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities 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 the Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities 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 less than 30 nor more than 45 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address appearing in the Security Register.

 

All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(1) the Redemption Date;

 

(2) the Redemption Price;

 

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

 

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

 

(5) the place or places where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price;

 

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

 

(7) the CUSIP number, if any, of the Securities to be redeemed.

 

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, 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 10.05) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.

 

Unless any Security by its terms prohibits any sinking fund payment obligation from being satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities (including Securities redeemed otherwise than through a sinking fund), the Company may deliver such Securities to the Trustee for crediting against such payment obligation in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

 

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 and accrued interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Regular or Special Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

 

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

 

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Section 11.07                          Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at an office or agency of the Company at a Place of Payment therefor (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, a new Security or Securities of the same series and Stated Maturity, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

 

ARTICLE 12

SINKING FUNDS

 

Section 12.01                          Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series.

 

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “MANDATORY SINKING FUND PAYMENT,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “OPTIONAL SINKING FUND PAYMENT.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series.

 

Section 12.02                          Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company (1) may deliver Securities of a series (other than any Securities previously called for redemption) and (2) may apply as a credit Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

 

Section 12.03                          Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 45 days (or such shorter period reasonably acceptable to the Trustee) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02 and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered (which have not been previously delivered). Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 11.06 and 11.07.

 

ARTICLE 13

DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

Section 13.01                          Applicability of Article; Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. Unless as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series, provision is made for the inapplicability of, in whole or in part, or any modification to, either or both of (a) defeasance of the Securities of a series under Section 13.02 or (b) covenant defeasance of the Securities of a series under Section 13.03, then the provisions of such Section or Sections, as the case may be, together with the other provisions of this Article, shall be applicable to the Securities of such series and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to the Securities of such series elect to have either Section 13.02 (unless inapplicable) or Section 13.03 (unless inapplicable) be applied to the Outstanding Securities of such series upon compliance with the applicable conditions set forth below in this Article.

 

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Section 13.02                          Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Company’s exercise of the option provided in Section 13.01 to defease the Outstanding Securities of a particular series, the Company shall be discharged from its obligations with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series on the date the applicable conditions set forth in Section 13.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, “DEFEASANCE”). Defeasance shall mean that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the Outstanding Securities of such series and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same); provided, however, that the following rights, obligations, powers, trusts, duties and immunities shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (A) the rights of Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series to receive, solely from the trust fund provided for in Section 13.04, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on such Securities when such payments are due, (B) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.05, (C) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (D) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article, the Company may exercise its option with respect to defeasance under this Section 13.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option with respect to covenant defeasance under Section 13.03 in regard to the Securities of such series.

 

Section 13.03                          Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Company’s exercise of the option provided in Section 13.01 to obtain a covenant defeasance with respect to the Outstanding Securities of a particular series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under this Indenture and any applicable supplemental indenture (except its obligations under Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 5.06, 5.09, 6.10, 10.01, 10.02, 10.03, 10.04 and 10.05) with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series on and after the date the applicable conditions set forth in Section 13.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, “COVENANT DEFEASANCE”). Covenant defeasance shall mean that, with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in this Indenture and any applicable supplemental indenture (except its obligations under Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 5.06, 5.09, 6.10, 10.01, 10.02, 10.03, 10.04 and 10.05), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein or by reason of any reference to any other provision herein or in any other document, and such omission to comply shall not constitute an Event of Default under Section 5.01(4) or any such supplemental indenture with respect to Outstanding Securities of such series, and the remainder of this Indenture and of the Securities of such series shall be unaffected thereby.

 

Section 13.04                          Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to defeasance under Section 13.02 and covenant defeasance under Section 13.03 with respect to the Outstanding Securities of a particular series:

 

(1) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.09 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article applicable to it), under the terms of an irrevocable trust agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Trustee, as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in each case sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (i) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and each installment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Outstanding Securities of such series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to the Outstanding Securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities.

 

(2) No Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or shall occur as a result of such deposit.

 

(3) Such deposit, defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other material debt agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

(4) In the case of an election with respect to Section 13.02, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee either (a) a ruling directed to the Trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that the Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred or (B) an Opinion of

 

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Counsel, based on such ruling or on a change in the applicable federal income tax law since the date of this Indenture, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred.

 

(5) the case of an election with respect to Section 13.03, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel or a ruling directed to the Trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that the Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

 

(6) Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 3.01.

 

(7) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to either the defeasance under Section 13.02 or the covenant defeasance under Section 13.03 (as the case may be) have been complied with.

 

Section 13.05                          Deposited Money and Government Obligations To Be Held in Trust. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.05, all money and Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 13.05, the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 13.04 in respect of the Outstanding Securities of a particular series shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, 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 Holders of such Securities of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 13.04 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 of such series.

 

Anything in this Article to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 13.04 with respect to Securities of any series which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited for the purpose for which such money or Government Obligations were deposited.

 

Section 13.06                          Reinstatement. If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations, as the case may be, in accordance with this Article with respect to any Securities by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the obligations under this Indenture and such Securities from which the Company has been discharged or released pursuant to Section 13.02 or 13.03 shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article with respect to such Securities, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all money or U.S. Government Obligations, as the case may be, held in trust pursuant to Section 13.05 with respect to such Securities in accordance with this Article; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any such Security following such reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights (if any) of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations, as the case may be, so held in trust.

 

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ARTICLE 14

SUBORDINATION

 

Section 14.01                          Subordination.  The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Security issued hereunder by his acceptance of a Security likewise covenants and agrees (except as otherwise provided or contemplated by Section 3.01), that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article Fourteen; and each Person holding any Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer, assignment or exchange thereof accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

 

The payment by the Company of the principal of, premium, if any and interest on all Securities issued hereunder shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and junior in right of payment to all Senior Debt, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

 

No provision of this Article Fourteen shall prevent the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder or any event which with the giving of notice or the passage of time or both would constitute an Event of Default.

 

Section 14.02                          Priority of Senior Debt.  In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment due on any Senior Debt, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior Debt has been accelerated because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption payments) of or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities until such default shall have been cured or waived in writing or shall have ceased to exist or such Senior Debt shall have been discharged or paid in full.

 

In the event of the acceleration of the maturity of the Securities, then no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal (including redemption payments) of or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities until the holders of all Senior Debt outstanding at the time of such acceleration shall receive payment in full of such Senior Debt (including any amounts due upon acceleration).

 

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received by the Trustee or any Holder when such payment is prohibited by the preceding paragraphs of this Section 14.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of Senior Debt or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Debt may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear.

 

Section 14.03                          Payments upon Bankruptcy.  Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash property or securities, to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding up, receivership, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors, marshaling of assets and liabilities or any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings of the Company, all amounts due or to become due upon all Senior Debt shall first be paid in full, in cash or cash equivalents, or payment thereof provided for in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made on account of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities, and upon any such liquidation, dissolution, winding up, receivership, reorganization, assignment, marshaling or proceeding, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders or the Trustee under this Indenture would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article Fourteen, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, directly to the holders of Senior Debt (pro rata to such holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Debt 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 Debt may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Debt in full (including, without limitation, except to the extent, if any, prohibited by mandatory provisions of law, post-petition interest, in any such proceedings), after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Debt, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holders of the indebtedness evidenced by the Securities 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, shall be received by the Trustee under this Indenture or the Holders of the Securities before all Senior Debt is paid in full or provision is made for such payment in accordance with its terms, 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 Debt or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any of such Senior Debt may have been issued, as

 

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their respective interests may appear, for application to the payment of all Senior Debt remaining unpaid until all such Senior Debt 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 Debt.

 

For purposes of this Article Fourteen, 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 Fourteen with respect to the Securities) to the payment of all Senior Debt which may at the time be outstanding; provided, that (i) the Senior Debt 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 Debt 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 into, another corporation or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another corporation upon the terms and conditions provided in Article Eight shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section if such other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article Eight. Nothing in Section 14.02 or this Section 14.03 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Article Six. This Section shall be subject to the further provisions of Section 14.06.

 

Section 14.04                          Subrogation; Rights not Impaired.  Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Debt, the rights of the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Debt to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to the Senior Debt until the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Debt of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee on their behalf would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article Fourteen and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article Fourteen to the holders of Senior Debt by Holders of the Securities or the Trustee on their behalf shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Debt and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of the Senior Debt; and no payments or distributions of cash, property or securities to or for the benefit of the Holders pursuant to the subrogation provisions of this Article, which would otherwise have been paid to the holders of Senior Debt shall be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or for the account of the Securities. It is understood that the provisions of this Article Fourteen are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Debt, on the other hand.

 

Nothing contained in this Article Fourteen 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 Debt, 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, premium, if any, and interest 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 of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of the Senior Debt, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Holder of any Security or the Trustee on his or her behalf from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article Fourteen of the holders of Senior Debt 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 Fourteen, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article Six, 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 liquidation, dissolution, winding up, receivership, reorganization, assignment or marshaling 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 Debt 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 Fourteen.

 

Section 14.05                          Authorization of Trustee.  Each Holder of a Security by his or her acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee in his or her behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article Fourteen and appoints the Trustee his or her attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

Section 14.06                          Notice of the 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 moneys to or

 

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by the Trustee or any Paying Agent in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article Fourteen. Regardless of anything to the contrary contained in this Article Fourteen or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any Senior Debt or of any default or event of default with respect to any Senior Debt or of any other facts which would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys to or by the Trustee, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received notice in writing at its principal Corporate Trust Office to that effect signed by an officer of the Company, or by a holder or agent of a holder of Senior Debt 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 Debt shall be outstanding, and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee shall, subject to the provisions of Article Six, be entitled to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if on a date at least three Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any such moneys shall become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, or interest on any Security) the Trustee shall not have received with respect to such moneys the notice provided for in this Section 14.06, then, regardless of anything herein to the contrary, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such moneys 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.

 

The Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Debt (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Debt or a trustee or agent 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 Debt to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article Fourteen, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Debt 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 Fourteen, and if such evidence is not furnished the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

 

Section 14.07                          Holders of Senior Debt; Trustee’s Obligations.  The Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article Fourteen with respect to any Senior Debt 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 Debt and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee or any such agent, of any of its rights as such holder. Nothing in this Article Fourteen shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Article Six.

 

With respect to the holders of Senior Debt, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article Fourteen, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Debt 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 Debt and, subject to the provisions of Article Six, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of Senior Debt if it shall pay over or deliver to holders of Securities, the Company or any other Person moneys or assets to which any holder of Senior Debt shall be entitled by virtue of this Article Fourteen or otherwise.

 

Section 14.08                          Actions by Holders of Senior Debt.  No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Debt 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.

 

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Debt may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders, without incurring responsibility to the Holders and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article Fourteen or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities to the holders of such Senior Debt, do any one or more of the following: (i) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, such Senior Debt, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner such Senior Debt or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which such Senior Debt is outstanding; (ii) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Debt; (iii) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Debt; and (iv) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company, as the case may be, and any other Person.

 

Section 14.09                          Paying Agent.  In case at any time any paying agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article Fourteen shall in

 

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such case (unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such paying agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such paying agent were named in this Article Fourteen in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided that Sections 14.06 and 14.07 shall not apply to the Company if acting as a Paying Agent.

 

Section 14.10                          Monies Held in Trust.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, payments from money or the proceeds of U.S. Government Obligations held in trust under Sections 4.01 or 13.04 of this Indenture by the Trustee for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities shall not be subordinated to the prior payment of any Senior Debt or subject to the restrictions set forth in this Article Fourteen, and none of the Holders shall be obligated to pay over any such amount to the Company or any holder of Senior Debt or any other creditor of the Company.

 

ARTICLE 15

 

GUARANTEES

 

Section 15.01                          Guarantee. Any series of Securities may be guaranteed by one or more of the Guarantors. The terms and the form of any such Guarantee will be established in the manner contemplated by Section 3.01 for that particular series of Securities.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

INTERLINE BRANDS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

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[GUARANTOR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

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